The Weekly HBCU Football Underdogs and Favorites have arrived for Week Four.
Back in 2019 we began posting score predictions from MasseyRatings.com to get a picture of what the week in HBCU football could look like. The ratings are not generated by us (you can go here to view Massey’s rating criteria) but they do generate quite a bit of conversation.
Week Four is a mixed bag of mostly conference matchups for the SWAC, CIAA and SIAC. The lean, mean MEAC, however will still be playing non-conference games into October.
Here are some of the HBCU football predictions we’re keeping a close eye on along with the rest of them.
NC Central 19 at North Carolina A&T 31
Spread: -12.5 Over/Under: 51.5 Win Chance: NCAT 79/21
Interesting spread here. North Carolina A&T has dominated this series the past two years – outscoring its friends from Durham 99-0 in the previous two matchups. It is also 0-2 with a loss to a solid FCS program in Furman and an ACC program with Duke. NCCU is 2-1 with a solid win over Alcorn State, a loss to FBS Marshall and a tough win against a CIAA school that might be better than expected in WSSU. The spread seems a little high here.
Delta State 23 at Jackson State 24
Spread: -1.5 Over/Under: 50.5 Win Chance: JSU 52/48
Sure, JSU has had trouble punching the ball in against FAMU and ULM. But Delta State ain’t either of those programs. And JSU has beaten Massey’s spread every week so far. I like JSU to put up 50 on its own, but I’m not buying Delta State keeping this close at all.
Grambling 20 at Prairie View 27
Spread: -7.5 Over/Under: 46.5 Win Chance: PVAMU 72/28
PVAMU has not lost the State Fair Classic since Eric Dooley took over as head coach in 2018. Since its season-opening win, Grambling has looked more like the team that struggled in the spring. I like PVAMU to cover this spread pretty easily.
Shaw 31 at Lincoln (PA) 13
Spread: -17.5 Over/Under: 44.5 Win Chance: SU 90/10
Shaw is coming off a 52-0 win over Central State. The same Central State that beat Lincoln on the road a few years ago. Shaw may cover this spread twice.
Alabama A&M 38 vs. Tuskegee 10
Spread: -27.5 Over/Under: 49.5 Win Chance: AAMU 96/4
This is a big spread. Barring an act of God, expect AAMU to cover this spread with relative ease.
Alcorn State 27 at Arkansas-Pine Bluff 24
Spread: -2.5 Over/Under: 53.5 Win Chances: ASU 55/45
Howard 21 at Robert Morris 28
Spread: -7.5 Over/Under: 54.5 Win Chance: RMU 70/30
Texas Southern 14 at Rice 42
Spread: -28.5 Over Under: 55.5 Win Chance: RU 95/5
Merrimack 28 at Delaware State 26
Spread: -1.5 Over/Under: 53.5 Win Chance: MU 53/47
Norfolk State 26 at St. Francis 29
Spread: -3.5 Over/Under: 55.5 Win Chance: SFU 59/41
Clark Atlanta 7 at Albany State 32
Spread: -24.5 Over/Under: 40.5 Win Chance: ASU 98/2
Central State 10 at Miles 31
Spread: -21.5 Over/Under: 41.5 Win Chance: MC: 96/4
Chowan 35 at St. Aug 24
Spread: -11.5 Over/Under 61.5 Win Chance: CU 75/25
Virginia State 21 at Fayetteville State 27
Spread: -5.5 Over/Under 50.5 Win Chance: FSU 65/35
Fort Valley State 34 at Allen 14
Spread: -20.5 Over/Under: 51.5 Win Chance: FVSU 89/10
Lane 30 at Edward Waters 16
Spread: -13.5 Over/Under 46.5 Win Chance: Lane 82/18
NE Oklahoma 34 at Lincoln (MO) 27
Spread: -7.5 Over/Under 61.5 Win Chance: NEO 67/33
Morehouse 17 at Savannah State 36
Spread: -18.5 Over/Under 55.5 Win Chance: SSU 87/13
Benedict 27 at Kentucky State 21
Spread: -5.5 Over/Under: 49.5 Win Chance: BC 64/46
Bethune-Cookman 27 at Alabama State 26
Spread: -1.5 Over/Under: 52.5 Win Chance: BCU 51/49
Tennessee State 24 at SE Missouri State 34
Spread: -9.5 Over/Under: 56.5 Win Chance: SEMO 73/27
Bowie State 33 at Livingstone 14
Spread: -19.5 Over/Under: 48.5 Win Chance: BSU 90/10
Wayland 24 at Texas College 30
Spread: -6.5 Overr/Under: 56.5 Win Chance: TC 68/32
Elizabeth City State 19 at Winston-Salem State 32
Spread: -12.5 Over/Under: 52.5 Win Chance: WSSU 79/21
West Virginia State 20 at Notre Dame (OH) 38
Spread: -17.5 Over/Under: 58.5 Win Chance: NDU 84/16
Virginia Union 28 at Johnson C. Smith 21
Spread: -6.5 Over/Under: 51.5 Win Chance: VUU 67/33
Arkansas Baptist 14 at Langston 34
Spread: -19.5 Over/Under: 45.5 Win Chance: LU 92/8
Southern 31 vs. Mississippi Valley 21
Spread: -10.5 Over/Under: 56.5 Win Chance: SU 75/25