The postseason has arrived in the Division II ranks with Saturday seeing the kickoff of the first round of the National Championship tournament. This year will be a historic affair as five HBCU teams will compete in the Division II playoffs, the most seen in a single year in the tournament's 52-year history. This comes a year after Virginia Union and Miles won their respective first round matchups, marking the first time two HBCUs advances past the opening round in the same year. Here is each HBCU Division II playoff team's Biggest Key to Victory in the opening round of the National Championship tournament.

The Bowie State Bulldogs have entered the head coaching market after announcing they will not renew the contract of current coach Kyle Jackson. "On behalf of Bulldog Athletics, I want to extend out sincere gratitude to Coach Jackson for the meaningful impact he has made on our football program both as a player and as a dedicated coach over the last 11 years," said Bowie State University Athletic Director Clyde Doughty.

The Florida Classic this year might be a toss-up. Florida A&M enters the 2025 Florida Classic riding a four-game winning streak over Bethune-Cookman, but the Wildcats might be in the best position to finally topple the Rattlers. Bethune-Cookman’s explosive offense gives the Wildcats real upset potential if the game turns into a shootout, but their defensive inconsistencies are hard to hide over four quarters.​

Lucky Week Number 13 of HBCU Football promises to be a special one; five Division II HBCUs are in postseason action, the MEAC title will be decided and the SWAC will likely know who plays in the championship game by the close of business Saturday.  The games aren’t as plentiful, but the importance has multiplied, so your friendly neighborhood HBCU football prognosticator takes this week’s picks very seriously.Before we look at the key matchups, let’s review Week 12’s numbers.

Delaware State is embracing the “love of the grind” as the Hornets prepare to host South Carolina State on Saturday in the de facto MEAC championship game. Delaware State (4-0 MEAC) enters championship week after a hard-fought win, 26-13 over Howard, a program that had frustrated the Hornets in recent years. Jackson’s team forced three turnovers, including a pick-six, and regained its offensive rhythm in what he admitted could have been a “trap game.” “Every game from here on out is going to be a trap game,” head coach…

The South Carolina State football team has won all nine of their MEAC games since Chennis Berry took over as head coach last season. The coach himself as a personal winning streak that triples the above amount. Berry, who led Division II Benedict to consecutive SIAC titles in 2022 and 2023, is focused on winning another week as his Bulldogs travel to Delaware State this coming Saturday to decide the MEAC championship.

Could Jackson State quarterback JaCobian Morgan be under center for the Tigers with the SWAC East division championship on the line? Morgan has been out since sustaining an injury to his left foot on Oct. 26 versus Grambling State in Las Vegas. Head coach T.C. Taylor on Monday addressed Morgan’s status at his weekly press conference, confirming that the junior signal-caller was on the practice field this week.

Southern University’s search for a new head football coach has once again brought an NFL name to the forefront: Marshall Faulk. HBCU media YouTube personality Scottay of Offscript TV first reported on a live stream broadcast of the show that Faulk spoke with school officials and is "the leading candidate" for the job. Kevin Batiste, a sports reporter with WAFB in Baton Rouge, also indicated university officials…

Langston University announced Tuesday that head football coach Quinton Morgan will not return next season, ending a decade-long tenure leading the Lions program. “Coach Morgan’s service, dedication, and commitment to Langston University over the past 10 years have been greatly appreciated,” said Director of Athletics Donnita Rogers in a statement. “We thank him for his leadership and contributions to LU football.”

Michael Vick struck a candid and reflective tone as he nears his first season as head coach. Vick, the first-year Norfolk State coach, was open about the growing pains of his debut campaign, noting, “It’s been in the situation that I’m in now and, you know, going through the season, but obviously looking at the future, you know, I just see all the positives," he said…

Alabama State is, without question, one of the top teams in Black College Football. The Hornets (8-2, 6-1 SWAC) are tied with Jackson State for first-place in the SWAC East (though JSU holds the tiebreaker) and could – if the Tigers lose their season finale versus Alcorn State – take the division by winning out. They are either ranked No. 1(surprisingly) or No.

Edward Waters University has tapped Todd Day, the former NBA standout, to serve as interim men’s basketball coach. Day, a first-round selection in the NBA Draft, enjoyed a productive professional career with stops at the Milwaukee Bucks, Boston Celtics, Phoenix Suns, and Minnesota Timberwolves. “We are thrilled to welcome Coach Todd Day to Edward Waters University,” said Dr. A. Zachary Faison, Jr., President & CEO of EWU…

A post-HBCU football fifth-quarter band battle between Texas Southern and Southern University ended on a sour note Saturday night when a police altercation in the stands overshadowed it. A video circulating on social media showed a fan being slammed to the ground by law enforcement during the band's performance at A.W. Mumford Stadium in Baton Rouge. The footage, posted by ESPN journalist Kalan Hooks, depicts a man exchanging words with a group of police officers before being grabbed by the collar and forced to the ground.

Prairie View A&M clinched the SWAC West championship and a trip to the conference title game on Saturday. However, there wasn't much celebrating going on. “There wasn’t a lot of celebrating on Saturday," said Panthers head coach Tremaine Jackson on Monday. “The trainers and cheerleaders took more pictures of the trophy than we did. We did what we did and went right back to work, because we know we’re not done.

Florida A&M head football coach James Colzie III expressed strong confidence in newly appointed athletic director John Davis. Davis, who is set to officially begin his tenure in January, is a familiar name and face to the second-year Florida A&M coach. He played defensive back at Florida State before embarking on a career in athletics and business, ultimately serving as the Secretary of the Florida Lottery under Gov.

The penultimate week of the final full slate of the 2025 HBCU football season in the Division I ranks sees Texas Southern's clash with Southern in Baton Rouge top the list of most-attended games in Week 12. Texas Southern vs. Southern: 24,679 Jackson State vs. Bethune-Cookman: 23,348 Florida A&M vs. Alabama A&M: 14,677 Albany State vs. Benedict (SIAC Championship): 8,173…

HBCU Football saw some changes at the bottom, but the top teams stayed consistent. Those results are reflected in the HBCU Sports' Week 12 Ultimate Division I Football Poll, and here's how it looks heading into another pivotal weekend. 1. Jackson State (8-2) Last Week: Defeated Bethune-Cookman 28-13 Up Next: vs. Alcorn State Saturday Nov. 22 Jackson State got past a pesky Wildcats team to set up a simple "win and you're in" scenario in next week's Soul Bowl. The next man up mentality has served the Tigers well and they'll need it against an Alcorn State team that has won five of their last six games.

The Division II Football Championship field has been announced and it features a historic five HBCU teams, including the two major Division II HBCU conference champions. This marks the most HBCU selections in the history of the Division II football tournament, having never surpassed three before this year. Here is every HBCU football team that was selected to the Division II Football Playoffs. Super Region 1 Johnson C. Smith Golden Bulls Last Appearance: Never For the first time in school history, the Johnson C. Smith Golden Bulls will play for a Division II Football Championship, hosting a first-round matchup against Frostburg State as a two-seed in Super Region One.

Former Jackson State star Shedeur Sanders finally stepped onto an NFL regular-season field Sunday. The rookie made his long-awaited debut for the Cleveland Browns in a tense divisional battle against the Baltimore Ravens at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Sanders became the latest HBCU quarterback to start an NFL game, marking a milestone in both his career and the continued resurgence of Black College football talent at the professional level.

Jackson State’s ground game dominated again on Saturday. Running backs Travis Terrell Jr., Donerio Davenport, and Ahmad Miller each surpassed the 100-yard mark to carry the Tigers past Bethune-Cookman 28-13. The trio powered a 360-yard rushing effort that lifted the Tigers to 8-2 overall and 6-1 in the SWAC. Terrell led the attack with 103 yards on 11 carries, including a 25-yard touchdown burst.

For the first time since 1969, the Johnson C. Smith Golden Bulls sit atop the CIAA football mountain, beating Virginia Union 45-21 in the conference title game. Though this is Johnson C. Smith's second CIAA championship in school history, this is their first in the championship game era, losing in the inaugural game in 1970 and in 1972. The Golden Bulls get revenge on the Panthers, …

The Albany State Golden Rams are on top of the SIAC once again, taking down the Benedict Tigers 22-16 in the championship game. This is Albany State's first SIAC championship since 2021, extending its perfect record against Division II opponents to 10-0 this season (10-1 overall). It also marks the Golden Rams' second win over the Tigers this year, having beaten them 31-3 in their regular-season matchup on October 25.

The Delaware State football team will be playing for the MEAC title in DeSean Jackson's first season as head coach. Wayne Favors III's 91-yard pick six was the big play as the Hornets held off Howard 26-13 in a very chippy game that resulted in over 250 yards in penalties between the teams. With a 4-0 mark in conference play, DSU will host South Carolina State, also 4-0, for the MEAC title and a spot in the Cricket Celebration Bowl next Saturday.

Morgan State's three-game losing streak is now a thing of the past. Redshirt freshman QB Raymond Moore III's one-yard keeper with six minutes left in the fourth quarter was the difference as the Bears defeated Norfolk State 35-28. The win is the Bears' first MEAC triumph of the season and their first overall since their 44-6 homecoming win over Virginia-Lynchburg Oct.

South Carolina State had to sweat out a goal-line stand but still found a way to remain undefeated in MEAC play. Josh Shaw's 30-yard touchdown run with 1:51 left in the fourth quarter broke a 27-all tie to give the Bulldogs a 34-27 win over rival North Carolina Central to move to 4-0 in MEAC play and 8-3 overall. Here are the key takeaways from Friday night's game.