ANOTHER SHOWDOWN LOOMS
GRAMBLING, ALCORN STATE PICKED TO MEET AGAIN FOR LEAGUE SUPREMACY
Grambling State and Alcorn State could be headed on another collision course. The two teams that played in last year’s SWAC championship game in Houston are predicted to win their respective divisions in 2017.
Grambling got the best of Alcorn last December, rallying from 17 points down to ease past the Braves 27-20, ending Alcorn’s two-year reign as conference champions.
The Tigers then edged North Carolina Central 10-9 in the Celebration Bowl in Atlanta, making the G-Men the black college football national champion. In three years under the leadership of coach Broderick Fobbs, the Tigers have won the West the past two seasons.
“We’ve done a good job getting some quality coaches that understand development of young people,” Fobbs said. “Also, we have a lot of good players who understand the importance of trusting us. When you add all that into a gumbo pot, you get what we’ve been able to accomplish.”
Last season, Grambling (11-1) showed it could win coming from behind. Against Texas Southern, Grambling trailed by 21 points in the second quarter before taking a 33-28 halftime lead en route to a 47-28 win over the Tigers at BBVA Compass Stadium.
Returning at quarterback for the 2016 West Division winner is Devante Kincade, who began his college career at Ole Miss. One of 14 Grambling players on the 2017 preseason All-SWAC teams, Kincade threw for 3,022 yards and 31 touchdowns with only four interceptions last year.
Grambling also returns firstteam All-SWAC running back and return specialist Martez Carter.
“They don’t give you a 10yard head start because you do something, we all have to start at the starting line at the same place,” Fobbs said. “The champion is crowned at the end.
“Because you finished first (the year before) and you have all these kids on the (preseason) all-conference teams, that means absolutely nothing.”
Alcorn reigns in East
Alcorn is the three-time defending champion in the East Division. The Braves are picked to finish first, ahead of Alabama State, followed by Jackson State, Alabama A&M and Mississippi Valley State.
“It’s an honor to be picked first, but we have to play as if we were picked last,” Alcorn coach Fred McNair said. “The games are always won on the field and we can’t overlook that.
“Being picked first is great, but now we are being hunted. We have to make sure we are prepared since we have a target on our back.”
Alcorn’s Timothy Gardner solidifies an offensive line that allowed less than a sack a game last season.
Regardless of who meets in the SWAC championship game Dec. 2 at NRG Stadium, it will be the last conference title game in the near future. In another change, the conference has gone back to a seven-game league schedule instead of nine.
Jackson State end Keontre Anderson is the preseason SWAC defensive player of the year. He led FCS with 25.5 tackles for loss and added nine sacks. JSU, with 40 newcomers, could be a sleeper team that is solid defensively and on special teams.
Grambling is the overwhelming choice to repeat in the West. Southern is picked to finish second, followed by Prairie View A&M, Texas Southern and Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
“Coach Fobbs has brought Grambling back,” third-year Prairie View coach Willie Simmons said. “They wear that G with pride.”
Aside from Valley and Pine Bluff, the remainder of the SWAC teams should be competitive in a season in which there are no new head coaches in the league.
“That team down the road (TSU) is not a pushover,” Simmons said. “We can put a lot of attention towards Grambling if we want to, but we know Texas Southern and Alabama State and Jackson State will be licking their chops.”