Faulk’s Seven Touchdowns Lead SIAC Football Weekly Honors

ATLANTA — A seven-touchdown outing by Edward Waters quarterback Tavion Faulk and two school-record field goals by Benedict’s Zane Spires highlighted the SIAC football awards announced Oct. 27.

Faulk earned Offensive Player of the Week after powering Edward Waters past Clark Atlanta, 62-14. The senior completed 19 of 22 passes for 367 yards and five touchdowns without an interception, adding 33 rushing yards and two scores.

Kentucky State defensive back Lawrence McConnell claimed Defensive Player of the Week following a 27-24 win over Savannah State. He collected nine tackles, seven solo, and two interceptions, returning one 84 yards for a touchdown. McConnell also recorded a sack.

Spires secured Special Teams Player of the Week in Benedict’s 29-8 victory over Albany State. His 53-yard field goal established a school record that he broke with a 54-yarder before halftime. He later connected from 48 yards.

Edward Waters receiver Tylon Williams received Newcomer of the Week after catching six passes for 171 yards against Clark Atlanta, including a 78-yard touchdown.

Allen’s Habibu, Albany State’s Haywood Earn SIAC Cross Country Honors

ATLANTA — A school record for Allen’s Salisu Habibu and a personal best for Albany State’s Sydney Haywood earned the runners SIAC cross country recognition Oct. 27.

Habibu claimed Men’s Runner of the Week after completing an 8-kilometer race in 25:44, lowering his own Allen record. The junior finished second among 112 runners and helped the Yellow Jackets place seventh in a 16-team field.

Allen posted a team average of 28:42 in what the conference described as a program-best performance.

Haywood received Women’s Runner of the Week following the UAH Chargers XC Invitational on Oct. 24 in Huntsville, Alabama. She covered the 6-kilometer course in 23:30.8, improving her previous best of 24:36.5 by more than a minute.

The sophomore finished 177th overall and was Albany State’s third runner across the line. Her performance contributed to the fastest team 6K finish in school history, according to the conference.

South Carolina State, Alabama A&M Lead Updated Celebration Bowl Projections

South Carolina State and Alabama A&M have the strongest projected paths to Atlanta, while key victories by Howard and Bethune-Cookman have reshaped the chase for a Celebration Bowl berth.

The latest Toyota Championship Projection, released Oct. 28 and incorporating games through Oct. 24, gives South Carolina State a 40.63% chance of representing the MEAC in the Cricket Celebration Bowl presented by Toyota. Alabama A&M leads the SWAC with a 49.10% chance of winning its conference championship and advancing to Atlanta.

The projections reflect 10,000 simulated finishes to the season, using team strength, FCS scoring efficiency, conference standings, remaining schedules, game locations and applicable tiebreakers.

“Last weekend demonstrated why we introduced this projection,” said John T. Grant, executive director of the Cricket Celebration Bowl presented by Toyota.

Howard’s overtime victory against Morgan State and Bethune-Cookman’s narrow win over Jackson State were among the results that changed the outlook.

South Carolina State Takes the Lead in the MEAC

South Carolina State’s 22-7 victory over Norfolk State helped put the Bulldogs atop the MEAC projections. Howard moved into second after defeating Morgan State 26-20 in overtime, leaving the Bears close behind in third.

Together, those three programs account for nearly 94% of the model’s projected MEAC representatives.

The next round of conference games could shift those numbers again. South Carolina State visits Morgan State on Thursday, Oct. 29, giving the Bulldogs an opportunity to secure a valuable head-to-head victory against a leading contender.

Howard travels to North Carolina Central on Saturday. NCCU enters after defeating Delaware State 31-12, and both teams will be looking to build on wins in their MEAC openers.

Alabama A&M Leads as Bethune-Cookman Gains Ground

Alabama A&M holds a 60.42% chance of winning the SWAC East and reaching the conference championship game. Its 49.10% chance of completing the journey to the Celebration Bowl is the highest of any SWAC program.

Bethune-Cookman made a significant move with its 24-21 victory over Jackson State. The Wildcats now have a 27.16% chance of winning the East and a 17.86% chance of reaching Atlanta.

Jackson State remains in contention, but its 3-2 conference record leaves the Tigers needing help. The model gives Jackson State a 10.53% chance of winning the division and an 8.07% chance of winning the SWAC championship.

Alabama A&M’s next test comes Saturday against Alabama State in the Magic City Classic. A Bulldogs victory would strengthen their position, while a Hornets win would create an opening for other East contenders.

Grambling Holds a Narrow Edge in the West

The SWAC West remains tightly contested, with Grambling State leading the division projections at 36.69%. Prairie View A&M follows at 32.90% after strengthening its profile with a 30-19 nonconference road victory over East Texas A&M.

Arkansas-Pine Bluff’s 31-28 win over Florida A&M helped keep the Golden Lions in the race. UAPB has a 14.92% chance of winning the West, followed by Alcorn State at 12.61%.

Southern sits at 2.71%, while Texas Southern has a 0.17% chance despite its 24-21 victory over the Jaguars.

The overall SWAC projections account for both winning a division and winning the conference championship game:

Florida A&M is listed as ineligible in the projection.

Games to Watch

Six matchups carry particular importance for the conference races this week. All times are Eastern.

297 p.m.

312 p.m.

313 p.m.

313 p.m.

313:30 p.m.

318:30 p.m.

Bethune-Cookman’s trip to Arkansas-Pine Bluff will affect both SWAC divisions, while Grambling State and Alcorn State face road tests as they pursue the West title.

The projections measure possible outcomes based on current information. They do not guarantee results or fully account for injuries, turnovers, weather and other factors that can change a game.

The 2026 Cricket Celebration Bowl presented by Toyota is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 12, at noon ET at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. ABC will televise the matchup between the MEAC and SWAC champions.

Tags: HBCU football, Celebration Bowl, Toyota Championship Projection, MEAC football, SWAC football, South Carolina State, Alabama A&M, Howard University, Bethune-Cookman, Morgan State, Jackson State, Grambling State, Prairie View A&M, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, North Carolina Central, Magic City Classic, college football

Westlake Tops Latest Metro Atlanta Band of the Year Rankings

Jonesboro and Pebblebrook lead the pursuit as tight scores and standout category performances keep the field competitive.

ATLANTA, Ga. (October 26, 2026) — Westlake High School holds the No. 1 spot in the latest Red Lobster Metro Atlanta Band of the Year High School Division rankings, using strong performances across all five scoring categories to establish a 23.5-point lead.

Westlake tops the standings with 358.25 points, followed by Jonesboro with 334.75 and Pebblebrook with 332. Creekside ranks fourth with 326.50 points, while Southwest DeKalb completes the top five with 321.75.

Behind Westlake, the standings leave little separation among the leading contenders. Jonesboro holds a 2.75-point advantage over Pebblebrook, and just 13 points separate second place from fifth.

Westlake’s position reflects its strength throughout the competition. The band leads Picture Drill and Design with 112 points and Auxiliary with 49.25. It also shares first place with Pebblebrook in Musicality at 80 points and Percussion at 59.

In Drum Major scoring, Westlake’s 58 points place it just behind category leader Southwest DeKalb, which earned 59.

Jonesboro remains Westlake’s closest challenger. The Cardinals rank second in Picture Drill and Design with 110 points, third in Musicality with 78 and third in Auxiliary with 44.75. Those results have helped Jonesboro maintain a narrow edge over Pebblebrook, whose shared leads in Musicality and Percussion anchor its third-place position.

The complete standings are:

Several programs outside the overall top five are making a strong impression in individual categories.

Carver, ranked 12th overall, holds second place in Auxiliary with 46 points. McNair ranks fourth in Musicality and shares third place in Percussion, despite sitting 10th in the overall standings. Langston Hughes, which is outside the top 15, ranks fifth in Picture Drill and Design with 106 points.

Percussion features one of the closest category races. Westlake and Pebblebrook share the lead with 59 points, while Arabia Mountain, McNair and New Manchester are tied just one point behind.

The Drum Major standings are similarly tight. Southwest DeKalb leads with 59 points, followed by Westlake with 58. Arabia Mountain and New Manchester share the next position with 57.

Those results underscore the depth of the competition, with programs throughout the standings earning recognition for specific strengths.

The race for a place in the overall top five also remains close. Sixth-place New Manchester has 317.50 points, putting it 4.25 behind Southwest DeKalb. Stephenson follows with 313.75, while South Cobb, Arabia Mountain and McNair are separated by just 1.25 points.

Farther down the standings, only four points separate Tri-Cities, Carver and Morrow.

For Westlake, the challenge is to maintain the consistency that has produced the lead. Jonesboro and Pebblebrook remain its nearest competitors, while Creekside, Southwest DeKalb and New Manchester continue to press for stronger positions.

The latest rankings offer a snapshot of a competitive field in which musical execution, field design, percussion, auxiliary performance and student leadership all contribute to the overall result. Westlake has set the pace, but close margins throughout the standings give bands across Metro Atlanta plenty to pursue.

For rankings and event information, visit BandOfTheYear.com.

Lawrence Earns HBCUAC Defensive Honor; SUNO Defense Gains National Recognition

Lawrence grabs 15 rebounds as Knights hold Xavier to 20 second-half points in season-opening win

NEW ORLEANS — Southern University at New Orleans turned a strong defensive performance in its season opener into conference and national recognition Monday.

Junior forward Jermaine Lawrence was named the HBCU Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Defensive Player of the Week, while NAIA Hoops Report selected SUNO as its Defense of the Week following the Knights’ 69-56 victory over Xavier (La.) on Saturday, Oct. 24.

The win ended SUNO’s two-game losing streak against its crosstown rival and marked its first victory over the Gold Rush since the 2024–25 season.

Lawrence led the effort with 12 points and a game-high 15 rebounds in his first career appearance against Xavier. Thirteen of his rebounds came on the defensive end. He also recorded three assists, two steals and one blocked shot in 37 minutes.

His work on the glass helped SUNO finish with a 43-24 rebounding advantage and limit Xavier to just two second-chance points. Senior forward Dorian Booker added 11 rebounds.

The Knights took control defensively after halftime, holding the Gold Rush to 20 points on 7-of-26 shooting (26.9%). Xavier shot 37.9% from the field for the game.

That second-half performance earned SUNO recognition in NAIA Hoops Report’s Week 1 recap, as the Knights turned a close contest into a double-digit victory.

The result also marked a defensive turnaround in the rivalry. Xavier scored 82 and 78 points in its two wins over SUNO last season. This time, Lawrence and the Knights held the Gold Rush to 56, opening the 2026–27 season with a win built on defense and rebounding.