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Four-Down Territory: Headlines & Quick Hits for Friday, July 21

Fayetteville State picked to win CIAA once again

Published

July 20, 2023

Fayetteville State and Bowie State once again lead the CIAA preseason rankings. (Graphic courtesy of CIAA)

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Fayetteville State picked to repeat as CIAA champs

The Broncos reached the league title game in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2022, claiming the trophy a year ago with a last-second field goal against Chowan. (The 2020 season was canceled due to COVID).

CIAA coaches tabbed FSU, which competes in the Southern Division, as the team to beat this season, edging out Bowie State and Virginia Union (both of the Northern Division). Fayetteville State posted a 9-3 record a year ago and made the Division II playoffs. FSU was 7-1 in league play.

Shaw comes in at No. 4 in the preseason standings. The Bears finished 4-6 overall last season.

Here is the complete list, including last year’s records:

1. Fayetteville State (9-3, 7-1)

2. Bowie State (6-4, 5-3)

3. Virginia Union ((9-2, 7-1)

4. Shaw University (4-6, 4-4)

5. Virginia State (6-4, 5-3)

6. Johnson C. Smith (2-7, 3-5)

7. Winston-Salem State (3-6, 3-4)

8. Elizabeth City State (2-8, 2-6)

9. Bluefield State (4-4, not in CIAA in ’22)

10. Lincoln Pa. (2-7, 1-6)

11. Livingstone (4-6, 3-5)

12. St. Augustine’s (1-9, 1-7)

Fayetteville State, Shaw load up on all-conference picks

The CIAA also released its preseason all-conference team Thursday morning. Both the Broncos and Bears placed four players on the list.

From Fayetteville State: Tyler Fleming, Michael Todd, Cameron Merrell and Kentrell Caldwell. From Shaw: Queonte Hilliard, Sidney Gibbs, Devin Versteegen, Jay Boyd.

St. Augustine’s put two players on the all-conference team, Lee Sales and Dennis Jones. Johnson C. Smith’s Brevin Caldwell rounds out the North Carolina players on the list.

CAA now = Coastal Athletic Association

The conference home of Campbell, Elon and NC A&T has a new name. The Colonial Athletic Association announced Thursday it is changing its name to the Coastal Athletic Association. The CAA abbreviation and league logo will remain the same.

“Our new name is reflective of the Conference’s continuity and unity, as well as each institutions’ commitment to be United in Excellence,” CAA Commissioner Joe D’Antonio said in a release.

The football portion of the conference will be referred to as the Coastal Athletic Association Football Conference but continue to be referred to as the CAA Football Conference.

There will be 15 schools in the football conference, stretching from Maine to North Carolina. In addition to the NC schools: Albany, Delaware, Hampton, Maine, Monmouth, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Richmond, Stony Brook, Towson, Villanova and William & Mary.

MEAC’s got next for Media Days

Reigning conference and HBCU national champion North Carolina Central likely will be tabbed as the team to beat when the MEAC’s six schools convene Friday in Norfolk, Va.

In-person media sessions will begin at 11 a.m., and a live show will air on ESPN+ at noon, during which the predicted order of finish will be revealed.

Quarterback Davius Richard and defensive back Khalil Baker, last year’s MEAC players of the year, will represent Central during Friday’s sessions.

HBCUSports.com writes HERE about the one big question facing each MEAC school going into the season. Central’s big ask: Can the Eagles avoid landmines?

“Aside from getting hammered by Campbell and caught sleeping by South Carolina State, the North Carolina Central Eagles were the second most dominant HBCU football team east of the Mississippi in 2022, and they beat the most dominant one –Jackson State — in the Celebration Bowl,” HBCUSports’ Chris Stevens writes. “Returning all-world quarterback Davius Richard and several offensive pieces and defensive contributors, the MEAC looks like the Eagle Invitational this season.”

Extra Points

New voice of the ECU Pirates, Chris Edwards. Illustration courtesy of ECU Sports Network.

ECU Sports Network announced that Chris Edwards will be the new Voice of the Pirates
NC State will be one of the first ACC teams to appear on the CW Network as part of the conference’s new TV partnership. The Wolfpack’s home game against VMI on Sept. 16 will air on the CW beginning at 2 p.m.
Five CIAA games will be televised on HBCU GO this season, including the league championship game on Nov. 11. Shaw-Bowie State (Sept. 16), Virginia Union-Fayetteville State (Sept. 23) and Winston-Salem State-Shaw (Oct. 14) are games involving North Carolina teams
BOXTOROW released its HBCU FCS preseason coaches poll this week. NC Central ranks first, followed by Florida A&M, Jackson State, NC A&T and Southern in the top five.