LUT WILLIAMS BCSP Editor
The 2025 season’s largest homecoming schedule is on tap this week with 13 of the special games on the menu. The biggest battles feature conference leaders.
Alabama State at Jackson State’s Homecoming
Many, many eyes will be on Jackson, Mississippi’s Veterans Memorial Stadium Saturday (2:30 p.m. on ESPNU) and many butts will be in seats when BCSP FCS No. 1 Jackson State and No. 4 Alabama State meet in a battle for SWAC East Division supremacy. The winner of this longtime rivalry will be the favorite to take the 2025 SWAC title.
The teams come in with identical 4-1 overall records and unblemished 2-0 marks in divisional play. They also feature the two hottest quarterbacks in the league in JSU’s Jacobian Morgan and ASU’s Andrew Body.
Statistically, Body is having the better season so far. In five games, the Texas Southern transfer has completed 91 of 131 passes (69.5%) for league highs of 1,380 yards, 276.0 passing yards per game and 18 touchdowns without an interception! His 18 TDs is tied for third in the FCS and his 203.3 efficiency rating is also tops in the league and third in the FCS. He is also the SWAC rushing leader with 520 yards (104.0 ypg.) with one TD.
Body had perhaps his best game in the Hornets’ season-opening loss at BCS member UAB where he gave the Blazers fits. The 6-foot, 205-pound CorpusChristi, Tx. native completed 18 of 24 passes for 312 yards and four TDs – needless to say, without an interception – and rushed for 119 yards in 16 carries including a 60-yard TD run.
He has led the Hornets to a league-best 40.6 points per game and 450.8 yards of total offense per game, second only to JSU’s 506.4 ypg.
Morgan, however, the SWAC’s preseason offensive player of the year and last year’s Celebration Bowl MVP, has been no slouch.
The 6-4, 228-pound Syracuse transfer out of Canton, Miss. has passed for 929 yards (232.3 ypg.)and six touchdowns in four games with just one interception while completing 60.2 percent of his tosses.
Morgan has his best game last week in a 57-24 win over Alabama A&M where he completed 21 of 30 passes without a pick for 314 yards and four TDs while running for 120 yards including a 4-yard scoring run. The teams are 1-2 in rushing offense (JSU, 269.4, ASU 238.0). JSU sophomore Ahmad Miller is just behind Body in rushing stats with 455 yards (91.0 ypg.) and three TDs. ASU sophomore Jahbari Kuykendall is fourth with 436 yards (87.2 ypg.).
Livingstone at Fayetteville State Homecoming
After opening the season with three straight losses, Fayetteville State has put up three impressive wins to post the best record so far in the CIAA. The Broncos (3-3, 3-0 CIAA) have averaged 41 points per game in knocking off Elizabeth City State (51-8), Virginia State (34-14) and Bowie State (38-10).
They will host Livingstone (3-2, 2-1), coming off its first CIAA loss, 39-27 to ECSU, Saturday (1:30 p.m., FSU Sports Network) for their homecoming.
S. C. State at N. C. A&T Homecoming
Defending MEAC champion South Carolina State (3-3) is at homecoming (1 p.m., FloSports) at N. C. A&T (1-5) in a battle that hearkens back to a time when both were in the league.
Edward Waters at Kentucky State Homecoming
Edward Waters (4-1, 3-0 SIAC), one of three SIAC teams with unblemished conference records, plays in Frankfort, Ky. at homecoming (2p.m., KSUStream) for Kentucky State (3-2, 3-1).Undefeated Benedict (4-0, 3-0) is entertaining (2p.m., SIACSN) Fort Valley State (1-3, 1-1) and Albany State (3-1, 2-0) hosts (1 p.m., ESPN+) Clark Atlanta (2-3, 1-2).