MEAC Conference Opener: The Race to Atlanta Is Wide Open

The race to Atlanta for a chance at the HBCU national championship is set to begin Saturday, and for the first time in a long time, any team can truly win it.

The MEAC title over the past few seasons has routinely and predictably come down to the same two programs: South Carolina State and NCCU. Everyone else tried not to finish last.

That changed after last year, when Delaware State entered the mix as a potential suitor. Now, this season, the schools that would normally be playing not to finish last have called in reinforcements and find themselves with just as good a shot as any, making this year's fight for the crown the most exciting one yet.

Morgan State vs. Howard

Let's start with Morgan State, a team absolutely nobody saw coming. The Bears have been exceptional defensively under Damon Wilson. They were scary good just two years prior with two current NFL players, Eric Hunter and Elijah Williams, followed by cornerback Jayson Prevard, now a Power Four standout at the University of Virginia.

That defense, just like every other Bears squad led by Coach Wilson up until this point, was wasted by abysmal offensive performances. A quarterback has been the Bears' Achilles' heel this whole time.

Now, the football gods have been gracious enough to gift them a gunslinger in senior transfer Cameron Edge.

With 1,500 passing yards, 14 touchdowns to only four interceptions, and a notable win over Villanova, the Bears have nothing but trust in Edge, and he knows that.

Even after last week's midseason hiccup against Tennessee State, the Bears have made everyone believers.

But they'll have to start off strong against Howard, which looks mightily competitive this year.

Eden James will lead that rushing attack for the Bison and stopping him is no easy task. The son of NFL Hall of Famer Edgerrin James is at the back end of his career now, and he's hungry to get back to Atlanta and finish the job, something they failed to do in a tight game against FAMU a few years back.

This matchup may come down to whose star player can make the needed play in the right situation.

Morgan State may look dominant, but the Bison have owned this series as of late.

South Carolina State vs. Norfolk State

South Carolina State has fallen from grace with a few media outlets after losing to Charleston Southern, leaving the Bulldogs at 5-2 going into a much-needed bye week. Now they're back at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium to host Coach Vick and the Spartans for their homecoming. Normally, homecoming is a sure thing against a weary opponent, but that's just not the way the cookie crumbled in scheduling this year for the Bulldogs.

They'll have to put the distractions of homecoming festivities out of their minds until after they've taken care of business. That alone can be a factor in this matchup.

The Spartans haven't forgotten what SC State did to them on their homecoming in Norfolk just a year prior, and they're coming to Orangeburg prepared for battle with revenge on their minds. The Spartans may look to run a two-quarterback system Saturday, but senior running back Jalyn Daniels is who they'll try to unleash against the Dogs.

SCSU has struggled in its last two games against backs with a similar play style and stature to Jalyn's, and the Spartans have most likely seen it on film.

However, what nobody seems to know about SCSU is the possibility of QB1 Keely Watson returning from injury this week, right in time for conference play, along with senior running back Tyler Smith, who is one-third of that devastating trio in the Bulldog backfield and has been nursing a quad injury.

If even one of the two comes back this week, the Spartans could be caught off guard by that, as well as by the roaring crowd full of Bulldog alumni. I expect the Bulldogs to pull this one out, but they may have to work for it.

Delaware State vs. North Carolina Central

Delaware State will host the Eagles of NCCU at home for a Friday night matchup.

NCCU has pretty much fallen out of the good graces of the HBCU media landscape, so much so that they've only been given a 7 percent chance to win the conference.

This type of scrutiny is uncharted territory for Coach Oliver and the Eagles, and honestly, it could play in their favor.

They get to fly under the radar, no pun intended and exceed expectations. The target isn't on their backs on a weekly basis.

They're perceived as the weakling right now, but this team has been forged by fire. When it comes to the brilliant coaching mind of Trei Oliver, don't be surprised if he has his team right in the thick of things as the season continues.

But they do have Delaware State to get past first, and that's a tough ask of anyone in the first week of conference play. The Hornets are still quite dangerous on the ground and have no problem getting their hands dirty. As the saying goes, attitude reflects leadership, and this Hornets team has fully adopted the persona of its beloved Coach Jackson.

Up to this point, the Hornets have flown under the radar the past few weeks, which is how most teams prefer it. But we must remember this team was one possession away from making the HBCU national championship last year.

They have what it takes to get the job done offensively. It's the defense that keeps you unsure about them.

Five Weeks to Decide a Champion

Overall, someone's championship hopes will be squandered after Saturday is over. Either that, or they'll be heavily dependent on another team's success.

Make no mistake about it, this is not playoff football for the MEAC. You cannot afford to lose.

These next five weeks will be tough for all six squads. It's going to be fun seeing who prevails.