By REGGIE BENSON, Huntsville Times
Bulldogs sitting pretty with big weekend on tap
Mathematically, only three teams appear to be out of the race for a berth in the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship game as the league reaches its halfway point.
In the Eastern Division, Mississippi Valley State and Alcorn State, 1-4 and 0-4 respectively in league play, are looking up at Jackson State, defending champion Alabama A&M and Alabama State.
In the Western Division, lowly Texas Southern, 0-4 in league play, has been eliminated. Grambling has a one-game lead over Southern, followed by Prairie View and defending champion Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
A couple of more teams could be eliminated this weekend.
The game of the week has Jackson State at Southern. The Jaguars, coming off a loss to Alabama A&M, are trying to keep pace with Grambling. The Tigers, who host Grambling next week and visit A&M Nov. 3, appear to have a tough road to the title game.
Alabama State hosts Prairie View - with the loser eliminated from contention.
Overall, A&M appears to have the inside track in the Eastern Division, while Grambling has latched on to the favorite's role in the Western Division.
The Bulldogs host UAPB Thursday night, take on Alabama State on Oct. 27 and host JSU on Nov. 3 before closing out the season at Alcorn State and Prairie View.
"We're in a good place," A&M coach Anthony Jones said. "We control our own destiny and that's all I'm concerned about. As long as I'm focused on what we can do and what we need to do, we'll be fine."
A&M and JSU have separated themselves from the rest of the pack in the Eastern Division, while Grambling and Southern have done the same thing in the Western Division.
Alabama State coach Reggie Barlow isn't surprised.
"They're good teams," said Barlow, whose team started 4-0 before dropping its last two games. "A&M was picked to win the East and Jackson State wasn't far behind. Coach Jones is doing an outstanding job. He always has. His guys have bought into what he wants to get done.
"Southern and Grambling have great talent. Those are four really good teams and they have their guys ready to compete and play at a high level."
JSU coach Rick Comegy, whose team started 5-1 last season before losing four of its last five games, was nonchalant about where his team stands.
"I really don't know," he said when asked to assess the East Division race. "I still look at it as being early in the season. The teams that have to play one another haven't shown what direction it's going to go.
"We just want to play football and we welcome all challenges. "We don't want to try to predict what will happen."
Even so, Broadway was reluctant to talk about his team's chances to win the Western Division title.
"I don't get caught up in that stuff," he said. "The only thing I see is UAPB. I don't get too far ahead of myself."
Under Broadway, the Tigers have already surpassed their win total from last year.
Southern coach Pete Richardson doesn't shy away from his team's goals.
The Jaguars haven't reached the championship game since 2004. Southern's last title came in 2003.
"Our goal is to get to that championship game," said Richardson, who also is fighting for a new contract. "We lost one last week and that's going to make it tough.
"We've got a big tradition of getting to the championship game and it's hard to get away from that. Hopefully, we can reach our goals."
Bulldogs sitting pretty with big weekend on tap
Mathematically, only three teams appear to be out of the race for a berth in the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship game as the league reaches its halfway point.
In the Eastern Division, Mississippi Valley State and Alcorn State, 1-4 and 0-4 respectively in league play, are looking up at Jackson State, defending champion Alabama A&M and Alabama State.
In the Western Division, lowly Texas Southern, 0-4 in league play, has been eliminated. Grambling has a one-game lead over Southern, followed by Prairie View and defending champion Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
A couple of more teams could be eliminated this weekend.
The game of the week has Jackson State at Southern. The Jaguars, coming off a loss to Alabama A&M, are trying to keep pace with Grambling. The Tigers, who host Grambling next week and visit A&M Nov. 3, appear to have a tough road to the title game.
Alabama State hosts Prairie View - with the loser eliminated from contention.
Overall, A&M appears to have the inside track in the Eastern Division, while Grambling has latched on to the favorite's role in the Western Division.
The Bulldogs host UAPB Thursday night, take on Alabama State on Oct. 27 and host JSU on Nov. 3 before closing out the season at Alcorn State and Prairie View.
"We're in a good place," A&M coach Anthony Jones said. "We control our own destiny and that's all I'm concerned about. As long as I'm focused on what we can do and what we need to do, we'll be fine."
A&M and JSU have separated themselves from the rest of the pack in the Eastern Division, while Grambling and Southern have done the same thing in the Western Division.
Alabama State coach Reggie Barlow isn't surprised.
"They're good teams," said Barlow, whose team started 4-0 before dropping its last two games. "A&M was picked to win the East and Jackson State wasn't far behind. Coach Jones is doing an outstanding job. He always has. His guys have bought into what he wants to get done.
"Southern and Grambling have great talent. Those are four really good teams and they have their guys ready to compete and play at a high level."
JSU coach Rick Comegy, whose team started 5-1 last season before losing four of its last five games, was nonchalant about where his team stands.
"I really don't know," he said when asked to assess the East Division race. "I still look at it as being early in the season. The teams that have to play one another haven't shown what direction it's going to go.
"We just want to play football and we welcome all challenges. "We don't want to try to predict what will happen."
Even so, Broadway was reluctant to talk about his team's chances to win the Western Division title.
"I don't get caught up in that stuff," he said. "The only thing I see is UAPB. I don't get too far ahead of myself."
Under Broadway, the Tigers have already surpassed their win total from last year.
Southern coach Pete Richardson doesn't shy away from his team's goals.
The Jaguars haven't reached the championship game since 2004. Southern's last title came in 2003.
"Our goal is to get to that championship game," said Richardson, who also is fighting for a new contract. "We lost one last week and that's going to make it tough.
"We've got a big tradition of getting to the championship game and it's hard to get away from that. Hopefully, we can reach our goals."
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