SWAC Football Week 1 Recap: Results, top players, team of the week
Week 1 results in SWAC football
- Mississippi Valley State 0, Murray State 35
The Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils kicked off the 2021 SWAC season on Thursday getting shut out by the Murray State Racers.
This was the seventh straight loss for the Delta Devils dating back to the 2019 season (not including their forfeit victory over Alcorn State in the spring).
Mississippi Valley State was the only team that did not score a single point in their respective game and had the lowest total offensive yards (162).
Next game: Sept. 18 at Stephen F. Austin
- Alabama State 14, Miles 13
The Alabama State Hornets open up the 2021 season defeating the two-time reigning SIAC conference champion and Division II powerhouse Miles Golden Bears in overtime.
Neither offense played their best game with Alabama State finishing with 320 yards of total offense while Miles had 205 yards.
Both teams struggled to convert on third down as Alabama State was 4-for-12 on attempts while Miles was 3-for-14.
Alabama State’s offensive line in particular struggled to give the offense time to make plays as they gave up four sacks.
Normally a good run team, the Hornets were only able to manage 120 rushing yards in the game with dynamic back and potential NFL Draft prospect Ezra Gray only recording 50 rushing yards.
The Hornets’ win also comes in spite of the fact that they had trouble holding on to the football fumbling the ball three times with two leading to turnovers.
Next game: Sept. 11 at Auburn
- Southern 3, Troy 55
Rather shockingly, the Southern Jaguars were absolutely dismantled in their season debut against the Troy Trojans.
This is the second straight time Southern has given up 50 points against an FBS opponent with the last time coming against the Memphis Tigers on September 7 of the 2019 season. They were much better offensively in that game as opposed to this one as they did manage to score 24 points.
Penalties and turnovers were the biggest Achilles heels for Southern in the game. The Jaguars committed nine penalties to Troy’s three and threw four interceptions with two leading to Troy scores.
Troy scored on all but two possessions in the game with the remainder of the drives ending in touchdowns.
Next game: Sept. 11 vs. Miles
- Alabama A&M 42, South Carolina State 41
This was not only the best HBCU football game from this weekend, but one could argue it was the best college football game of the weekend.
The Alabama A&M offense carried over their success from the spring season getting an exciting win over the South Carolina State Bulldogs.
This was the third-highest scoring FCS matchup across all of the games that took place in Week 0 and Week 1.
Five different players for Alabama A&M scored a touchdown including four different receivers catching a touchdown pass.
Alabama A&M’s 569 yards of total offense is the most they’ve had in a single game since November 9, 2019.
Next game: Sept. 16 at Bethune-Cookman
- UAPB 34, Lane 16
The UAPB began their road to redemption after finishing as runner-ups in the SWAC Championship game in the spring defeating Division II SIAC member Lane Dragons.
While the Lane Dragons are a heavy pass team, UAPB did great at completely nullifying their run game only allowing 20 rushing yards in 19 attempts. In contrast, the Golden Lions rushed for 275 yards averaging 6.3 yards per carry.
The Golden Lions were one of only two SWAC teams that had multiple players score a rushing touchdown in a game this weekend.
They were also the only SWAC team that scored a defensive touchdown recovering a fumble for a touchdown.
Next game: at Central Arkansas
- Prairie View A&M 40, Texas Southern 17
The Prairie View A&M offense was too much for the Texas Southern Tigers to handle as the Panthers open the season with a dominant victory.
Prairie View recorded 486 yards of total offense including 354 passing yards and scored five offensive touchdowns.
No team in the SWAC allowed more total offensive yards or passing yards than Texas Southern.
Next game (Texas Southern): Sept. 11 at Baylor
Next game (Prairie View): Sept. 11 at Incarnate Word
- Bethune-Cookman 28, UTEP 38
The Bethune-Cookman Wildcats were unsuccessful in their first game as a member of the SWAC losing to the UTEP Miners.
The Wildcats scored the most points and gained the most passing yards of all the SWAC teams that lost in a game this weekend.
They were the other team that had two different players that scored a rushing touchdown.
On the flip side, Bethune-Cookman not only committed the most penalties of all the SWAC teams (12), they were the only team that committed more than 10.
Next game: Sept. 11 at UCF
- Jackson State 7, Florida A&M 6 (neutral)
The Jackson State Tigers spoil the SWAC debut of the Florida A&M Rattlers defeating them in the first Orange Blossom Classic in 43 years.
Those who tuned into this game expecting an exciting offensive were supremely disappointed as this was a game all about defense.
All the points were scored in the first half with 12 of the total drives ending in punts, four ending in turnovers, and three ending in turnover on downs.
Jackson State quarterback Shedeur Sanders had an impressive debut with the team putting up 224 passing yards on a SWAC leading
Next game (JSU): Sept. 11 at Tennessee State
Next game (FAMU): Sept. 11 vs. Fort Valley State
- Grambling State 16, Tennessee State 10 (neutral)
The Grambling State Tigers came into their fall season debut looking to bounce back from a disappointing spring season that saw them finish 0-4.
They did just that spoiling the head coaching debut of former Heisman Trophy winner Eddie George defeating the Tennessee State Tigers in the Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic.
This was not a pretty win for Grambling State as they only recorded 184 yards of total offense the lowest total of all the winning teams and second-lowest overall in the conference.
Grambling committed the fewest penalties among all teams with just four in the game.
Next game: Sept. 11 at Southern Mississippi