Jackson State and FAMU face off in a top-25 FCS SWAC showdown

This week has been great for HBCU football's visibility nationally. Three HBCU programs are ranked in this week's ACA FCS Top 25 Coaches Poll, with two Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) programs and one Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) school making the poll. In what looks to be the biggest showdown in HBCU football this weekend, two of those ranked squads face off with high stakes on the line.

The No. 18-ranked Florida A&M Rattlers travel to the hostile confines of Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium to take on the #25-ranked Jackson State Tigers. The outcome of this game puts one team in the driver's seat to capture that SWAC East Division crown, and a subsequent berth in the SWAC Championship game.

Both teams come into the game with similar records (JSU is 4-2, FAMU is 3-2). Both teams showcase offenses that can be potent factors in victory. The keys to the game may come down to which defense can make the most adjustments to stop the other teams' offensive strengths. Let's look at some factors that could determine who comes out on top in this game.

Florida A&M needs to be better at stopping the Run...

For all of Florida A&M's offensive prowess this year, they've shown some kinks in their normally stout defensive scheme this season. More specifically, the Rattlers have had real issues stopping the run. They've got a tall task against arguably the most potent and balanced offense in the SWAC right now in Jackson State.

The Tigers are averaging an eye-popping 35 points a game and producing 394 yards of total offense per game. The dual-threat QB combination of Jacobian Morgan and Cam'Ron McCoy has been electric during this stretch, though Morgan has solidified the Quarterback position under his watch. The Tigers have an embarrassment of riches at running back, which could also figure into how effective FAMU can be in stopping the run.

The Tigers have been more balanced with their passing attack in their last 2 games, which could be a bad omen for a FAMU defense that's shown a propensity for giving up a decent amount of yardage from 20-yard line to 20-yard line.

Can the JSU Defense derail Richardson and the FAMU passing game?

FAMU QB Daniel Richardson has been among the best play-callers in the SWAC this year. The Rattlers' spread scheme and short passing game have been hard to stop this year when the QB has had time and a clear pocket to throw.

That could spell bad news for a Jackson State secondary that's shown a nasty penchant for giving up big chunk plays, and lots of RAC (Run after catch) yards. If the JSU defensive line can generate pressure on Richardson, that dynamic changes a bit. FAMU has been able to use the short passing game as an extension of their run game, which has been sporadically effective this season.

If JSU can put the QB under some duress, the Rattlers may need to generate yards on the ground the old-fashioned way. Either way, FAMU will need to get more on the ground than they have the past few games to keep a potent JSU offense off the field.

Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium will be the epicenter of the SWAC football world on Saturday, and the stakes for the victor couldn't be higher. As good as FAMU's pass offense has been with Daniel Richardson at the helm, it may come down to the FAMU defense's ability to stop one of the better-rushing offenses in HBCU football. If they can't, JSU could control the possession game, which would spell doom for Rattler's chances of a victory.

PREDICTION: Jackson State 28, FAMU 20

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