Randall Barnes Articles - Page 10

A couple of weeks ago, I was incredibly excited about this Bethune-Cookman versus Jackson State matchup. Heading into the Las Vegas HBCU Classic, Jackson State looked unbeatable. Sure, Alabama State got within one successful goal-line play of beating the reigning HBCU champions, but Jackson State had been clicking in all three phases of football. They […]

The Division II football season has concluded for many programs, and several top stars are now entering the transfer portal. Earlier this week, Bowie State defensive back Elijah McKenzie-Jackson announced his intentions to enter the transfer portal, according to a report by Pete Nakos of On3. “Bowie State CB Elijah McKenzie is entering the portal, […]

Following the January dismissal of Reginald McDonald, former Tennessee State Aristocrat of Bands director, new reporting by The Tennesseean details excessive spending by McDonald on band activities, particularly on security services and lavish travel. McDonald, who had been the band director since 2015 and worked for Tennessee State for 24 years, was placed on paid […]

I think we can all agree that the brawl between Grambling State and Bethune-Cookman on Saturday should not have occurred. An otherwise great game between two SWAC contenders looking to elevate their programs was marred by a skirmish that led to the ejection of nine players and, ultimately, the suspension of 27 players by the […]

In a recent episode of his House of Action podcast with fellow former NFL star and Hornet coach Clinton Portis, Delaware State head coach DeSean Jackson weighed in on the brawl between Grambling and Bethune-Cookman on Saturday. For Jackson, he says that the incident reminded him of his childhood. Delaware State head football coach DeSean Jackson was […]

On Tuesday, Alabama State channeled the high-scoring momentum of its football program, which nearly upset UAB earlier this season, as Head Coach Tony Madlock pushes for the same winning trajectory on the hardwood. The Hornets secured a dramatic early-season victory against the University of Alabama at Birmingham, winning 77-75 in a contest defined by back-and-forth […]

Cam Newton had a lot to say about the brawl between Bethune-Cookman and Grambling in their Saturday matchup that resulted in 27 players being suspended. He took to his 4th & 1 podcast to air his issues with what occurred, expressing that he believed the incident “set us back”. “You should look at this and say to […]

Former Jackson State head coach Tomekia Reed is set for an intriguing early-season test for her Charlotte 49ers as she faces off against Kim Mulkey and LSU for the third time in her coaching career. The matchup itself carries significant weight, as Reed previously led Jackson State to a near-upset over the then-unranked LSU Lady […]

As the college football season draws to a close, arguably the biggest game on the MEAC schedule is upon us: South Carolina State versus North Carolina Central. For years, the path to the conference title and the Celebration Bowl berth has run squarely through Orangeburg and Durham, with these two teams winning the MEAC championship […]

Delta State head coach Todd Cooley issued a hefty condemnation of Kentucky State on Monday during his weekly press conference, alleging that the HBCU program backed out of an already scheduled game with the Statesmen. Kentucky State, the third-ranked team in the SIAC, is set to play Shorter University on Saturday. NEWS: Kentucky State backs […]

Grambling State is off to a phenomenal start in the Patrick Crarey II era, as the Tigers won a close, back-and-forth contest against MEAC contender Howard University, 73-70, in Washington D.C. The victory served as an immediate test for Crarey, who spent the previous year as head coach at Florida A&M, and it signals his […]

After hosting the historic coaching matchup between Michael Vick and DeSean Jackson, the Philadelphia Eagles are reportedly interested in playing host to the MEAC clash again. Per a report by the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Eagles are all in on the game becoming an annual matchup. “The Philadelphia Eagles have shared that they look forward to […]

Following an altercation between Grambling State and Bethune-Cookman players on Saturday, the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) has suspended 27 players total from both institutions. The conference issued a statement about the decision on Monday afternoon. “We’re extremely disappointed by the events that transpired during halftime of the Bethune-Cookman at Grambling State football game,” SWAC Commissioner […]

In an inbox flooded with thousands of pitches daily, one stuck out: an email about a new fictional HBCU novel, Nostrof University, written by author Chanese Jaa. The premise immediately grabbed attention, chronicling the daily life of HBCU students, campus politics, student leadership, and the intricacies of Greek life and athletics—a narrative rarely seen fully […]

Netflix has officially given a series order to the reboot of the iconic HBCU comedy, A Different World, following a rare pilot order earlier this year. The new series is set to follow Deborah Wayne, the daughter of original stars Whitley Gilbert and Dwayne Wayne, as she becomes the latest generation of the family to […]

Two HBCU basketball players are among the six players banned by the NCAA for their participation in illegal gambling schemes. The NCAA announced the findings of its investigation, which flagged Mississippi Valley State players Donovan Sanders and Alvin Stredic as engaging in game manipulation during the 2024-2025 season. Per the report, Sanders and Stredic were […]

Michael Vick and the Norfolk State Spartans arguably played their best game of the season Saturday, mounting a serious challenge in a close 31-28 loss to the North Carolina Central Eagles. The Spartans leaned heavily on their passing attack, a significant strategic pivot that nearly resulted in a huge upset over a championship contender. NCCU’s […]

Though I have covered Fort Valley State fervently this season, today marked my first time attending the Fountain City Classic since I graduated in December 2019; the years since have seen a combination of COVID-19 and work responsibilities keeping me away. This year, my family and I braved the road to Columbus, Georgia, excited to […]

DeSean Jackson’s Delaware State Hornets ultimately pulled out a tight victory against Morgan State after a missed field goal in the final seconds, but the 14-12 final score reflected far more than a typical win. In a game where the Hornets were held to arguably their worst offensive output of the season, Morgan State crafted […]

Heading into Week 11 of the college football season, few would have predicted that Florida A&M and the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff would share the exact same 3-5 record. Yet, here we are. This meeting in Tallahassee on Saturday, however, finds the Rattlers and the Golden Lions on two totally different paths equally […]

Only months after Michael Vick was announced as the head coach at Norfolk State, BET announced it would chronicle his journey in a forthcoming docuseries. The series is set to be produced by SMAC Entertainment, a company co-founded by HBCU alumnus and Super Bowl Champion Michael Strahan. The series marks Vick’s return to BET, as, in […]

Alabama State has had a phenomenal season, driven primarily by the transcendent play of Andrew Body. Historically, the Hornets competed on the back of their defense under coach Eddie Robinson Jr., capable of holding high-powered offenses like Jackson State and FAMU in check, though he never beat them at their respective heights. A key reason […]

22-year-old Clark Atlanta alumna Jayden Williams has made history, winning the mayoral race in Stockbridge, Georgia, and unseating incumbent Mayor Anthony Ford. Williams received 53.8% of the vote (2,909 votes) while Ford received 46.1% (2,489 votes) Williams released a statement about his victory via his official campaign social media: “Yesterday, we made history — becoming […]

As we head into Week 11 of the college football season, Michael Vick desperately needs a win. Sure, he managed to beat in-state rival Virginia State, surviving a missed Trojan game-winning field goal at the end of regulation to ultimately drill their own game-winner in overtime. But Vick has yet to secure a victory against […]

DeSean Jackson and his Delaware State Hornets currently stand at the top of the HBCU football world. In the span of a few days, they beat one of the MEAC’s perennial powers in North Carolina Central and then reigned supreme in a prime-time clash against former teammate-turned-rival, Michael Vick, and his Norfolk State Spartans at […]

The Utah State Aggies and the VCU Rams are set to face off in an early-season showdown hosted by the G-League’s Texas Legends. The game will take place at the Comerica Center in Frisco, Texas, on Friday, November 7th, at 7:00 PM CST/8:00 PM EST. The game will serve as a key early-season test as […]

Last Thursday, Michael Vick and DeSean Jackson made history in Philadelphia. The two former NFL stars, now HBCU coaches, faced off for the first time at Lincoln Financial Field, home of the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles. From the moment that Michael Vick and DeSean Jackson started their coaching careers at their respective HBCUs, we […]

Jackson State got back on track Saturday with a commanding 41-16 victory over Florida A&M in Tallahassee. The win was pivotal, as a loss would have thrown the SWAC East championship race into utter chaos; with the victory, JSU re-establishes control over its destiny. The Tigers entered the game without starting quarterback Jacobian Morgan, who […]

The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Golden Lions secured a historic 40-21 victory over Southern University on Saturday, dealing the Jaguars their seventh consecutive loss of the season. The defeat is particularly painful for Southern, marking their first loss to UAPB since the Spring 2021 football season. Previously, they hadn’t lost to the Lions […]

UAPB pulls off a miraculous victory over Memphis, scoring 25 points in the fourth quarter to notch their first win of the season. The win marks UAPB’s first against Memphis since November 2011 and was secured by an incredible 25-10 scoring surge in the final quarter. The Lady Lions entered halftime trailing by 10 points, […]

Following their huge victory over Michael Vick’s Norfolk State, DeSean Jackson’s Delaware State Hornets will once again take center stage as their upcoming matchup against the Morgan State Bears has been moved to a national ESPN network. The pivotal MEAC contest was originally scheduled for Saturday, November 8th, with a likely broadcast on ESPN+. However, […]

The highly anticipated football matchup between Michael Vick’s Norfolk State Spartans and DeSean Jackson’s Delaware State Hornets did more than just become the genesis a coaching rivalry between the two former NFL stars. The matchup generated a substantial financial windfall for both institutions. Here’s my reporting on attending the game this am on @breakfastclubam pic.twitter.com/4rtB8kUZGs […]

In a highly anticipated coaching showdown that had been months in the making, DeSean Jackson’s Delaware State Hornets emerged victorious over Michael Vick’s Norfolk State Spartans with a 27-20 final score at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. The score was way closer than the game was, as the flow was ultimately dictated by Delaware State’s […]

DeSean Jackson’s rapid turnaround of the Delaware State football program —one of the biggest stories of the season —will soon be chronicled in a new independent docuseries. Jackson’s inaugural year as the head coach of the Hornets is the subject of the documentary series titled Inside the Hornets’ Nest. The project is co-directed by Jon […]

Former Miss Clark Atlanta University Shekinah Burden has officially joined the cast of the highly anticipated second season of the Netflix original reality competition series, Squid Game: The Challenge. Netflix recently revealed the roster for the upcoming season of the game show, which pits 456 players against one another. Squid Game: The Challenge is a […]

Controversy continues to follow the cast of Love Island Season 7, which aired this past summer on Peacock. The latest drama involves former Islanders Huda Mustafa and her boyfriend, Louis Russell, who appeared to react insensitively to a racial slur directed at former co-star Olandria Carthern during a recent social media livestream. View this post […]

A former HBCU football player has scored a huge, landmark victory against the NCAA in court. Per a report by CBS Sports, Former South Carolina State defensive back Robert Geathers and his wife, Debara Geathers, have been awarded $18 million in a civil trial after a jury found the NCAA was negligent in failing to […]

Just a week ago, I viewed the Florida A&M-Jackson State game as an immediate win for the Tigers. The Rattler-Tiger rivalry has been engaging over the past few seasons, featuring what we all believed would be a compelling coaching rivalry between Deion Sanders and Willie Simmons. Unfortunately, it never happened, as Sanders bolted for Colorado […]

The upcoming battle between Alabama State and Prairie View A&M is perhaps the most important SWAC contest of the weekend. It features two teams that have long toiled in the shadows of others over the past few years—whether it was FAMU and Jackson State in the SWAC East, or Southern in the SWAC West. This […]