Randall Barnes Articles - Page 15

The Michael Vick era at Norfolk State has gotten off to a rocky start, with the team sitting at 1-4 heading into this week. They’ve dropped what were considered winnable games against Sacred Heart and Wagner in recent weeks. A quarterback battle still appears to be ongoing, as Otto Kunz and Israel Carter have shared […]

In a statement released on Thursday morning, Fort Valley State announced the initial findings of the investigation into hazing involving members of the Blue Machine Marching Band. Per the statement, local authorities have concluded their investigation and have evidence that supports the charge of hazing and have made arrests. The statement is below. “The City […]

HBCU legend Shaquille Leonard has officially called it a career, announcing his retirement from the game of football in a statement released by the Indianapolis Colts. Leonard will formally mark his retirement during this week’s Colts matchup against the Raiders. Leonard not only leaves behind an amazing professional football legacy but also an inspiring HBCU […]

One of the most interesting matchups of the season has found a television home, as the Jackson State vs. Alabama State game will be broadcast on ESPNU. The SWAC announced via a statement that the Jackson State Homecoming matchup, featuring the red-hot Alabama State Hornets, will be broadcast on the channel. The Jackson State-Alabama State […]

The Southwestern Athletic Conference has suspended Joe Bullard for two games following his insensitive comments towards Alabama State Honeybeez, per a statement released by the conference on Wednesday afternoon. The SWAC also fined Florida A&M $10,000. The statement is below: “In accordance with the Southwestern Athletic Conference Principles and Standards of Sportsmanship, the Conference has […]

The saga over the location of the Florida A&M vs. Mississippi Valley State game is finally over, as the game will now be played on November 29th at 2 PM. The new game details were confirmed in a joint statement by both athletic departments. The statement reads: “The SWAC contest on October 4, 2025, a […]

Florida A&M band announcer Joe Bullard has apologized for his comments regarding the Alabama State Honeybeez on Saturday. Bullard made an inappropriate remark about the weight of the Honeybeez during the halftime performance of the Marching 100. This comment sparked outrage within the Alabama State community. But in the statement, Bullard says that his remarks […]

It appears that the highly anticipated Florida A&M and Mississippi Valley State game location has once again become a source of confusion. After months of speculation, the location of the “Georgia Football Classic” has moved from being definitively played at the Mercedes-Benz Dome, home of the Atlanta Falcons, to a location in Atlanta that is […]

During Monday afternoon’s MEAC Coaches Call, Delaware State head coach DeSean Jackson weighed in on the ejection of Kaiden Bennett during the team’s Saturday matchup against Sacred Heart. Following a rushing touchdown by Bennett, he received an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for celebrating with fans and not giving the referee the ball in a prompt fashion. […]

Hip Hop legend Luther ‘Uncle Luke’ Campbell, one half of the “2 Live Crew”, weighed in on Florida A&M band announcer Joe Bullard’s disrespectful comment towards Alabama State’s Honeybeez dance team. Bullard made an inappropriate remark about the weight of the Honeybeez during the halftime performance of the Marching 100. This comment sparked outrage within […]

Florida A&M president Marva Johnson has issued a statement regarding the inappropriate comment made about Alabama State’s Honeybeez dance team during the Marching 100’s Halftime Performance on Saturday afternoon. Florida A&M football announcer Joe Bullard made an inappropriate remark about the weight of the Honeybeez during the halftime performance of the Marching 100. This comment […]

Jackson State continued its resounding start to the season, dominating Southern University 38-13 as it pursues another SWAC Championship and Celebration Bowl appearance. Jackson State entered the game as the clear favorite, as Southern University has struggled with offensive production this season. Southern’s stagnant offense recently led to the promotion of former Alcorn State coach […]

After Alabama State’s impressive victory over Florida A&M, ASU President Dr. Quinton T. Ross, Jr., released a statement addressing negative comments directed at the Honeybeez that occurred during the game. Florida A&M football announcer Joe Bullard made an inappropriate remark about the weight of the Honeybeez during the halftime performance of the Marching 100. This […]

Marlon Watson notched his first win as head coach of Fort Valley State University in a wire-to-wire 27-20 victory over perennial SIAC contender Tuskegee University.The matchup is a traditional rivalry between two blue-blood programs of the conference. While Tuskegee historically has the advantage, Fort Valley has won three of the last four matchups since 2021, […]

From start to finish, Alabama State absolutely dominated Florida A&M en route to a resounding 42-14 victory in Bragg Memorial Stadium. The loss was a tough blow for the Rattlers, who rarely lose at home; they had been riding a 23-game home winning streak that spanned from 2018 to 2024 before it was snapped by […]

An interception by Richmond’s Matei Fitz proved pivotal, allowing the Spiders to narrowly defeat Howard University in a 13-12 finish. Fitz, a defensive lineman, was perfectly positioned to intercept Tyriq Starks’ pass on Howard’s eight-yard line. This turnover put Richmond’s offense in a position to score the go-ahead touchdown, ultimately winning the game. Quarterback Ashten […]

Although Sacred Heart ultimately defeated DeSean Jackson’s Delaware State Hornets 35-31, the game will likely be remembered for a questionable early penalty that led to quarterback Kaiden Bennett’s removal and became a major talking point. Following a rushing touchdown by Bennett, he received an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for celebrating with fans and not giving the […]

The struggles continue for Michael Vick and Norfolk State as they drop to 1-4 after an 18-13 loss to Wagner College. Heading into the game, Wagner was 0-4 while Norfolk State lost a heartbreaker to Sacred Heart. Prior to the game, Vick emphasized that this game was a “must-win”. “I definitely think it’s a must-win […]

With only a few days before homecoming, Fort Valley State has suspended the Blue Machine Marching band pending a hazing investigation. The news was first reported by Carlos Stephens of WGXA via his Facebook account. “JUST IN: Earlier today we received a tip about the Fort Valley State band being under investigation due to allegations […]

When discussing the best teams in Division II HBCU football, the conversation often defaults to a familiar list of perennial powerhouses. Teams with storied histories and established brands dominate the polls, while rising programs are left on the outside looking in. This year, no team embodies this phenomenon more than Edward Waters University, a program […]

The way we talk about Division II HBCU football is fundamentally destructive. Too often, the conversation is rooted in a reductive, top-down viewpoint that diminishes the quality and significance of D-II athletics, particularly from those who support Division I FCS institutions. You can see this toxic dynamic play out every season. When a top-tier FCS […]

Saturday’s matchup between the Alabama State Hornets and the Florida A&M Rattlers is more than just another conference game; it is a pivotal moment that could reshape the SWAC championship race. While Florida A&M has long been considered a perennial contender, a closer look at the two programs this season reveals that Alabama State is […]

South Carolina women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley has often spoken about her penchant for making sure the Lady Gamecocks schedule HBCUs. In recent media availability, she spoke about it in full after answering a question about playing other competitive out-of-conference foes in comments obtained by WACH’s Jared Parker. “Scheduling is hard.  People don’t wanna play […]

Jackson State’s Sonic Boom of the South has pulled out of the ESPN Band of the Year competition, a huge loss for the three-year old event as they lose one of the most popular bands in college football. Jackson State Director of Bands Roderick Little released a staement via the Sonic Boom’s social media announcing […]

US News & World Report has released its 2026 Top HBCUs list, with both Spelman College and Howard University maintaining their positions at the top of the list. The list is published annually and uses several factors to determine the rankings of the HBCUs. The ranking system is based on two core components: quantitative and […]

Fort Valley State University’s men’s volleyball team has quickly become one of the most compelling stories in HBCU sports, and much of that success can be attributed to head coach Larry Rather. Now, Rather has received a significant appointment, being named an assistant coach to the U.S. Men’s National Team. Rather joined the coaching staff […]

Edward Waters University has officially named Brian Jenkins as the head coach of the Tigers, removing the interim title he held at the start of the season. The announcement was made in a statement released by the university last week. Jenkins was originally appointed interim head coach on July 16, following the sudden departure of […]

Wilberforce University is exploring the possibility of bringing back its football program after decades of inactivity. In a statement released on September 17, the university announced it is conducting a feasibility study to determine if reviving its once-storied HBCU football team is a viable option. “As Wilberforce prepares to surpass 1,000 students in enrollment by […]

Despite a lopsided 62-20 loss to North Carolina Central, North Carolina A&T head coach Shawn Gibbs faced a more immediate problem before the game even started. According to reports from HBCU Gameday, an unidentified Aggie player squirted North Carolina Central head coach Trei Oliver with a water bottle during pregame warmups. The incident led to […]

Howard University picked up a huge and historic win over the weekend as they beat Hampton University 34-7 in the Battle of the Real HU in the Truth & Service Classic. With their victory, the Bison have won their first game over the Pirates for the first time since November 2014, when they both were […]

For the past week, Michael Vick has been linked as a wildcard candidate for the open Virginia Tech coaching job. While he isn’t likely to get the job and downplayed the speculation, there is no doubt that Vick is attracting a lot of attention as the college football world looks to see how he adjusts […]

n a game that felt like a homecoming, Fort Valley State had every opportunity to pull off a monumental upset against a Delta State Statesmen with a tradition of winning out of the Gulf South Conference. The energy in the stadium was electric for this afternoon’s home opener, with a passionate crowd and an engaged […]

The Delaware State Hornets have been rolling under the direction of DeSean Jackson, and scored a huge wire-to-wire victory over Saint Francis 39-10. The success of Delaware State was predicated on a consistent and dedicated ground game that pushed them to a 20-0 lead early in the second quarter. Delaware State got on the board […]

Although Shawn Gibbs is now leading the North Carolina A&T Aggies and they got a huge victory over Hampton, North Carolina Central dominated them in the Aggie-Eagle Classic 62-20. The game was never close, as North Carolina Central picked up where they left off from last season’s contest, where the Eagles beat the Aggies 66-24 […]

Tennessee State athletics is revitalizing the way it handles ticketing and sponsorships with a new partnership. Per a release, Tennessee State athletics is partnering with Taymar in a multiyear partnership to help in facilitating sponsorship and ticket sales. Taymar is a North Carolina-based sports marketing organization that zeroes in on ways for athletic departments to […]

Following a thrilling victory over Hampton University, North Carolina A&T is entering Saturday’s Aggie-Eagle Classic with new momentum. Despite being undermanned at quarterback because of their matchup against UCF, where the Aggies lost three quarterbacks, North Carolina A&T was able to notch 33 points and a resounding victory that very well could be season-defining. Now, […]

Former North Carolina Central basketball star Cassie King is joining the Eagles’ women’s basketball coaching staff, according to a report by Wally Pitt of HBCU Game Day. King played at North Carolina Central from 2003 to 2007, making her mark on the team during their time in the CIAA in the early to mid-2000s. A […]

HBCUs are often purveyors of culture, and this is especially true in the social media era. For decades, musical artists have performed on HBCU campuses and found their selections embraced by students and alumni. If you hear a song being embraced by the Black community, you can be sure to hear that same song played […]

Michael Vick shocked the football world when he was announced as a head coach for Norfolk State University, only three years removed from Deion Sanders’ time at Jackson State. The HBCU community has long expected another former NFL star to look to start their coaching career at this level, but the latest reporting from Pete […]