Randall Barnes Articles - Page 6

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 […]

Edward Waters is arguably the hottest team in HBCU football. After beating CIAA Champion Virginia Union, the Tigers look to emerge victorious over Bethune-Cookman en route to continuing what is shaping up to be a historic season. The story of Edward Waters’ recent rise is a testament to the program’s resilience. Just for a refresher, […]

The fact that Michael Vick is even in serious consideration for the Virginia Tech head coaching job—just three games into his coaching career—shows that the “celebrity coach” era has officially lost its way. Virginia Tech made headlines over the weekend after firing head coach Brent Pry after an 0-3 start, the team’s worst since before […]

North Carolina A&T and Hampton University will be on a major stage during NBA All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles. The two HBCU programs are set to face off in the fifth annual NBA HBCU Classic, presented by AT&T, on Friday, February 13th. North Carolina A&T Director of Athletics Earl M. Hilton III and Hampton University Director […]

One of the biggest storylines of the young season is the emergence of Delaware State under new head coach DeSean Jackson. Though it’s only been a few games, the Hornets have looked formidable, a far cry from their struggles over the past few seasons. They secured an out-of-conference victory against Albany in week two and […]

Norfolk State struggled immensely against FBS opponent Rutgers University, and head coach Michael Vick is not happy with the outcome. Typically, in “money games” like this, FCS teams are simply happy to be in contention. Some even pull off hard-fought victories that become staple achievements in their program’s history. But a money game is what […]

Only three games into the football season, Michael Vick has emerged as a “wild card” to be a candidate for Virginia Tech’s open head coaching postion, per The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman. Feldman sees the potential of Vick as a recruiter for the Hokies, given his star power. “The Hampton Roads product from Newport News, Va. […]

Following his team’s 31-7 loss to Lamar University on Saturday evening, Texas Southern coach Cris Dishman did not hold back. In post-game comments obtained by HBCU Legends, Dishman called his team’s performance “disgusting to watch.” Coach Cris Dishman expresses extreme disappointment in his team’s recent football performance, calling it ‘disgusting to watch’ and ensuring that […]

Jackson State alumnus Tramell Tillman, who plays Mr. Milchick in Apple TV+’s acclaimed original series Severance, made history at Sunday evening’s Emmys. He won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, becoming the first Black man to ever receive the award. Tillman’s portrayal of the menacing Mr. Milchick, a manager at […]

The Shawn Gibbs era is fully in effect at North Carolina A&T, as they notched their first Division I win since 2023 over Hampton University in a 33-30 thriller. The Aggies and Pirates were largely evenly matched, and it ultimately took overtime to determine the winner. A&T found themselves back in the game after an […]

The DeSean Jackson-led Delaware State Hornets are rolling to start the season, as they beat Bowie State 36-14 on Saturday afternoon. It was a wire-to-wire victory for the Hornets, who never trailed in the game. They quickly jumped out to a 14-0 lead with just 12 minutes and four seconds left in the first quarter. […]

Both Florida A&M and Grambling secured victories on Saturday night against their Division II opponents, but each experienced significant struggles on the way to the win. In HBCU football circles, FCS teams are often expected to dominate their Division II opponents, largely due to the difference in talent and resources. However, more often than not, […]

In what is being hailed as a potential game of the year in HBCU football, Edward Waters picked up a stunning upset victory over reigning CIAA champion Virginia Union, 41-38. Edward Waters’ win was capped off with a game-winning field goal, a dramatic conclusion after Virginia Union had held the lead for a significant portion […]

In Michael Vick’s first game as a coach against an FBS opponent, Rutgers dominated Norfolk State from start to finish, securing a 60-10 victory on Saturday afternoon. The Scarlet Knights proved they were the better team, amassing 563 passing yards. Quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis led the charge, completing 18 of 26 passes for 309 yards and […]

The NCAA has opened an investigation into gambling violations, with North Carolina A&T and Mississippi Valley State emerging as central figures in the inquiry, per a statement released by the governing body on Thursday. The investigation involves 13 former student-athletes from two HBCUs, as well as former student-athletes from Arizona State, Eastern Michigan, Temple, and […]

The Fort Valley State and Clark Atlanta football game was a thriller that deserved the national audience it received via ESPN2 on Thursday evening. It was a perfect showcase for the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC), proving that the fierce rivalry between these two teams has not lost its edge. With Teddy Keaton leading the […]

North Carolina A&T is making history once again. The Greensboro, North Carolina-based institution is already the largest HBCU in the nation, and they just got larger. The university reported that its enrollment for the 2025-2026 school year is over 15,000 students. The exact enrollment figure is 15,275 students, which were reported to the institution in […]

Charlie Ward is set to begin his tenure at Florida A&M with an exhibition against his alma mater, Florida State. Per a report by the Tallahassee Democrat, the two Tallahassee-based hoops programs will face off in an exhibition game on October 26th. The game will be the first between the two institutions since December 1991. […]

Ahead of the Rutgers game, Norfolk State head coach Michael Vick revealed an interesting quarterback shakeup in his weekly press conference. Vick stated that Otto Kuhns will be the starting quarterback for the Spartans in Saturday’s game. “We’ll start the game this week with Otto. We’ll give him a chance to go out there and […]

In life, you always have to be prepared for any opportunity, and Collette V. Smith seized hers in 2017. Smith has lived a remarkable life filled with purpose and a deep love for football, which led her to play for the women’s professional football team, the New York Sharks. Often opportunity comes as a result […]