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 beat the teams they were supposed to beat, and they even had an impressive showing against Southern Miss despite their loss. However, the subsequent defeat against Grambling and the injury to quarterback Jacobian Morgan truly opened my mind to the possibility that Jackson State could be vulnerable and lose a game that puts their SWAC Championship position in jeopardy.
Following their narrow victory over Alabama State, the only team I saw that had the potential to upset Jackson State was Bethune-Cookman. It feels odd to say it, but Bethune-Cookman has looked the best they have in the Raymond Woodie era. Woodie was brought in as head coach in 2023 following the disastrous near-hire of Ed Reed, a situation that brought a lot of scrutiny to his first two seasons.
They finished the 2023 season 3-8 (2-6 in conference), and 2024 started rough. They even lost to Division II competitor Clark Atlanta University after opening up a demonstrable 28-7 first-quarter lead. It honestly seemed as if Woodie was on the hot seat if he didn't improve the team's prospects. But even through the early losses, Bethune-Cookman did show some promise, such as a win over Grambling State last season and a narrow loss to Southern University a week later in a five-overtime classic.
In 2025, the season looked set to start the same way, with huge losses to Florida International University and the University of Miami. Yet, their Week 3 game against South Carolina State showed me something. Although I expected Chennis Berry and South Carolina State to win the game, Bethune-Cookman displayed an offensive proficiency unseen in the previous two Woodie regimes. They lost 55-41, but they put up an impressive 503 yards of total offense, including 325 passing yards, against a fierce defense like Berry's.
That performance was impressive, even in a loss. They then handled business against a surging Edward Waters team and beat Alabama A&M in another high-scoring game. They lost to Alabama State, one of the best teams in HBCU football, but they put up 35 points. Heading into the Grambling State game last week, they had won three straight games and held a 2-1 record in the SWAC East division. I was excited about Bethune-Cookman's prospects as a possible contender and was looking forward to their matchup against Jackson State this week.
But then the brawl broke out between Grambling and Bethune-Cookman players last Saturday, an incident that has dominated HBCU football discourse this week. Following the skirmish, nine players were ejected, and the SWAC ultimately announced that 27 players from Bethune-Cookman and Grambling State combined would be suspended, with three facing two-game suspensions.
Although the SWAC did not publish the names of the suspended players, it is clear that the fight will have an adverse impact on Bethune-Cookman this week. With nine players from Bethune-Cookman suspended, it's reasonable to assume the team will be adversely affected, as Jackson State understands the importance of winning this game to maintain its chances to contend for a second straight SWAC Championship and a trip to the Celebration Bowl.
Still, the matchup promises to be a thrilling showdown between two of the SWAC's top scoring offenses. Jackson State averages 35 points per game, while Bethune-Cookman averages 30 points per game. Jackson State leads the SWAC in total offense with 487.2 yards per game, while Bethune-Cookman is third behind Alabama State at 415.4 yards per game. Bethune-Cookman boasts the best passing offense in the SWAC at 238.5 passing yards per game, while Jackson State leads the SWAC in rushing at 268.2 rushing yards per game.
Perhaps Bethune-Cookman's biggest weakness is its defense, as they are near the bottom of the conference in total offensive yards allowed at 430.5 yards per game, is middle-of-the-pack against the run, and last in the conference in defending the passing game. I don't know if Bethune-Cookman will be able to keep pace with Jackson State's scoring, even as Jackson State faces a tough injury situation.
Prediction: I believe Jackson State's defense will key in on Bethune-Cookman's offense and ultimately stop them, allowing JSU to emerge victorious. I wouldn't be surprised if this is a good game and Bethune-Cookman still contends, even with the perilous position they're in after the brawl last Saturday.
However, I believe that Jackson State, despite the injuries they have suffered, is still a complete team. They will ultimately win this game and lock up another SWAC East division championship, ensuring that Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium will host another SWAC Championship game.
