ATLANTA — The back stretch of the 2025 season gets in full swing Saturday afternoon. The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference enters the second half as the drive for the championship heats up.
After the first half of the fall, the SIAC still has three undefeated teams – Benedict College (4-0) and both Edward Waters and Albany State at 3-0 – while Kentucky State is ready to continue moving upward at 4-1.
In Week 6 action, all six games on the league slate are SIAC matchups while Tuskegee has the bye week.
Following its bye week, Edward Waters will have its longest trip and biggest test of the year in the SIAC marquee contest of the week. The Tigers (4-1) travel to Frankfort, Ky., against the Thorobreds of Kentucky State (4-2, 4-1 SIAC).
Both of the other two undefeated SIAC teams look to stay that way in afternoon home games. Albany State entertains Clark Atlanta starting at 1 p.m. in the conference’s feature game on ESPN+, while Fort Valley State goes to Columbia versus Benedict College in a 2 p.m. kickoff.
Along with Kentucky State posting another quality victory last weekend, Morehouse College and Central State, who actually face each other this week, had their own big wins. Thus Week 5’s biggest wins were by all three programs. Kentucky State ran off the last 31 points in the final 11:13 in a 38-17 road win at Miles College. Morehouse recorded its first win of the year when its defense forced a late fourth-quarter fumble and then converted it into the game-winning points with 1:55 left in the 27-20 win against Tuskegee. Central State spoiled Fort Valley State’s Homecoming when it ran back the winning points off a blocked field goal, 18-14. Receiving Honorable Mention status, Benedict rallied with a pair of touchdowns with the final one with 54 seconds left for the 38-28 decision over Allen University.
BOXTOROW’s HBCU D2 rankings have four SIAC squads within its top 10 ratings – 2. Albany State (1 first place vote); 3. Benedict College (5 first place votes); 4. Edward Waters; and 6. Kentucky State. Benedict received a season-high 23 votes in the AFCA D2 Football Coaches rankings placing it as the first team outside the Top 25, while both Albany State and Edward Waters picked up two and one vote.
MOREHOUSE AT CENTRAL STATE – SIAC Network
Saturday, Oct. 11, at 1 p.m. ET
Facility: William Patrick McPherson Memorial Stadium
Address: 1447 Campus Drive, Xenia, OH 45385
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Local Weather
After both recording their biggest victories of the year last Saturday,
Morehouse College (1-4, 1-2 SIAC) makes the trip to southwest Ohio against
Central State (2-4, 2-3 SIAC).
Both the Maroon Tigers and Marauders used late-game heroics for their road wins. Morehouse snapped its 11-game losing streak when it scored the final 21 points in the last 20:17 against Tuskegee (27-20) at the Morehouse-Tuskegee Classic. The Maroon Tigers seek their first two-game win streak since they secured three victories in a row in the sixth through eighth games of the 2021 season – in those three games they outscored Tuskegee, Fort Valley State and Benedict by a combined 102-23.
Central State made it two wins in a row with its 18-14 road win at Fort Valley State. Along with forcing four Wildcat turnovers, the Marauders blocked a field goal with 1:46 left and returned it for the game-winning score.
In a very short four-game series, Morehouse has won all four of the previous meetings. The Maroon Tigers took the last game with the Marauders, 41-14, in 2018. Central State fell just short in a 35-33 final the previous year in 2017.
Morehouse quarterback
Miles Scott earned the SIAC Offensive Player of the Week honor. He threw for 326 yards on 22 of 35 attempts for four scores and ran for another 41 yards on seven rushes to account for every positive yard of the offense. Linebacker
Stephen Rowser received the SIAC Defensive Player of the Week honor with 10 tackles, three tackles for loss, two sacks and forced a fumble.
Central State posted only 220 yards at Fort Valley State, but its defense made up for it. Behind four forced turnovers,
Domonique Davis II logged 11 tackles, three for loss, a sack, two interceptions and a pass break up.
Game History: 4-0 Morehouse (since 2013)
CLARK ATLANTA AT ALBANY STATE – ESPN+
Saturday, Oct. 11, at 1 p.m. ET
Location: ASU Coliseum
Address: 504 College Drive, Albany, GA 31705
Live Stats
Local Weather
With a week off to prepare,
Clark Atlanta (2-3, 1-2 SIAC) aims to play spoiler on the road in southwest Georgia. The highest-scoring and top-producing SIAC offense
Albany State (4-1, 3-0 SIAC) looks to stay in the top of the league mix.
After winning its second and third contests, the Panthers fell short in their last two times on the field with Allen (49-38) and Benedict (59-24). The Golden Rams made it four for four in scoring 47-plus points in each of their NCAA DII opponents in a 47-6 win at the Dragons of Lane College.
ASU holds a big edge in the first 50 meetings of the series. The Golden Rams hold a 43-7 record with wins in the last four contests, including a 35-0 victory in 2022. The Panthers last won in 2017 by a 44-36 final.
Two weeks ago, Clark Atlanta went ahead, 28-24, on a touchdown pass with 1:46 left in the second quarter against Benedict. The Tigers responded with the ensuing 31 points in the last 31:36 of the game. CAU did register 467 yards of total offense led by
Xzavier Jackson’s 388 yards through the air with three touchdowns.
ASU found the end zone twice in the first quarter and answered a Lane score with another 19 unanswered points. The Golden Rams rushed for 288 yards in the game.
Game History: 10-1 Albany State (since 2011)
FORT VALLEY STATE AT BENEDICT – SIAC Network
Saturday, Oct. 11, at 2 p.m. ET
Location: Charlie W. Johnson Stadium
Address: 1920 Two Notch Road, Columbia, SC 29204
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Local Weather
The renewal of the series between two of the most consistently successful SIAC programs in the last five years returns to Charles Johnson Stadium.
Fort Valley State (1-4, 1-2 SIAC) tries to regroup after it was surprised at home last Saturday, while
Benedict College (5-0, 4-0 SIAC) looks to remain the lone undefeated SIAC team.
Leading 14-12 late in the fourth, FVSU saw a field goal attempt blocked and returned for the Central State touchdown and victory (18-14) with 1:46 left in the day. Benedict rallied in the final eight minutes with a pair of touchdowns and prevailed past Allen (38-28).
In the SIAC series, FVSU continues to hold the advantage by a 25-9 margin. The Wildcats scored twice early and went on for a 44-20 final in last season’s contest. The Tigers claimed the previous two meetings in 2023 (48-6) and 2022 (45-13).
FVSU (1-4 overall) has played in close games in each of its first five of the fall. The Wildcats’ five games have been decided by a combined 31 points or 6.2 points per game with the largest margin of 10 points against nationally-ranked West Alabama (27-17) and the other four each by one score.
After it shut out the first two foes by identical 10-0 finals, Benedict has averaged 47.3 points in the last three scores with the 38 points against Allen a week ago being the lowest amount.
Game History: 25-9 Fort Valley State (since 1946)
EDWARD WATERS AT KENTUCKY STATE – SIAC Network
Saturday, Oct. 11, at 2 p.m. ET
Location: Alumni Stadium
Address: 111 Athletic Drive, Frankfort, KY 40601
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Local Weather
The two programs making the biggest steps forward in 2025 is the SIAC marquee game of the week.
Edward Waters (4-1, 3-0 SIAC), tied for first at 3-0 in the SIAC, battles
Kentucky State (4-2, 4-1 SIAC), winners of its last three and scoring at will.
Edward Waters returns to the gridiron after a bye week to add a fifth NCAA DII win to its total. Kentucky State returns home for the first time in five weeks following a 3-0 record at SIAC opponents and an overtime loss at FCS Grambling State.
The two SIAC teams have only met five times in the last 60 years. Kentucky State enjoys a 3-1-1 edge. The Thorobreds captured a high-scoring 76-36 final in 2021. The Tigers’ lone win in the series came by a 22-14 score in 1966.
After being tied at 14-14 in the first half, Edward Waters took until 1:46 left in the game for the
Noah Bodden game-winning scoring pass for the 27-24 final versus Morehouse College. Bodden continued his solid play with 292 passing yards with a pair of touchdowns, while running back
Johntarrious Thomas raced for 115 yards on only 14 carries and his own score.
Following a Miles College field goal, Kentucky State put up the ensuing 31 points on the way to a 38-17 final. The Thorobreds racked up 407 yards of total offense behind quarterback
Torrence Bardell’s 294 yards passing and three touchdowns and he ran for another 52 yards on eight carries. Wide receiver
Jon McCall earned SIAC Newcomer of the Week with eight catches for 84 yards and two touchdowns.
Game History: 2-0 Kentucky State (since 2019)
MILES AT LANE – SIAC Network
Saturday, Oct. 11, at 3 p.m. ET
Location: Lane Field
Address: 500 College Ave., Jackson, TN 38302
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Local Weather
The final two SIAC teams searching for their inaugural 2025 victories meet up in Jackson Saturday afternoon.
Miles College (0-6, 0-3 SIAC) and
Lane College (0-5, 0-3 SIAC) try to find their offensive prowess when they clash.
Miles booted an early field goal last week only to see Kentucky State explode for 31 unanswered points of the 38-17 final. Lane College was too good of a host as Albany State’s high-powered offense scored over 40 points in a 47-6 score.
In long-time former SIAC West rivals, Miles holds a 36-27-2 advantage of the series. Miles pulled out a 42-32 win last year, while Lane grabbed the 2022 meeting by a 35-32 final.
Despite the loss on the scoreboard, Quarterback
Brinley Vandiver completed 23 passes for 299 yards and a pair of touchdowns leading the Golden Bears attack. Wide receiver
Glen Williams pulled in seven of those passes for 147 yards and one of the scoring strikes.
Lane quarterback
Nick Billoups threw for 98 yards and defensive back
Jeremiah Malbroue picked off an Albany State pass and added five tackles.
Game History: 11-2 Miles (since 2011)
SAVANNAH STATE AT ALLEN – SIAC Network
Saturday, Oct. 11, at 6 p.m. ET
Location: Westwood High School
Address: 180 Turkey Farm Rd., Blythewood, SC 29016
Live Stats
Local Weather
In the final league matchup of the weekend, two teams looking for some consistency and getting back on track face off.
Savannah State (2-3, 1-2 SIAC) makes the trip up into the South Carolina capital region for the meeting with
Allen University (2-4, 2-2 SIAC).
The Tigers received a pair of
Jimmy Tran field goals a week ago as they fell to the FCS Bulldogs of South Carolina State (49-6). The Yellow Jackets saw their upset bid fall short in the final eight minutes in a 38-28 loss to the Tigers of Benedict College.
In the still relatively new series, Allen maintains a 9-5 lead in the first 14 meetings. The two teams have not met since 2004 with Savannah State winning by a 34-0 final. Allen’s last win came all the way back in 1949 by a 33-6 total.
Christian Burks finished last week with 116 yards passing for Savannah State. Wide receiver
Cinsere Clark pulled in four passes for 64 yards at SC State.
After trailing 21-7 in the first quarter, Allen posted the next two touchdowns for a 21-21 intermission score off
Jamir Dismukes two touchdown passes (26 and 80 yards). Running back
Fabian Duncan, who leads the SIAC in rushing and the lone rusher averaging over 100 yards a game at 120.2 yards, rumbled in from 11 yards for a Yellow Jacket lead (28-21). Benedict, though, scored the final 17 points coming in the fourth quarter for the win.
Wide receiver
Nanders Lawrence returned his way to the SIAC Special Teams Player of the Week honor. Lawerence returned five kickoffs for 191 yards, an Allen single-game record, including an 88-yard opening kick return to set up a touchdown.
This will be the first meeting between the Tigers and Yellow Jackets since 1949.
Game History: 9-4 Allen (since 1915)
BYE WEEK
Tuskegee University has a bye this week.
| TEAM STANDINGS |
| TEAM |
SIAC |
OVERALL |
| Benedict |
4-0 |
5-0 |
| Albany State |
3-0 |
4-1 |
| Edward Waters |
3-0 |
4-1 |
| Kentucky State |
4-1 |
4-2 |
| Allen |
2-2 |
2-4 |
| Central State |
2-3 |
2-4 |
| Clark Atlanta |
1-2 |
2-3 |
| Savannah State |
1-2 |
2-3 |
| Fort Valley State |
1-2 |
1-4 |
| Morehouse |
1-2 |
1-4 |
| Tuskegee |
1-3 |
2-4 |
| Lane |
0-3 |
0-5 |
| Miles |
0-3 |
0-6 |
*Team standings as of Oct. 9, 2025
**Team standings are calculated per the SIAC tie-breaker policy.
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ABOUT THE SOUTHERN INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETIC CONFERENCE (SIAC)
The SIAC is a NCAA athletic conference consisting primarily of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) with headquarters in downtown Atlanta, Georgia. The SIAC includes 15 member institutions (Albany State University, Allen University, Benedict College, Central State University, Clark Atlanta University, Edward Waters University, Fort Valley State University, Kentucky State University, Lane College, LeMoyne-Owen College, Miles College, Morehouse College, Savannah State University, Spring Hill College, and Tuskegee University), which are located within a contiguous seven-state footprint (Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, South Carolina, Tennessee and Ohio). The SIAC sponsors nine men's and seven women's sports and is a proud member of the NCAA Division II. For more information, visit
www.thesiac.com.