ATLANTA — If there were a College GameDay for NCAA DII, it would be headed to Columbia, S.C., this Saturday. It doesn’t get any bigger than the two undefeated Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference teams set to battle for sole possession of first place when
Albany State University travels to
Benedict College.
The two unblemished teams — RV Albany State (5-0) and No. 21 Benedict (6-0) — and
Kentucky State (5-1), which has only a loss to Albany State in Week 1, are a three-way battle for the two spots of the SIAC Championship slot. The Golden Rams/Tigers winner will take over first place, with the other moving into a tie with the Thorobreds, who are on their bye week.
The ASU/Benedict game held at the Tigers’ Charles Johnson Stadium will have a national ESPN+ audience for the 2 p.m. kickoff. The two teams have both of the top three conference scoring offenses and two of the three stingiest defensive units — something will have to give in the game’s 60 minutes of action.
Along with the marquee contest of the fall,
Morehouse College aims to continue its new found success and first four-game win streak since 2018.
Miles College tries to surpass 20 points for a third week in a row, which has resulted in the team’s first two wins the last pair of weekends. Both teams board the buses with Morehouse at
Savannah State and Miles College up to Ohio versus
Central State.
After a week off,
Allen University plays at
Tuskegee University.
Edward Waters travels to
Clark Atlanta with Fort Valley State going to Tennessee at
Lane College.
The SIAC won six of the seven games played with a 1-1 tally in the pair of non-conference affairs. In fact, six of the seven contests were decided by one score finals and two winning teams taking the ‘W’ in the final minute.
The big wins saw six victories to choose from for the games of last weekend. The top duo victories have to be increased for a second week in a row and given to the top three squads — Kentucky State, Albany State and then Benedict — with their three finals decided by a combined 11 points. Making the long trip to New Hampshire, KSU booted a 41-yard field goal on the game’s final play for a 17-14 win over Franklin Pierce. ASU drove 91 yards for the touchdown on its first possession and made it stand up the rest of the way in a 7-3 win over Tuskegee. Benedict scored on a 16-yard pass with 29 seconds for a 31-27 final at Edward Waters.
The Honorable Mention goes to Morehouse College which won its third game in a row for the first time in four years. Tied at 7-7, the Maroon Tigers scored the final 24 points of a 31-7 final at Lane College.
For the second week in a row this season, the SIAC has a team in the AFCA Top 25 as Benedict College moved up to No. 21 from entering at No. 24 spot the prior week with 155 votes. Albany State received 17 votes as part of the Received Votes category. BOXTOROW’s HBCU D2 rankings have four SIAC squads within its top 10 ratings — 2. Benedict College (7 first place votes); 3. Albany State; 5. Kentucky State; and 8. Edward Waters.
EDWARD WATERS AT CLARK ATLANTA – TheGrio
Saturday, Oct. 25, at 1 p.m. ET
Location: CAU Panther Stadium
Address: 735 Beckwith St., Atlanta, GA 30314
Live Stats
Local Weather
It will be two teams trying to get their ship’s back on track in Atlanta Saturday afternoon. The two teams are a combined 1-7 over the last four games with the one win coming by only three points. Both teams lost tight results in their last outings with
Edward Waters (4-3, 3-2 SIAC) falling in the final minute (31-27) at home to Benedict, while
Clark Atlanta (2-5, 1-4 SIAC) saw Miles score the only 13 points of the second half for a 27-20 final.
Over the first six contests, Edward Waters and Clark Atlanta have each won three of them. The Panthers claimed the last two meetings in the 2022 season by a 39-34 tally and 2013 (35-28). The Tigers pulled out a 34-28 win back in 2004.
Edward Waters started 3-0 with 41-plus points scored in each. Following a FCS loss at Bethune-Cookman, EWU rebounded for a 27-24 win over Morehouse before losses to two of the top three SIAC teams in Kentucky State (42-14) and Benedict (31-27).
Trailing 17-7 at half, Edward Waters scored twice in the third for a tie at 17-17 going to the fourth frame. The Tigers edged ahead twice after a 25-yard field goal (20-17) and then a
Johntarrious Thomas 75-yard run (27-24). Benedict scored the game-winner with 29 seconds left on the day.
Thomas grabbed SIAC Offensive Player of the Week as he ran for a school-record 243 yards rushing on 21 carries for an 11.6-yard average. He had multiple 50-yard rushes.
After starting the year with two wins in the first three games, CAU booted a field goal on the first half’s last play for a 20-14 win against Miles. The Golden Bears put the only 13 points of the second half on the scoreboard. Quarterback
Xzavier Jackson threw for 288 yards and two scores, while wide receiver
Armone Harris pulled in 11 passes for 123 yards.
Game History: 2-0 Clark Atlanta (since 2013)
MILES AT CENTRAL STATE – SIAC Network
Saturday, Oct. 25, at 1 p.m. ET
Location: William Patrick McPherson Memorial Stadium
Address: 1447 Campus Drive, Xenia, OH 45385
Live Stats
Local Weather
The battle of teams enjoying its first pair of wins and the host falling short in a pair following its two wins in a row.
Miles (2-6, 2-3) makes the trip to southwest Ohio against
Central State (2-6, 2-4) Saturday afternoon.
After hitting 20-plus points in each of the past two contests, Miles has now enjoyed two wins, including a 27-20 final over Clark Atlanta. Central State found it hard to stop the passing game and its late rally come up short of a 35-27 decision to NAIA’s Kentucky Christian.
Of the first 11 meetings in the series, Miles holds a 9-2 lead. The Golden Bears have won the last four games with a 16-7 final in the 2024 season. The Marauders captured a close, 15-13k, decision of the 2019 campaign.
The 2024 SIAC champions, Miles sought the winning elixir in its first six games before it surpassed 20 points the last two games for victories. Miles won its first by a 23-13 score at Lane before last week’s 27-20 win over Clark Atlanta. The Golden Bears dominated the second half with the lone 13 points for a come from behind 27-20 final over the Panthers. Running back
Edward Osley rushed for 54 yards on eight carries and two scores.
Central State could not reverse a tough start as Kentucky Christian went out to a 28-0 lead in the first 21:13.
Da’Vontay Young caught a 75-yard scoring pass and ran in for another over three yards for a 35-27 deficit. The nights passed for 408 yards, only one yard less than the Marauders total offense total of 409.
Quarterback
Qeanu Campbell-Caldwell received the SIAC Newcomer of the Week honor when he passed for 304 yards on 14 of 27 attempts with two scores.
Game History: 9-2 Miles (since 2013)
ALBANY STATE AT BENEDICT – ESPN+
Saturday, Oct. 25, at 2 p.m. ET
Location: Charlie W. Johnson Stadium
Address: 1920 Two Notch Road, Columbia, SC 29204
Live Stats
Local Weather
The “Game of the Year” for the 2025 season. The SIAC’s final two undefeated league teams,
Albany State (6-1, 5-0 SIAC) and
Benedict College (7-0, 6-0 SIAC) will take the field in a potential championship game preview.
Both teams came away with close wins last weekend to set up the nationally-televised affair. The Golden Rams recorded a 12-play, 90-yard drive on its first possession and then allowed their defense to do the rest of the work in a 7-3 win over Tuskegee. The Tigers had the last laugh as
Darius Ocean found
Triston Morgan from 16 yards for the game-winning points (31-27) with 29 seconds over Edward Waters.
Saturday marks the 23rd series meeting. ASU has held a wide win margin of 17-5, but Benedict has won the last two games. The Tigers won the 2023 SIAC Championship by a 47-10 final and the 2022 meeting (24-20). The Golden Rams claimed the 2021 decision, 28-6.
In scoring offenses, ASU leads the SIAC at 38.3 points per game, while Benedict is third (29.6). On the defensive side, ASU also leads at 13.0 ppg and Benedict is right behind at 15.7 ppg.
Albany State saw running back
Tiant Wyche cap the 90-yard opening scoring drive with a 2-yard plunge into the endzone for a 7-0 lead. The Golden Ram defense held the Tuskegee offense to 180 yards and only a late third-quarter 40-yard field goal. Wyche and
Aljhanod Thomas combined for 208 rushing yards on 30 carries.
Benedict was right where it wanted to be with a 17-7 halftime lead a week ago. Edward Waters tied the game with 10 points in the third quarter and went ahead on an early fourth field goal (20-17). Edward Waters led 27-24 on a long scoring run only to see Benedict answer 3:21 later with the Ocean pass to Morgan.
Benedict totaled 442 yards of offense with Ocean throwing for 281 yards and two scores. Morgan ran for 90 yards and pulled in three passes for 53 yards.
Game History: 4-17 Albany State (since 2002)
MOREHOUSE AT SAVANNAH STATE – SIAC Network
Saturday, Oct. 25, at 3 p.m.
Location: Theodore A. Wright Stadium
Address: 4437 Skidaway Rd, Savannah, GA 31404
Live Stats
Local Weather
The Maroon Tigers aim to be Homecoming spoilers for the second time in three weeks.
Morehouse College (3-4, 3-2 SIAC) travels to Georgia’s east coast against
Savannah State (3-4, 2-3 SIAC).
Morehouse has put together a trio of victories in a row for the first time since Games 6 through 8 of the 2021 season, including a 31-7 going away win over Lane College. Savannah State could not get its offense going and fell in a 7-0 defensive battle with Fort Valley State in Augusta.
In the first 31 times the two teams have played, Savannah State holds a 17-14 advantage. The Tigers have claimed the last three meetings in 2022 (15-3), 2021 (29-10) and 2019 (17-10). The Maroon Tigers pulled out a 32-14 victory when the teams met in 2007 as their last win.
In the first four games, Morehouse did not score more than 24 points in any single game and went without a win. The Maroon Tigers increased its point total each week until they posted 31 points in both the last two games and have won their last three — a win Saturday would be the program’s first 4-game win streak since starting 6-0 in 2018.
Tied at 7-7, Morehouse scored the final 24 points last week, in the 31-7 final versus Lane. The SIAC passing leader, quarterback
Miles Scott completed 21 of 32 passes for 313 yards and two touchdowns. He hit
Eric Stephens (5-87) and
Maurice Veney (3-71) eight times for 158 yards and two touchdowns.
On the punt after its first possession, Savannah State could not bring down Fort Valley State’s punt returner and gave up a 76-yard touchdown. The Tiger offense amassed only 93 yards of total offense, while Savannah State had a solid day of not allowing a point and only 175 yards of offense. Savannah State recorded only eight first downs and threw three interceptions.
Darrian Bell led the defense with 10 tackles and a sack.
Game History: 3-0 Savannah State (since 2019)
ALLEN AT TUSKEGEE – ESPN+
Saturday, Oct. 25, at 3 p.m. ET
Location: Cleve L. Abbott Memorial Alumni Stadium
Address: 1112 Chambliss St, Tuskegee, AL 36088
Live Stats
Local Weather
The wins have been tough to come by for the two teams meeting Saturday afternoon.
Allen University (2-5, 2-3 SIAC) goes to
Tuskegee (2-5, 2-3 SIAC) in a clash of two teams in search of success.
The two teams have lost their combined last eight contests — Allen three and Tuskegee five. Two weeks ago, Allen tied Savannah State late only to fall on an overtime field goal (23-20). Tuskegee held the top SIAC offense in Albany State in check after the opening drive but fell 7-3.
Saturday will be only the fifth meeting between the Yellow Jackets and Golden Tigers. Tuskegee has a 2-1-1 edge and won the only recent game by a 35-27 final in 2022. Allen scored its lone series win by a 45-0 shutout during the 1952 season. Tuskegee won in 1951 (13-12), and the teams tied at 7-7 in 1950.
Allen was 2-2 until they faced the two SIAC leaders in Albany State and Benedict in back-to-back weeks. In their last game, the Yellow Jackets trailed the Tigers of Savannah State, 20-12, at half before they tied the game at 20-20 with 3:00 minutes left in the game.
The SIAC’s leading rusher,
Fabian Duncan, ran over Savannah State for 143 yards on 29 carries.
JayShawn Smallsrecorded 10 tackles, two for a loss and a pass break up.
Tuskegee has come out on the short end in its last five times on the field. The Golden Tigers’ closest defeat came last Saturday at the Golden Rams of Albany State in the 7-3 final.
Lorcan Ryans connected on a 50-yard field goal with 4:33 left in the third quarter for Tuskegee’s lone points. Wide receiver
EJ Hall pulled in three
Bryson McGrew passes for 60 yards.
Game History: 2-1-1 Tuskegee (since 1950)
FORT VALLEY STATE AT LANE COLLEGE – SIAC Network
Saturday, Oct. 25, at 3 p.m. ET
Location: Lane Field
Address: 545 Lane Ave., Jackson, TN 38301
Live Stats
Local Weather
With an average of less than 28 combined points per game,
Fort Valley State (2-5, 2-3 SIAC) travels across Tennessee for a battle with
Lane College (0-7, 0-5 SIAC) on Saturday afternoon.
Despite holding a wide 31-3-1 margin, FVSU has split the last four games against Lane. The Dragons won the 2021 edition played at Peach County High School by a 27-24 final. The Wildcats prevailed 37-14 in 2017. Lane won the previous year in 2016 (10-7) and FVSU in 2015 (50-38).
The FVSU and Lane offenses together average 27.3 points per game — 15.6 and 11.7 per game — the two lowest SIAC point averages.
The Wildcats’ first seven games have been decided by a total of 45 points for a 6.4-point average margin. FVSU has yet to have a game decided by more than 10 points. In the last two weeks, FVSU has scored only 14 points total with a 1-1 record – a 14-7 loss at Benedict and a 7-0 win vs. Savannah State.
Donte Curry Jr. earned SIAC Special Teams Player of the Week after he returned the game’s first punt 76 yards for a touchdown at 9:41 in the first quarter. The Wildcat defense did the rest as it allowed the Tigers only 93 yards of total offense. Cornerback
Darnell Stephens was named SIAC Defensive Player of the Week with three interceptions and four tackles.
Lane was held under 10 points for the third time and will seek its first win of the year. Running back
Peyton Nero ran to the endzone from 16 yards out and tied Morehouse College, 7-7, with 12:42 in the second quarter. Morehouse was the only team to score the rest of the game for a 31-7 final.
Nero totaled 137 yards rushing on 15 carries for a 9.1-yard per carry average.
Scotty Roddy Jr. paced the Dragon defense with nine tackles with one for a loss.
Game History: 5-2 Fort Valley State (since 2008)
BYE WEEK
Kentucky State has a bye this week.
| TEAM STANDINGS |
| TEAM |
SIAC |
OVERALL |
| Benedict |
6-0 |
7-0 |
| Albany State |
5-0 |
6-1 |
| Kentucky State |
5-1 |
6-2 |
| Edward Waters |
3-2 |
4-3 |
| Morehouse |
3-2 |
3-4 |
| Fort Valley State |
2-3 |
2-5 |
| Savannah State |
2-3 |
3-4 |
| Allen |
2-3 |
2-5 |
| Miles |
2-3 |
2-6 |
| Central State |
2-4 |
2-6 |
| Clark Atlanta |
1-4 |
2-5 |
| Tuskegee |
1-4 |
2-5 |
| Lane |
0-5 |
0-7 |
*Team standings as of Oct. 23, 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.