Oct. 20, 2009

INSIDE SWAC FOOTBALL WEEK 8

SWAC football notebook

• A marquee Thursday night nationally televised Western Division showdown highlights this week's four-game schedule which includes three conference matchups.

• ESPNU will have the live national telecast of Prairie View A&M playing at Southern. The Panthers have won eight consecutive conference games, the longest streak in the SWAC since Grambling State won 10 straight SWAC games from 2004-05. The Jaguars will play their final home game of the season as Southern looks to take control of the Western Division race.

• Alcorn State, leaders of the SWAC Eastern Division, will play at Alabama State. After dropping its first three games, Alcorn State has won consecutive games over Mississippi Valley State and Alabama A&M to take the East lead. The Hornets will look to end a three-game losing streak and get back on track after opening 2009 with three straight wins.

• Jackson State and Mississippi Valley State will renew their rivalry in Itta Bena, MS with both teams looking to stay in the hunt for the Eastern Division title. The Tigers and Delta Devils have each dropped their past two games and a third-straight defeat could severly cripple championship hopes.

• Univ. Arkansas-Pine Bluff will return from an open date to celebrate homecoming against Edward Waters in the final non-conference game of the season for the Golden Lions. UAPB rallied with two late scores to force overtime before defeating Jackson State 20-13 on Oct. 10.

THIS WEEK'S SWAC SCHEDULE

Thursday, October 22

Prairie View A&M (4-1, 3-0) at Southern (4-2, 1-1) * 6:30p
Baton Rouge, LA • A.W. Mumford Stadium • Live on ESPNU

Saturday, October 24

Alcorn State (2-3, 2-1) at Alabama State (3-3, 0-3)* 1p
Montgomery, AL • Cramton Bowl

Jackson St. (1-5, 1-2) at Mississippi Valley St. (2-4, 1-2)* 1p
Itta Bena, MS • Rice-Totten Stadium

Edward Waters (0-7)at Univ. Arkansas-Pine Bluff (3-2) 2:30p
Pine Bluff, AR • Golden Lion Stadium

* denotes Conference game

Alabama A&M, Grambling State and Texas Southern have open dates