The FCS football season is fast approaching, so we’re going inside each conference race. With defending champ Florida A&M facing a big challenge from contenders such as Alabama State, Alcorn State and Jackson State, here’s our 2024 SWAC football preview.
Who’s SWAC?
Apparently, this season, it’s the majority of football programs in the 12-school HBCU conference.
The SWAC’s preseason predicted wide-open divisional races, with last year’s winners, Florida A&M and Prairie View A&M, not installed as the favorites. Defending conference champ FAMU also is one of five programs with a new head coach – coming one season after four other programs had a new hire.
The West Division? Oh yes, that’s become a logjam of contenders late in the season.
2024 SWAC Football Preview
Predicted Order of Finish
*-Celebration Bowl Qualifier
East Division
1. *Alabama State (2023 Record: 7-4, 5-3) – Linebacker Rico Dozier, the 2023 SWAC tackle leader, transferred over from Arkansas-Pine Bluff to be a part of a Hornets squad that will chase the program’s first conference title since 2004. Dozier was joined by new teammates Arelious Dunn (offensive line), Treqwan Thomas (defensive line), Demarkus Cunningham (linebacker), James Burgess (defensive back) and Robert McMinn (return specialist) on the SWAC preseason first team. Former Texas Southern dual-threat quarterback Andrew Body has transferred into coach Eddie Robinson Jr.’s program.
2. Jackson State (7-4, 5-3) – The Tigers burst with offensive promise. Quarterback Jacobian Morgan produced 13 touchdowns after taking over in the final four games last season, and the firepower continues with running back Irv Mulligan (over 2,000 rushing yards in his college career) and wide receiver Fabian McCray. The Tigers are playing 10 SWAC programs, but games against Southern and Grambling State don’t count toward the conference standings.
3. Florida A&M (12-1, 8-0) – New coach James Colzie III faces the difficult task of replacing Willie Simmons, who was 45-13 in five seasons before he departed for an assistant’s position at Duke. Grad transfer QB Daniel Richardson is reunited with former FAU teammate Kelvin Dean Jr., a running back who caught two TDs in last year’s Celebration Bowl win over Howard. Kendall Bohler and Deco Wilson form a superb tag-team in the secondary.
4. Alabama A&M (5-6, 3-5) – The Eagles feature offensive firepower in running back Donovan Eaglin (1,638 rushing yards, 13 TDs the last two seasons) and wide receiver Jacolby Hewitt (32 receptions, 516 yards, four TDs). The defense seeks improvement, although there’s size and talent in the secondary with Emari Pait and Marvin Smith.
5. Bethune-Cookman (3-8, 2-6) – Having gone 2-6 in each of their first three SWAC schedules, the Wildcats seek to surprise in the competitive conference. Four of last year’s losses were one-possession games in the final minute. Linebacker Dearis Thomas should build off a banner sophomore season (97 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss).
6. Mississippi Valley State (1-10, 1-7) – It too often feels like the Delta Devils are building for the future, but coach Kendrick Wade should believe it’s here with sophomore tight end Jaxson Davis (36 receptions, 406 yards, three TDs). Returning QB Ty Williams, also a soph, and Southern transfer JR Blood figure to help raise the team’s 12-point average, which ranked as the second-lowest in the FCS.
West Division
1. Alcorn State (7-4, 6-2) – Under new coach Cedric Thomas, the Braves are seeking to return to the SWAC championship game for the first time since 2019, the final of six appearances in a row, including four titles. The offensive personnel will look vastly different – the big question is who will be the most effective with replacing two-year quarterback Aaron Allen – but the defense returns mainstays in defensive end Malachi Bailey, linebacker Stemarion Edwards and cornerback Edwin Summerour.
2. Prairie View A&M (6-6, 6-2) – The defending West champion Panthers were too often underrated in coach Bubba McDowell’s first two seasons, so having only two All-SWAC preseason picks – defensive end CJ Pressley on the first team and defensive tackle Jamal Marshall on the second team – plays into the storyline. Junior college transfer QB Cam Peters seeks to step in and replace Trazon Connley.
3. Southern (6-5, 5-3) – New mentor Terrence Graves was Southern’s linebackers coach last season – his 15th with the Jaguars over four stints. He already knows the Jaguars lost against the better SWAC teams last season. If that turns around, All-America defensive end Ckelby Givens, the SWAC’s preseason defensive player of the year, will lead the way. Offensive lineman Joshua Trask Jr. will clear a path for running back Kendric Rhymes, who’s scored 18 TDs from scrimmage in his first two seasons.
4. Grambling State (5-6, 4-4) – The G-Men last won the division and conference titles in 2017, and they may be primed to end that drought in coach Mickey Joseph’s first season. Quarterback Myles Crawley, the SWAC’s preseason offensive player of the year, led an offense that jumped from 10th in the conference in 2022 to second a year ago. Wide receiver Javon Robinson was a big part of the rise as the conference’s freshman of the year. The defense, however, is replacing a number of standouts.
5. Texas Southern (3-8, 2-6) – A first-time coach, Cris Dishman seeks to lift a program that hasn’t posted a winning season since 2010. The two-time NFL Pro Bowl cornerback can think defense first with linebacker Jacob Williams (106 tackles, 18.5 TFLs, eight sacks), defensive lineman Michaels Akins and defensive back Javius Williams. Returning QB Jace Wilson is the offensive leader.
6. Arkansas-Pine Bluff (2-9, 1-7) – The offense needs better continuity in coach Alonzo Hampton’s second season after the Golden Lions utilized three different quarterbacks and averaged only 15.2 points per game. In fact, Jeremy Baker’s 76 punts marked the FCS high. Hard-hitting linebacker Khalil Arnold is coming off a strong sophomore campaign.
How the Conference Predicted the Race
Five Players to Know
Malachi Bailey, DE, Alcorn State (HBCU+ FCS National Player of the Year Award preseason nominee) –Bailey’s 6-foot-2, 260-pound size can overpower offensive lineman. He led the SWAC with nine sacks and was third with 15.5 TFLs last season.
Kendall Bohler, DB, Florida A&M (Buck Buchanan Award and HBCU+ FCS National Player of the Year Award preseason nominee) – Not only were Bohler’s 14 pass breakups a conference high, he picked the right time for his lone interception – in the Rattlers’ Celebration Bowl win.
Myles Crawley, QB, Grambling State (Walter Payton Award and HBCU+ FCS National Player of the Year Award preseason nominee) – In his first season at Grambling following a transfer from Alabama State, Crawley ranked second in the SWAC in passing yards (2,303) and touchdown passes (16).
Rico Dozier, LB, Alabama State (HBCU+ FCS National Player of the Year Award preseason nominee) – Dozier led the SWAC with 128 tackles last season and totaled 210 over three campaigns at Arkansas-Pine Bluff before making a transfer across the conference.
Ckelby Givens, DE, Southern (Buck Buchanan Award and HBCU+ FCS National Player of the Year Award preseason nominee) – No returning FCS player had more TFLs (21) a year ago than the 2024 SWAC preseason defensive player of the year.
Five Must-See Matchups
1. Florida A&M at Jackson State (Oct. 19) – These rivals have combined on the last three SWAC championships. They are meeting at a campus site for the first time since 2018.
2. Grambling State vs. Southern (Nov. 24 in New Orleans)
3. Florida A&M at Alabama State (Oct. 5)
4. Alabama A&M Vs. Alabama State (Oct. 26 in Birmingham, Alabama)
5. Alcorn State at Prairie View A&M (Nov. 16)
Fast Fact
The SWAC has led FCS conferences in attendance average in 45 of the Division I subdivision’s first 46 seasons. Last season, the two highest-attended games in the FCS were the Magic City Classic between Alabama A&M and Alabama State (69,210 at Legion Field in Birmingham) and the Bayou Classic between Grambling State and Southern (64,699 at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans).
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