By Donald Hunt | For The Birmingham Times
Miles College, the defending champions of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC), will face Virginia Union University ranked No. 19 in the American Football Coaches Poll on Sunday, Aug. 31, in the Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic. This game will take place at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio. The kickoff is set for 4 p.m.
This should be a good early season matchup for the Golden Bears (10-3 overall, 8-0 in conference last season) who will face a team, that in addition to earning national recognition, captured the Central intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) title last year. The Panthers finished 10-4 overall last season and 6-1 in the conference.
Chris Goode, Miles College first-year head coach, has replaced Sam Shade, now the head coach at Alabama A&M, who led the Golden Bears to the conference title and the NCAA Division II playoffs last season.
Goode brings NFL and major Division I expertise to the Miles program. He was a 10th round draft pick by the Indianapolis Colts in 1987 coming out of the University of Alabama. Goode, a defensive back, spent six years in the NFL. He will have an opportunity to put his stamp on the Golden Bears’ program.
Defensively, Miles College has a terrific player with sophomore Carson Pritchett who garnered preseason all-conference honors.
In other SIAC competition this weekend, Tuskegee University will battle Winston-Salem State in the Red Tails Classic from the Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, AL on Sunday, Aug. 31. The kickoff will be at 7 p.m.
The Golden Tigers have some talented players such as offensive linemen Elliott Howell and Lebron Merriweather and defensive back Mikael King Jr. who all received preseason All-SIAC recognition.
In the Southwestern Athletic Conference, Alabama State will visit UAB on Thursday, Aug. 28 with a 7:30 p.m. kickoff. The Hornets appear to have some strength on the defensive side of the football. Cornerback Twillie Lovett and safety Keane Lewis have been selected to the fourth annual Aeneas Williams Award Watch List. The list focuses on the top HBCU defensive backs among Division I college football programs at HBCU schools. Lovett and Lewis are two outstanding playmakers.
In another SWAC contest, Alabama A&M will go on the road to face University Arkansas on Saturday, Aug. 30. The kickoff will be at 3:15 p.m. The Bulldogs will be led by Shade who is coming off a successful run as Miles College head coach. The Bulldogs have two great players to watch: Offensive lineman Tyrell Lawrence one of the best blockers in the SWAC and defensive lineman Nick Glenn is a solid run stopper. Glenn had 29 total tackles and five tackles-for-loss last year.
In Birmingham on Saturday, the Week Zero Classic doubleheader will be held at Legion Field featuring Valdosta State University vs. Clark Atlanta University at 1 p.m. and Fort Valley State University vs. University of West Alabama at 5:15.
