HBCU GAMEDAY: Column: MEAC shouldn’t hold breath for NCAA Playoffs in future

The FCS playoffs haven’t started yet, but you can write this in stone: There is zero chance that an HBCU will win the championship, or even a game as there will be no HBCU teams in the field. The NCAA revealed its playoff tree on Sunday and no teams from the MEAC or SWAC (nor the OVC’s Tennessee State) were selected.

Bethune-Cookman was overlooked in the playoff field despite going 9-2 and sharing the MEAC football crown. It was one of three teams that took a share of the the conference title, along with North Carolina A&T, who will participate in the inaugural Celebration Bowl, and North Carolina Central. Prairie View, also 9-2, had its hopes for an at-large bid dashed on Sunday as well.

This is nothing new for the SWAC, as it has opted out of the playoffs since the late 1990s. For the MEAC, however, this is a bitter taste of what looks like its new reality.  Read on:

http://www.hbcugameday.com/2015/11/column-meac-sold-out-playoff-bid-celebration-bowl.html?m=1

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Williams rally Cats to 17-14 win over SC State

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-Quentin Williams

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Quentin Williams scored on a 3-yard run with 5:14 remaining to give Bethune-Cookman a 17-14 victory over South Carolina State on Thursday night.

The senior also threw a third-quarter touchdown pass to Ja-Quan Lumas to help the Wildcats (5-1, 3-0 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) win their fourth game of the season decided by four points or less and third in which they trailed in the fourth quarter.

The Bulldogs (2-3, 1-1), who had 18 penalties for 144 yards, took a 14-10 lead on Antonio Hamilton’s 82-yard punt return with 10:43 left. But Williams led the Wildcats on an eight-play, 51-yard drive to regain the lead in a battle between the two teams that won or shared six of the last seven league titles.

Anthony Jordan rushed for 121 yards for the Wildcats.

Caleb York threw for 175 yards and a third-quarter touchdown pass to Taquan West for South Carolina State, which had two touchdowns called back due to penalties.

Team Stats SCST COOK
First Downs 16 16
Total Plays 65 74
Total Yards 352 333
Passing 205 151
Rushing 150 200
Penalties 18 / 144 6 / 68
Possession 27:56 32:04
Turnovers 0 0