After a thrilling regular season, the 2024 SWAC Championship is here. SWAC East champion Jackson State hosts SWAC West champion Southern with a conference title and a Celebration Bowl berth on the line.
Everything you need to know for the SWAC Championship Game
How to watch
Regular season result
Jackson State defeated Southern 33-15 during the regular season. The game was played in Jackson. Click or tap here for complete stats from the game. The Tigers rushed for 201 yards and three scores and intercepted two passes.
Here are the top players to watch from each team, highlighted by SWAC Offensive Player of the Year Irv Mulligan (1,058 rushing yards) and Freshman of the Year Travis Terrell Jr. (412 rushing yards) of Jackson State and Co-Defensive Player of the Year Ckleby Givens (67 tackles, 26.5 tfl, 11 sacks) of Southern.
Jackson State
1st Team: Running Back: Irv Mulligan, Jackson State
1st Team: Offensive Lineman: D’Andre Townes-Blue, Jackson State
1st Team: Defensive Lineman: Joshua Nobles, Jackson State
1st Team: Defensive Back: Ke’Vric Wiggins Jr., Jackson State
1st Team: Return Specialist: Travis Terrell Jr., Jackson State
1st Team: Long Snapper: Avery Salerno, Jackson State
2nd Team: Quarterback: Jacobian Morgan, Jackson State
2nd Team: Offensive Lineman: Evan Henry, Jackson State
2nd Team: Offensive Lineman: Kirk Ford Jr., Jackson State
2nd Team: Place Kicker: Gerardo Baeza, Jackson State
2nd Team: Punter: Matt Noll, Jackson State
Jackson State led the SWAC with 11 all-conference selections.
Two young coaches will be competing for their first SWAC titles this weekend. Jackson State is led by T.C. Taylor, the 2024 SWAC Coach of the Year and a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award. Taylor led the Tigers to an undefeated conference record this fall and is 15-4 against SWAC opponents during his two years as a head coach, including 2-0 against Southern.
Southern head coach Terrence Graves is in his first full year as head coach of the Jaguars after previously leading the team as an interim head coach in the Bayou Classic last year. Graves is very familiar with the SWAC, having previously coached at Southern, Mississippi Valley State and Grambling State. In his first year as a head coach, Graves went undefeated in the SWAC West.
The 2024 SWAC Championship winner will not only win the conference, but it will also secure a berth in the 2024 Celebration Bowl to play South Carolina State from the MEAC.
If Southern wins, it will make its first Celebration Bowl appearance ever. A win will also end a five-game losing streak to Jackson State and give the Jaguars their first SWAC Championship since 2013.
If Jackson State wins, it will win its third SWAC title in four years, becoming the first program to achieve such a feat since Grambling State three-peated in the early 2000s.
The winner of the 2024 SWAC Championship will move the winning team into a tie for second with Alcorn State’s four SWAC championships in the title-game era.
The Road to Atlanta: Top five gets clearer in Week 13’s HBCU football power rankings
Here’s who Stan Becton ranked in Week 13’s HBCU football power rankings.
READ MORE
2024 SWAC Football Championship Game: Date, time, location, TV channel, history
Here’s the what you need to know for the 2024 SWAC Football Championship game.
READ MORE
UC Davis moves up in Stan Becton’s Week 12 Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll ballot
Here’s who NCAA FCS reporter Stan Becton has in his top 25 ballot for Week 12.
Please check the opt-in box to acknowledge that you would like to subscribe.
Thanks for signing up!
Keep an eye on your inbox.
Sorry!
There was an error processing your subscription.
🏈 Good morning to all, but especially to …
Getty Images
THE CLEVELAND BROWNS
Walking — and winning — in a winter wonderland. The Browns stunned the Steelers, 24-19, after blowing a late lead, getting it back and then holding on.
Leading 18-6 about halfway through the fourth quarter, Cleveland gave up 13 points in 1:42.
Jaylen Warren scored from 3 yards out, Nick Herbig forced a Jameis Winston fumble, and Russell Wilson threw a 23-yard touchdown to Calvin Austin III three plays later. Winston then threw an interception, and all looked lost.
But it wasn’t. Pittsburgh went three-and-out, and Winston led a nine-play, 45-yard drive culminating in a 2-yard Nick Chubb touchdown. The drive included a huge 15-yard pass from Winston to Jerry Jeudy on third-and-6, Cleveland’s only third-down conversion all game.
Grant Delpit and Jordan Hicks knocked down Wilson’s Hail Mary attempt.
Cleveland is 3-8. It’s not going anywhere this year. But a win like this reminds us there’s plenty of individual talent — Myles Garretthad three sacks and a forced fumble, Chubb scored twice, and Jeudy was excellent — and reason to believe there could be better days if the team can somehow get quarterback figured out.
👍 Honorable mentions
😠 And not such a good morning for …
Getty Images
THE PITTSBURGH STEELERS
The Steelers’ close-game luck running out here — against a struggling division rival, in brutal conditions, on a short week (again), after a huge win over the Ravens — is especially frustrating. Perhaps more frustrating, stadium security guards had to restrain receiver George Pickens from Cleveland cornerback Greg Newsome II immediately after the Steelers’ failed Hail Mary ended the game.
After not scoring a single touchdown against Baltimore, Pittsburgh needed until the fourth quarter to find the end zone against Cleveland. And even when the offense started scoring, the defense couldn’t get crucial stops.
It’s a tough loss for the Steelers, no doubt, and it also extends their 44-year streak of losing divisional road games played on Thursdays. On the bright side, they’ll get a little bit of extra time to heal up before another challenging divisional game next week at Cincinnati. (On a Sunday.)
In the AFC, here are three races that intrigue me:
The No. 1 seed: The Chiefs are 9-1 and in the driver’s seat. But the Bills (8-2) are just a game behind and hold the head-to-head tiebreaker thanks to last week’s win over Kansas City.
Messy wild card picture: The AFC wild-card picture is crowded. The Broncos hold the No. 7 seed at 6-5. Then come the Colts (5-6), the Dolphins (4-6) and Bengals (4-7), who are barely hanging on but have plenty of offensive firepower.
The AFC North: The Steelers are 8-3, with the Ravens (7-4) giving chase. Pittsburgh faces a challenging finish that includes the Ravens, Chiefs, Eagles and Bengals twice.
Over in the NFC …
The No. 1 seed: The Lions (9-1) are a game up on the Eagles (8-2). Don’t sleep on Philadelphia.
The NFC West: The 6-4 Cardinals are one game up on the 5-5 Rams, Seahawks and 49ers. Yes, the Super Bowl runners-up are last in their own division, with a 1-3 divisional record. Our latest projections have San Francisco missing the postseason.
Is there room for a rally/collapse?: The Vikings (8-2), Packers (7-3) and Commanders (7-4) are the current wild card teams, and no one below them is above .500. Who will rally? Jordan Dajani ranked the NFC wild-card contenders.
That leaves a ton of key games this weekend, including the Cardinals visiting the Seahawks. Pete Prisco says …
Prisco:“The Cardinals are off a bye, while the Seahawks are off a tough, physical victory over the 49ers. That wears on a team. Seattle looked good on defense in that game, but Kyler Murray is playing well right now. He will in this one as the Cardinals win a key division game to stay in first place. Pick:Cardinals 23, Seahawks 20“
While that one’s going on, the 49ers are in Green Bay, but will Brock Purdy be under center? He’s dealing with a shoulder issue as San Francisco’s injury woes continue. The NFC West fun carries into the night when the Rams host the Eagles.
Ranked-vs.-ranked games, conference championship implications and potential playoff eliminations? This Saturday has it all, and it’ll start when No. 5 Indiana visits No. 2 Ohio State (preview) to open a loaded slate. The Hoosiers (10-0) have the nation’s No. 2 scoring offense, and the Buckeyes (9-1) have the No. 1 scoring defense, making for a tough pick in Tom Fornelli’s Six Pack. Oh yeah, and then there are the huge playoff implications and the fact that Indiana is never here while Ohio State always is.
There’s also no shortage of drama when No. 6 Notre Dame plays No. 19 Army at Yankee Stadium (preview). The Black Knights (9-0) and the Fighting Irish (9-1) are both very much in playoff contention, and if Army wins, the Group of Five deserves multiple playoff teams, not just the one it’s guaranteed should Army and No. 12 Boise State win out, Will Backus writes.
Backus:“Take conference affiliation out of the conversation and there’s no doubt that a 12-win league champion absolutely deserves a spot over a two-loss Power Four program that didn’t even do enough to make a conference championship game. … Boise State’s strength of record (SOR) currently sits at No. 15 nationally while Army is No. 19, according to ESPN’s FPI metric. Those numbers can tick up over the next couple of weeks with additional wins.”
🏈 Bryce Underwood flips to Michigan, Julian Lewis to Colorado
In a stunning turn, quarterback Bryce Underwood — the No. 1 recruit in the entire 2025 class who has drawn comparisons to Vince Young — flipped his commitment from LSU to Michigan, a massive win for Sherrone Moore and a devastating loss for Brian Kelly.
Underwood, a Belleville, Michigan, native, had been committed to LSU since January. CBS Sports’ Richard Johnson reported the Wolverines put together a $10 million offer to keep him in his home state.
Underwood is a “Potential franchise signal caller with the ideal blend of size, arm talent and athleticism,” 247Sports director of scouting Andrew Ivins writes.
Underwood is Michigan’s first No. 1 overall recruit since Rashan Gary and first five-star quarterback since J.J. McCarthy.
This is a much-needed win for Moore, who hasn’t found an answer at quarterback in his first year succeeding Jim Harbaugh.
It also means Brian Kelly, already on thin ice as LSU stumbles, is in even more dire straits, John Talty writes.
Talty: “Now LSU’s vaunted 2025 recruiting class, once replete with multiple five-stars, is in danger of being bloodied. … Kelly’s sideline interactions, his reputation for rubbing people the wrong way and now the recruiting arrow pointing in the wrong direction speak to a program in panic mode. … Kelly needed Underwood to be his savior. Time for Plan B. The clock’s ticking.“
Elsewhere in the 2025 quarterback landscape, four-star prospect Julian Lewiscommitted to Colorado. He’s the Buffaloes’ first blue-chip quarterback commit in the modern era, and it’s a huge boost for Deion Sanders once his son Shedeur leaves for the NFL.
It’s Ohtani’s third MVP; he also won it in the AL for the Angels in 2021 and 2023. Only Barry Bonds (seven) has more MVP awards.
Even though both players struggled in their much-anticipated World Series meeting (Judge’s postseason issues are well-established; Ohtani played through injury), these were truly remarkable seasons.
Snyder:“Judge has now gone over 10.5 WAR twice in the last three seasons. There have only been 18 players in MLB history to top 10.5 WAR in a season, going back to the likes of Honus Wagner and Eddie Collins. Judge is among 10 to have gotten there multiple times … Judge right now is statistically one of the greatest offensive players in baseball history.”
Snyder:“We’ve already seen Ohtani win two MVPs as a two-way player, a first in MLB history. We’ve now seen him win an MVP as a designated hitter, also a first in MLB history. This time around, he did so while carrying the best team in baseball en route to winning the World Series. Are there still any lingering naysayers? There sure shouldn’t be.”
⚽ NWSL Championship preview
Getty Images
TheNWSL Championship is tomorrow, 8 p.m. ET, on CBS, and you won’t want to miss it. The Spirit, led by USWNT star Trinity Rodman, face the Pride, led by Brazilian legend Marta and Zambian star Barbra Banda.
Cattry:“The league’s tactical evolution has led to a diversification of playing styles but during the 2024 season, the teams that have played the most aesthetically enjoyable soccer have come out on top more often than not. That includes this season’s finalists, who have taken different approaches to winning games but have not scrimped on goalscoring, and are unlikely to change that with the league’s biggest trophy on the line.”
I also loved Pardeep’s deep dive on Spirit owner Michele Kang.
📺 What we’re watching this weekend
Friday
🏀 No. 19 Wisconsin vs. UCF (M), 5 p.m. on CBS Sports Network 🏀 NBA Cup: Warriors at Pelicans, 7:30 p.m. on ESPN 🏀 Nebraska at No. 14 Creighton (M), 8 p.m. on FS1 🏀 No. 13 Baylor vs. No. 11 Tennessee (M), 9:30 p.m. on CBS Sports Network 🏈 No. 24 UNLV at San José State, 10 p.m. on FS1 🏀 NBA Cup: Mavericks at Nuggets, 10 p.m. on ESPN 🏀 No. 12 Duke at No. 17 Arizona (M), 10:30 p.m. on ESPN
Saturday
🏈 No. 5 Indiana at No. 2 Ohio State, noon on Fox 🏈 Wake Forest at No. 8 Miami, noon on ESPN 🏈 No. 9 Ole Miss at Florida, noon on ABC 🏈 No. 13 SMU at Virginia, noon on ESPN2 🏈 Kentucky at No. 3 Texas, 3:30 p.m. on ABC 🏈 No. 4 Penn State at Minnesota, 3:30 p.m. on CBS 🏈 No. 14 BYU at No. 21 Arizona State, 3:30 p.m. on ESPN 🏈 No. 16 Colorado at Kansas, 3:30 p.m. on Fox 🏀 No. 6 Notre Dame at No. 3 USC (W), 4 p.m. on NBC 🏀 Knicks at Jazz, 5 p.m. on NBA TV 🏈 No. 6 Notre Dame vs. No. 19 Army at Yankee Stadium, 7 p.m. on NBC 🏈 No. 12 Boise State at Wyoming, 7 p.m. on CBS Sports Network 🏈 No. 7 Alabama at Oklahoma, 7:30 p.m. on ABC 🏈 No. 15 Texas A&M at Auburn, 7:30 p.m. on ESPN ⚽ NWSL Championship: Pride vs. Spirit, 8 p.m. on CBS 🏀 Grizzlies at Bucks, 8 p.m. on NBA TV 🏀 Nuggets at Lakers, 10:30 p.m. on NBA TV
Sunday
🏀 No. 22 St. John’s vs. Georgia (M), 11 a.m. on CBS Sports Network 🏈 Chiefs at Panthers, 1 p.m. on CBS 🏈 Cowboys at Commanders, 1 p.m. on Fox 🏈 Vikings at Bears, 1 p.m. on Fox 🏈 Lions at Colts, 1 p.m. on Fox 🏀 No. 1 South Carolina at No. 5 UCLA (W), 4 p.m. on FS1 🏈 49ers at Packers, 4:25 p.m. on Fox 🏈 Cardinals at Seahawks, 4:25 p.m. on Fox 🏈 Eagles at Rams, 8:20 p.m. on NBC
The 2024 Georgia High School Association state playoffs get underway tonight, marking the start of one of the best postseason tournaments in prep athletics.
Georgia is one of three states (Texas, Florida) to have more than 200 high schoolers sign to play at the FBS level over the past two recruiting cycles, a figure that becomes even more impressive when you consider the Peach State has half of the population of Florida and nearly a third of the state of Texas.
There is arguably no state that produces higher quality football prospects on a per capita basis than Georgia and the best of the best are ready to compete for a shot to play at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
We rounded up six 247Sports recruiting analysts who cover high school football in the state of Georgia to help preview the biggest storylines and players to watch as the first round of action kicks off in the Peach State, along with further insight on every classification in the state.
Who is the player you’re the most excited to watch in the GHSA Playoffs?
Hudson Standish, 247Sports national scouting analyst: North Atlanta edge rusher Chase Linton debuted in our Top247 rankings over the offseason the four-star and has continued to shoot up our board, now coming in as the No. 45 player in the country and No. 7 prospect from the state of Georgia. Linton’s superb play as a senior earned him Region 6-AAAAAA Defensive Player of the Year honors, and he’ll need to be at his best if the Warriors want to make a deep run in the playoffs. The four-star prospect also recently set an official commitment date for November 20th, with a final three of Georgia, Georgia Tech, and Rutgers.
Anna Adams, 247Sports national recruiting analyst: Carrollton four-star quarterback Julian Lewis has been out to prove he’s the leader of the best team in the entire state this season and has a chance to show just that. Lewis has completed 177 of his 231 pass attempts (76.6%) for 2,549 passing yards, totaling 36 passing touchdowns with only four interceptions for the Trojans.
Benjamin Wolk, recruiting analyst Dawgs247: Valdosta all-around athleteTodd Robinson. The Georgia commit came into the 2024 calendar year as a relative recruiting unknown, but he’s been one of the most productive football players in Georgia for a few years now. Robinson has a few big-time potential north Georgia matchups lined up early in Valdosta’s bracket. A potential Todd Robinson vs. Julian Lewis matchup in the second round of the playoffs is one everyone should be looking forward to.
Brett Greenberg, recruiting analyst Bama247: Four-star Tennessee receiver commit Travis Smith Jr. with Westlake High School. The 6-foot-4, 200-pounder has long been one of my favorite prospects in the 2025 cycle out of the Peach State. Smith Jr. has nearly double the amount of receptions compared to the next most on the Lions’ offense and that production will need to continue against a very, very talented Collins Hill defense in round one on Friday night.
Christian Clemente, recruiting analyst Auburn Undercover: We already have Tyler Atkinson in the 5-star range for 2026 and it’s no secret he’s one of the best linebackers in the nation, but he’s a guy I can’t wait to see more of this postseason. The few times I’ve gotten to see him I’m more and more impressed each time as he’s proven to be absolutely dominant in a variety of ways on the field. Grayson boasts one of the best defensive fronts in the country, in my opinion, so you could very easily pick out some other names from this defense. It’s tough for anyone to score on them.
Auburn is absolutely involved with Atkinson, but in a much more Auburn-related pick the second choice is Joseph Mbatchou. His snaps are limited for Grayson as he learns the game of football, but the 2025 defensive lineman has enough tools to make a few plays a game and change things in favor of the Rams.
Ben Moore, publisher PantherTalk.com: Sugar Hill (Ga.) Lanier running back Tojuan Peyton. The electric running back is one of the best ball carriers in a loaded 2025 running back class in the state of Georgia. The Memphis commit recently set the all-time single-game rushing record in Gwinnett County and travels to take on 9-1 Sprayberry HS.
Another selection is Houston County quarterback and Memphis commit Antwann Hill. While everyone knows QB Julian Lewis and his loaded Carrollton squad, Hill is currently the state of Georgia’s leader in passing yards. His Houston Country squad travels to take on Clarke Central which will be a heck of a test for the Bears who lost to eventual state runner up Woodward Academy in the second round of the GHSA Playoffs last season.
One team had an incredible comeback, another got its first win, and a top dog kept rolling.
With Week 3 in the books, let’s talk about it and see what’s ahead for Cheboygan-area football teams in Week 4.
MR. CHEBOYGAN:‘He’s the epitome of professionalism:’ Cheboygan community lauds WCBY broadcaster Grisdale
CHEBOYGAN DEFENSE:Cheboygan’s defense shakes off ugly opening half, leads charge in comeback win at home
CHEBOYGAN (2-1)
Last Week: Early in the third quarter, hope looked lost for the Chiefs, who trailed 23-0 to Elk Rapids.
But something crazy happened as Cheboygan found its running game, saw its defense step up, and turned it around quickly. As a result, the Chiefs delivered one of the greatest come-from-behind wins in program history by scoring 30 unanswered points and beating the Elks.
What a night it was for a Cheboygan team that’s starting to show mental toughness under head coach Bill Nesbitt.
Offensive skill players like Sean Postula, Nolan Schley, Evan Benson and Luke Hoskins all played their roles, while a Cheboygan defense led by Luke Munger, Chauncey Lovelly, Eli Chase and Jeremiah Huntley rose to the occasion.
It was a momentum-boosting night for the Chiefs, who are off to their best start in 11 years.
Week 4: Cheboygan’s next challenge is Kalkaska – and a first half like last Friday absolutely can’t happen.
As thrilling as last week’s comeback was, the first half was dreadful for the Chiefs, who turned the ball over four times and struggled defensively.
Like Elk Rapids, the Blazers won’t be a gimme for Cheboygan. The Chiefs need to come out much stronger and aggressive on the road to move to 3-1.
INLAND LAKES (3-0)
Last Week: Two weeks off? No problem for the Bulldogs, who unleashed on Central Lake with a 62-6 road victory.
Aidan Fenstermaker and Andre Bradford were their normal play-making selves, but Inland Lakes also saw its defense shut down the Trojans. Even after not playing in Week 2, the Bulldogs showed just how powerful they are in the Ski Valley, and that it’s going to take some performance from one of their rivals to pull an upset.
Week 4: This is the big one as far as regular season games go. The Bulldogs welcome in fellow 8-player powerhouse Bridgman (1-2), who’s already faced some of the toughest competition in the state.
This will be a great chance to see if Inland Lakes perhaps looks like a state title-caliber team again near the midway point of the season. Either way, this is as great of a matchup as we’ll see all season.
ONAWAY VOLLEYBALL:Takeaways from Onaway volleyball’s dominant Ski Valley Conference triumph over Forest Area
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK:Cast your vote for the Cheboygan Daily Tribune’s Athlete of the Week for Sept. 9-14
Pellston (1-2)
Last Week: Talk about a tough defeat to swallow, the Hornets endured it last week when they blew a 26-8 lead and lost at unbeaten Bellaire, 30-26.
The Hornets received another sensational performance from senior Brach Taylor, but they couldn’t hold on to beat the Eagles, who appear to be for real. A tough one to take for an improving Pellston team.
Week 4: It’s Homecoming Week in Pellston as the Hornets face Central Lake in a Ski Valley battle.
The Hornets have struggled against the Trojans in recent years, but with Central Lake having issues, this could be an excellent chance for Pellston to move to .500.
ONAWAY
Last Week: The Cardinals earned victory No. 1 by going to Engadine and delivering a solid performance, led by quarterback Brady Gapczynski, who nearly rushed for 200 yards.
Onaway was strong on both sides of the ball, which resulted in the program recording its first win in the Micah Bailey coaching era. Let’s see if they’ll continue to build off it.
Week 4: No game. Forest Area doesn’t have a team.
Cheboygan-area football Week 4 games
Cheboygan (2-1) at Kalkaska (1-2), Friday, 7 p.m.
Central Lake (0-3) at Pellston (1-2), Friday, 7 p.m.
Bridgman (1-2) at Inland Lakes (3-0), Saturday, 1 p.m.
