But the real surprise occurred after the game. With the team gathered on the field, TSU coach James Webster announced his resignation, an abrupt end to his five-year tenure in Nashville.

“I just told them I was very, very proud of them,” Webster told the Tennessean. “I’m proud of the way that they fought back tonight. I’m proud of the character they have shown all year long.”

The Tigers finished 4-7, their third losing season in Webster’s five years at TSU.

“Words can’t even describe how I feel right now,” said linebacker Rodney Fritz told the paper. “It hurts me deeply.

For the complete story, click here.

PERFECT MEAC RECORD WITHIN REACH

South Carolina State has already clinched the MEAC championship. Now the Bulldogs look to put the finishing touches on their second straight unbeaten season within the conference when they host

Tuskegee edged Albany State in the battle of SIAC titans last weekend, but the Rams are still ranked ahead of the Golden Tigers in this week’s AFCA Division II coaches poll.

Tuskegee’s 21-19 victory in the final minute elevated it from 19th to 16th in the national rankings while previously-unbeaten Albany State dropped from eighth to 14th. But Tuskegee ranks ahead of Albany State in another race – the quest for the SIAC championship.

The three-time defending conference champion now finds itself in the driver’s seat for another title with only league games remaining against Lane and Stillman. Albany State has a key game this weekend against Morehouse, currently third in the SIAC, and finishes the regular season against Fort Valley.

The Albany State-Morehouse winner could represent the SIAC in the Division II playoffs. Tuskegee, on the other hand, could take another conference championship …

S.C. State (5-1), whose only loss came against Division I opponent South Carolina, moved from 12th to 10th in this week’s FCS poll following last week’s 35-20 victory over Florida A&M. Last year’s MEAC champion now holds a 3-0 conference record this season and will play at Hampton Saturday.

Albany State (7-0) survived a scare last week against a rejuvenated Clark Atlanta squad, prevailing in overtime 32-29. With the win, the Rams jumped from 10th to 8th in this week’s Division II poll and will host another ranked squad — No. 19 Tuskegee — in a huge SIAC contest Saturday.

THURSDAY NIGHT SWAC SHOWDOWN

Huge game on tap in the SWAC tonight as Southern hosts Prairie View in a contest that will be televised nationally on ESPNU.

With a victory, Prairie View (4-1, 3-0 SWAC Western) could tighten its grip on the division lead as …

Leading 7-6 after the first quarter, the Bulldogs (5-1, 3-0 MEAC) extended their lead with a 2-yard run from Travil Jamison and a 17-yard pass from Malcolm Long to Oliver Young. FAMU (4-2, 2-1) cut the deficit to 21-13 with a 1-yard run by Mykel Benson, but the Bulldogs added TDs from Will Ford (11-yard run) and Donovan Richard (47-yard interception return) to build a 35-13 halftime lead.

See the complete recap of the game and all MEAC scores by clicking here.

ALBANY STATE SPOILS HIGDON’S DEBUT

Clark Atlanta, playing its first game under interim coach Keith Higdon, had unbeaten Albany State on the ropes Saturday before the Rams eventually prevailed 32-29 in overtime.

The Panthers lost a three-point lead in the final seconds of regulation and opened overtime with a 26-yard field goal. Albany State answered with a 14-yard TD pass …

And this doesn’t have to be limited to Classic games. In fact, some of the longest-running rivalries in Black College football have been in place long before Classic games became the norm.

Rivalries tend to bring out the passion in a football fan. If your team wins against its biggest rival, you get to talk smack for at least a year (and who doesn’t enjoy talking a little smack every now and then?)

Rivalries also tend to bring out the fans — thousands and thousands of fans. It’s likely that the two biggest crowds during the football season will be at homecoming and against the biggest rival.

So, who do you think has the top rivalry in Black College football? Most will say it’s their school against their hated rival, but is there one rivalry that most fans will agree stands above …

Former Grambling University and NFL quarterbacks James ‘Shack’ Harris and Doug Williams, among the driving forces behind the Black College HOF, announced Friday that the first class will consist of seven players and/or coaches plus one contributor to Black College football and will be enshrined Feb. 20, 2010 – in conjunction with Black History Month. New York Times columnist and author William Rhoden will serve as the chairman of an 11-person selection committee and an 18-member advisory committee is also in place.

For more information, visit the Hall of Fame’s website by clicking here.

THE LATEST INVOLVING CLARK ATLANTA

Ex-Clark Atlanta coach Ted Bahhur, who was fired last Tuesday, filed a racial-discrimination complaint Friday with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, according to …

Three weeks ago, Clark Atlanta had an unbeaten record and was excited about its chances against perennial SIAC power Tuskegee.

Now, the Panthers are in the midst of a three-game losing streak, including a blowout loss to Kentucky State during homecoming last weekend which proved to be the last game for coach Ted Bahhur. The school announced Bahhur’s firing Tuesday, replacing him on an interim basis with assistant head coach Keith Higdon. In a story posted on ajc.com, Clark Atlanta president Carlton E. Brown said in a statement that “we want to thank [interim head coach Keith] Higdon for taking the helm of our football program during this challenging time.”

Clark Atlanta got off to a fast start with wins over Fort Valley and Lane and a forfeit win over Stillman. The losing streak began with a 31-21 loss at Tuskegee Sept. 19 …

Former Grambling University and NFL quarterbacks James ‘Shack’ Harris and Doug Williams will announce the establishment of the Black College Hall of Fame Friday at a press conference in Atlanta. The Hall will honor the greatest football players and coaches at historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs).

The Inaugural Enshrinement Ceremony will be held in Atlanta in February, in conjunction with Black History Month. The announcement comes two weeks after the NCAA decided to move the College Football Hall of Fame from South Bend, Ind. to Atlanta. All-time Black College football team

With the news that the Black College Football Hall of Fame will be established in Atlanta, I have an opportunity to bring up a subject previously discussed in this forum – who should belong on the all-time Black College football team?

You can check out the previous blog, and the team, by clicking here. View the previous …

Think I hit the jackpot big-time Thursday.

For those who might have missed it, I put the following question on the worldwide web yesterday – Who has the best band among HBCU schools? – and threw out a list and poll to go along with it. As I mentioned in the blog, it was just a list (not my personal rankings) used to ‘get the ball rolling’ – and did it roll or what?

My thoughts don’t matter, I created this to get the conversation going. And for those who didn’t follow it yesterday, you can look back on it by clicking here.

Here’s a sampling of what was said ….

“No discussion needed. FAMU shows up and shows out every time!”

“This pole is TOTALLY invalid since you do NOT have the World Famous Grambling State University Marching Band on the list!!! No contest, hands down, the VERY BEST EVER!”

“I have …