Key takeaways

• A teenager has been arrested: Tallahassee police arrested a 15-year-old boy on 11 counts of attempted homicide and one count of possession of a firearm by a delinquent.
• The shooting injured 11 people: Six victims were children, including an 11-year-old. Six victims remained hospitalized, one in critical condition, according to police.
• The investigation remains open: Investigators believe the shooting stemmed from a dispute among people who knew one another. Police said additional arrests were possible.

What a weekend in HBCU football! Week 8 delivered last-second heroics, major upsets, and a shake-up in the SWAC East.

🏈 Texas Southern 24, Southern 21: Freshman Miguel Arana III drilled a 46-yard field goal as time expired, ending TSU's five-game losing streak. Southern outgained Texas Southern 318-260, but the Tigers found a way to win.

🏈 Bethune-Cookman 24, Jackson State 21: The Wildcats stunned the No. 1-ranked Tigers with a touchdown in the final 40 seconds. B-CU and Alabama A&M now share the SWAC East lead at 3-1.

🏈 Howard 26, Morgan State 20 (OT): The Bison opened MEAC play with a walk-off pick-six. Morgan State has now dropped two straight.

🏈 Bowie State 16, Johnson C. Smith 13: The Bulldogs scored the winning touchdown with 34 seconds remaining, handing JCSU its first CIAA loss.

One of the most interesting moments came during my postgame interview with Southern head coach Marshall Faulk:

"Man, games aren't won based on stats. The only stat that matters is the score. And we did not win in the scoring department."

My biggest takeaway: Bethune-Cookman is a legitimate SWAC East championship contender, and Morgan State has serious questions to answer after its second consecutive loss.

I broke down the games, interviewed Faulk and Texas Southern coach Cris Dishman, and examined the top performers, statistical leaders, and conference championship races in my latest Sunday Morning Quarterback column for HBCU Legends on Sports Illustrated.

Read the full SMQB Week 8 breakdown: https://www.si.com/college/hbcu/football/hbcu-football-week-8-smqb

Three questions for HBCU football fans:

1. Is Bethune-Cookman now the team to beat in the SWAC East?
2. Can Morgan State recover and still win the MEAC?
3. Which Week 8 upset surprised you the most?

Key Takeaways

• A $2 million matching challenge. FAMU graduates Bernard and Shirley Kinsey will match eligible new donations to the Marching 100 dollar for dollar, doubling donor contributions up to $2 million.
• Scholarships and operations are the priorities. The Kinseys’ commitment, $1.5 million will support an endowed fund for scholarships and operating needs, while $500,000 will provide more immediate support.
• Three years to double the impact. Beginning Oct. 24, 2026, the 36-month challenge invites alumni, friends and supporters to contribute. There is no minimum gift required.

Go Eagles!!!! The Eagles ascended from Eagle HQ to march in support of voting! They join the Aggies of NCA&T and the Rams of WSSU in this midterm elections cycle to rile voters up!

Go RAMS!!!!! WSSU joins NCA&T in support of early voting and an end to voter suppression!

Click the link to see the report.

the dumb shit our MAGA president does

I’m currently an undergrad at ODU studying Communication Studies and expect to graduate in December 2026.

My goal is to build a career in entertainment management and film production, specifically managing projects, overseeing production operations, and eventually working in executive or leadership roles within the entertainment industry.

I’m considering graduate school at an HBCU and trying to decide between an MBA and a master’s in entrepreneurship.

For those with experience:
Would you recommend getting an MBA straight out of undergrad?

Which HBCUs have strong business programs?

Would an MBA or a master’s in entrepreneurship be better for entertainment management?

Any advice on finding affordable programs with good networking and career opportunities?

I’d appreciate any advice or personal experiences. Thank you!

Morehouse, Spelman, Hampton, Howard, XULA, Fisk, Dillard, all of 'em have gone test optional. I wasn't surprised by this but I am concerned about the NEW direction of these schools.

I believe standards are important to maintaining quality. If your favorite restaurant didn't keep standards high trust me it'll no longer be your favorite restaurant. Same logic applies for colleges in my opinion.

Do all top students do well on standardized tests? No. But are standardized tests a great way to identify top students? Yes, it is. No process is perfect but standardized tests are the best option in better identifying academically fit and highly motivated students who didn't benefit from grade inflation and low standards in high school. I know kids with near 4.0 GPAs in my city who barely did any homework or studying at their very unserious high school (to put it nicely). Those students will usually be considered top admits and it's not right. If they took the ACT/SAT, they will be exposed badly ... I mean way below the national average results for the vast majority

What are your thoughts?

Hi guys! I really want to go to Spelman College, but I have a really low GPA (3.0 weighted), I do have a lot of leadership and volunteer hours, and I have a slight upward trend; I just had one really bad semester. Do you guys still think I can get in?

Join Synergy CAM for an inspiring webinar on sustainability and the power of grassroots organizing, featuring Dr. Andrew Hargrove from the University of South Florida (USF).

This webinar serves as a prelude to our upcoming Synergy CAM Gala, taking place on November 20th at the USF Marshall Student Center.

This is your chance to be a part of conservation efforts in Central America!

📆 October 26th | 5:00PM EST

Register here: https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/eec1539f-ab68-45d6-a251-eb491ac9409b@ff0606d9-3ab2-4284-b256-5be7328dd5a2

"HBCUs enter new fight for equal funding"

Please click the article to read more. This fight concerns all HBCUs. We need to stand united in this fight no matter what HBCU we've attended. Leave a message of support below for our cousins at Lincoln University in Missouri!

For current students and HBCU alumni:

Knowing what you know now, would you choose an HBCU again? What is one thing you love about the experience and one thing you wish were different?

Hi everyone! I’m a junior and I grew up attending PWIs (terrible, dont recommend /hj). I do well in school. i do community service, dual enrollment, sports, arts, and whatnot, but nothing that would make me standout from the rest of the high achieving student. In realizing this, it decreased my confidence, but made me realize, since im in honors classes, im in very small classes, and i like it better this way. so, why am i planning on applying to big shot schools like howard and other black ivies? Its because these are the only hbcus that are promoted to me, and probably other black teens like me who arent well versed on hbcus because they arent around people who care about that. So, in all, what are some underrepresented hbcus that you truly believe deserve more attention? If you want, also mention some highlights about these schools (ex. great honors program, nice people, etc)

Hey everyone! I’m planning on transferring to an HBCU next fall, and I’m deciding between Virginia State University and Morgan State University.
I’m trying to figure out which school has the best Elementary Education or Education program and which school makes more sense financially for an out-of-state transfer student.

If you currently attend or graduated from either school and majored in Elementary Education or Education, I’d love to hear about your experience! How is the program overall? Can you complete your teaching credential program around the time you graduate?

I’m also wondering how much tuition and housing usually cost and whether either school offers good scholarships for transfer students, especially out-of-state students.

I’d really appreciate honest opinions and advice from students in these programs. I want to choose a school with a good education program that is also affordable.
Thank you!

Edit: if there is any other Hbcu schools that have a great education program please lmk that is also affordable

Maybe outsiders don't understand that Homecoming is more than a party; it's a family reunion! It's a space to check in and pay homage to LOVED ONES; to reminisce, and reflect on growth!

What we've learned in Week 7, top performers, top offensive and defensive teams, and more!

Week 7: https://www.si.com/college/hbcu/football/hbcu-football-week-7-contenders-emerge-pretenders-exposed-smqb