> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.bcspin.net/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # SIAC! Maybe the best was saved for last! - URL: https://www.bcspin.net/siac-maybe-the-best-was-saved-for-last-2/ - Published: 2026-08-06T03:55:56.000Z - Updated: 2026-08-06T03:55:56.000Z - Author: Carl Lut Williams The **SIAC** had a lot to celebrate when it held its 2026 Football Media Day in Macon, Georgia’s Harriet Tubman African American Museum on Wednesday, July 22\. It was the last of the four Div. I and Div. II black college conferences to hold Media Day and if it was not the best, it certainly was the most intriguing. The league is coming off a 2025 season that saw an unprecedented three teams — **Albany State**, **Benedict** and **Kentucky State** —make the NCAA Division II playoffs. That was the first thing SIAC Commissioner **Dr. Anthony Holloman** touted as Media Day started after giving out awards for the best athletics director (**Reginald Ruffin** of **Tuskegee**), sports information director (**Justin Mordicai** of **Clark Atlanta**) among others at the beginning of the event. Those teams got three wins in the playoffs, with one of them — league champion Albany State—making it to the NCAA Division II quarterfinals for the first time in its history. That recent history certainly bodes well for the upcoming 2026 season. **BIG SURPRISES** But when the Preseason Predicted Order of Finish was unveiled Wednesday, there were some big surprises. None of those three teams garnered the No. 1 spot after voting by each of the 13 conference programs! Defending champion Albany State, who lost Head Coach **Quinn Gray** to **Florida A&M**, was predicted to finish fourth. That’s kind of rare for a defending champion, especially one that went as deep as the Golden Rams did in the playoffs. Benedict, the team that Albany State defeated three times a season ago, once in the regular season, once in the SIAC title game, and once in the second round of the Division II playoffs, was second. The big surprise was that two teams that finished outside the conference’s top five a year ago — **Edward Water**s (6th) and **Tuskegee** (T8th) —finished first and third respectively in the preseason predictions. That says quite a bit for the SIAC and the upcoming race in 2026\. Edward Waters, led by well-known former **Bethune Cookman** head coach **Brian Jenkins**,was first. After a 5-5 overall and 4-4 mark in the SIAC last year, their selection was a shock to many (me included). The Tigers did post a stunning early-season 2025 win over **CIAA** power **Virginia Union** that jump-started their 2025 campaign but closed with four losses in their last five games and escaped with a narrow, late-game 27-24 win over **Morehouse** earlier in the season. Jenkins, a 30-year veteran coach, won parts of four championships in five years, posted a 46-14 overall record and won three MEAC coach of the year awards when the led **Bethune-Cookman** in the MEAC from 2010-2014\. His record as a head coach is 60-36 (.625) including a three-year stint (2015-2017) at **Alabama State**. Just as importantly, the Tigers bring back 5-10, 190-pound senior running back, **Johntarrious Thomas** (1,016 rushing yards, 8 TDs), picked as the preseason offensive player of the year and 6-3, 195-pound junior linebacker **Trevon Hunt** (74 tackles, 3 sacks. 2 forced fumbles), picked as the preseason defensive player of the year. EWC had just one other 2026 preseason first-teamer, defensive back **Aykenon Rodgers** and two second-teamers. The other team that did not finish in the top five —Tuskegee — was picked third depite a 4-7 overall and 3-5 eighth-place conference finish. One of the SIAC Insiders, **Sylvester “Sly” Williams** of **SIAC Sitdown*,* told me the Tigers are ready to make some noise. The future of fourth-year head coach **Aaron James** likely hangs in the balance. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8c/c4/8cc4c3c9-721f-4b2d-9476-edcac70eeddc/content/images/2026/08/Tuskegee@MediaDay.jpg) GOLDEN TIGERS: (L. to r.) Tuskegee head coach Aaron James, preseason all-SIAC first team wide receiver E. J. Hall and defensive lineman Ezekiel Moore on the podium at SIAC Media Day. The Tigers were a surprise preseason pick to finish third this season. **David Bowser** has stepped in at Albany State, trying to fill the big shoes of Gray. He’s got quite a task ahead. Gray took four 2025 all-SIAC selections with him to Tallahassee including QB **Isaiah Knowles,** last season’s SIAC offensive player of the year. But Bowser, despite his 4-26 record as a head coach (at **St. Augustine’s** 2020-23), has championship credentials based on a recent stint at J. C. Smith and a decades-long stay at **Fayetteville State** that produced three **CIAA** titles. The surprise team of 2025 was Kentucky State that finished 9-3, 7-1 in the conference under third-year head coach **Felton Huggins Jr.** and earned a D2 playoff berth. Huggins’ squad was picked to finish fifth in somewhat of a surprise. Williams, for one, sees KSU winning the 2026 title. The Thorobreds have a healthy seven preseason all-SIAC picks. The combination of these predictions at the top of the conference has added a lot of spice to the 2026 SIAC season. **THREE MORE NEW HEAD COACHES** In addition to Bowser at Albany State, **Thomas Howard** is the new head man at **Savannah State**. He has a background of coaching on the winning staff at **North Carolina A&T** that won four **MEAC** and ***Celebration Bowl*** titles. The Tigers were picked ninth. Throw in new **Morehouse** head coach **Brad Sherrod** who inherits a squad with nine preseason all-SIAC selections, the most of any team, and includes prolific senior QB **Miles Scott** (2,559 passing yards, 17 TDs, 15 ints., 267 rushing yards, 3 TDs). Despite those positives, the Maroon Tigers were picked 12th. Sherrod’s Atlanta neighbor **Clark Atlanta** has a new head man, **Terry Sims**, a veteran who compiled a 31-24 record in the MEAC while at **Bethune-Cookman** (2015-22). The Panthers’ sophomore QB **Xavier Jackson** (2,103 passing yards, 18 TDs, 4 ints.) was voted to the first team. Jackson and Scott led the SIAC in passing in 2025\. CAU's Panthers were picked to finish tenth. **Allen,** a respectable6-5 overall, 5-3 in the SIAC last year under head man **Cedric Pearl,** was sixth and could finish higher. **Miles,** who struggled to a 3-8 overall, and 3-5 conference record under **Chris Goode**,was seventh. **Marlon Watson's** **Fort Valley State** Wildcats (4-6, 4-4), were eighth. **Tony Carter**, who was 3-7, 3-5 at **Central State** was 11th and winless **Lane** (0-10, 0-8) under **Stanley Conner** was 13th. Given all this, the SIAC race looks more spicy and more competitive this year than any other of the HBCU conferences.