RFC Summer Semester--Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC)--(FCS)

Looking back: Texas Southern took home the SWAC title for 2010, holding off Alabama State, 11-6, to win the crown, in the championship game.

Looking ahead: The upcoming 2011 season will be watered down somewhat by events off the field, as both Jackson State and Southern were banned from this year's title game because of poor academic performance.

Website: http://www.swac.org/
 
Predicted order of finish (2010 overall record in parentheses)

East Division
 

1. Alabama State (7-5):  With Jackson State ineligible to compete for the SWAC title this season, expect the Hornets to at least to be in the hunt to repeat as East Division champs.

2. Alcorn State (5-6):  The Braves started the 2010 season at 3-0, but lost six of eight games coming down the stretch.

3.  Alabama A&M (3-8):  The Bulldogs hope to bounce back after a dismal 2010 campaign.


4. Mississippi Valley State (0-10):  The Delta Devils enter the 2011 season with 15 straight losses.  Their last win came on October 3, 2009, when they crushed Texas College, 61-6.

West Division

1. Grambling State (9-2):  The Tigers shared the West Division title with Texas Southern after both teams finished 8-1 in SWAC play.  But that one loss, which came to TSU in the next-to-last game of the regular season, cost the team from Louisiana a shot to play in the SWAC title game.  Hopefully, that will change for them in 2011. 

2. Texas Southern (9-3):  The Tigers from Houston overcame a 1-3 start in 2010, winning eight straight games to win the SWAC title.  It'll be interesting to see if they can keep the momentum going in 2011.

3. Prairie View A&M (7-4):  The Panthers have a new head coach in Heisma Northern. 

4. Arkansas-Pine Bluff (5-6):  The Golden Lions were anything but golden in close games last season, losing three of them by 10 points or less.

Not eligible for SWAC title in 2011

Jackson State (8-3):  With playing in the SWAC title game out of the question, the Tigers from Mississippi will be playing for pride, and not much more, in 2011.  

Southern (2-9):  The Jaguars had their struggles on, as well as off the field last season, as they ended it on a six-game skid.