The start of the FCS playoffs marks the first time since 2022 that no HBCU team will be in the field.
Alabama State, which probably had the best chance to make the tournament after it finished 10-2, was not included.
However, the Hornets Turkey Day Classic game versus Tuskegee would have presented a conflict.
Alabama State coach Eddie Robinson didn’t shy away from voicing his opinion about no HBCU team being in the 24-team playoff.
“For me, it’s not just about Alabama State being left out,” Robinson said after Thursday’s game. “It’s about the SWAC Conference on the bigger note. Our goal is always to get those teams into the championship games or the Celebration Bowl. But at the same time, we want that next team to be able to get the at-large bid.”
The Hornets finished just outside the Top 25, receiving the most votes in the FCS Coaches Poll to rank 26th. Robinson noted Jackson State’s No. 12 ranking as proof that the SWAC deserves greater playoff consideration.
“With Jackson being ranked as high as they were — and I think they should be — it makes me think that we can’t be fourteen spots below that,” Robinson said.
Alabama State’s only conference loss came in dramatic fashion, a 38-34 road defeat to Jackson State in October. Despite the setback, the Hornets closed the year without a loss.
While their season ends without a playoff berth, the tone in Montgomery is one of pride and determination — and a growing call for recognition of the SWAC and HBCU’s best.
