The two teams projected to meet in Atlanta for the Celebration Bowl both lost on the same Saturday. Jackson State, the SWAC favorite, and Morgan State, the MEAC favorite, each fell at home in conference play, and the road to Atlanta is suddenly wide open on both sides.

Bethune-Cookman 24, Jackson State 21: Tyler Jefferson hit Rickie Shaw II for a 19-yard touchdown with 40 seconds left as Bethune-Cookman beat Jackson State for the first time since joining the SWAC. The Wildcats led 17-7 at halftime, fell behind 21-17 with 2:56 left after a punt disaster gave Jackson State the ball at the 1, then drove 75 yards to win it. Jackson State drove to the Bethune-Cookman 32 in the final seconds but missed a 49-yard field goal at the horn. The SWAC East is now Bethune-Cookman and Alabama A&M tied at 3-1, with Jackson State a game back at 3-2.

Howard 26, Morgan State 20 (OT): Howard trailed 20-6 early in the fourth quarter before backup quarterback Isaiah Freeman sparked a comeback, throwing and running for touchdowns to force overtime. Morgan State had the ball first in OT, and on fourth-and-19, Ben Chandler IV intercepted Cameron Edge at the 13 and returned it 87 yards for the walk-off touchdown.

North Carolina Central 31, Delaware State 12 (Friday): Freshman Gino Addison ran 31 times for 214 yards and two touchdowns as NCCU opened MEAC play Friday night with 31 unanswered points after trailing 6-0. The Eagles rolled up 427 total yards and scored on all five red-zone trips.

South Carolina State 22, Norfolk State 7: The two-time defending MEAC champions won their 12th straight conference game, with Mason Pickett-Hicks scoring both Bulldogs touchdowns and Jett Jackson kicking three field goals. Howard, North Carolina Central and South Carolina State all opened MEAC play 1-0, while Morgan State’s loss leaves it with almost no margin for error in the five-game league schedule.

More SWAC: Miguel Arana kicked a 46-yard field goal as time expired to give Texas Southern a 24-21 homecoming win over Southern; Arkansas-Pine Bluff held off Florida A&M 31-28 in Tallahassee, where a blocked extra point proved decisive; and Prairie View A&M stayed atop the SWAC West with a 30-19 nonconference win at East Texas A&M, sealed by Chase Bingmon’s 52-yard touchdown run.

CIAA: Bowie State handed Johnson C. Smith its first conference loss, 16-13, on a 7-yard touchdown pass with 34 seconds left in Bowie’s homecoming game; Virginia Union stayed perfect in the league at 6-0 with a 49-6 rout of Shaw; Fayetteville State scored 36 second-quarter points to beat Bluefield State 51-13; Winston-Salem State beat Lincoln 21-14; and Elizabeth City State held off Livingstone 34-26.

SIAC: Kentucky State moved alone into first place at 6-1 when Juan Gainous hit Aiyon Carter for a 48-yard touchdown with 21 seconds left to beat Savannah State 27-24; Benedict blanked Albany State’s offense in a 29-8 win; Edward Waters quarterback Tavion Faulk accounted for seven touchdowns in a 62-14 rout of Clark Atlanta; Central State beat Miles 48-20; Tuskegee edged Allen 26-23; and Lane earned its first win of the season, 16-6 at Fort Valley State.