Who is SWAC? Mid-Season Team Grades, Top Coaches and Players!
SWAC mid-season grades for teams, coaches, and candidates for players of the year.
If Coach Prime ain't SWAC, then his Tigers football team is definitely SWAC. The No. 7-ranked FCS team is the class leader with straight A's by controlling their fate in the SWAC East with two games remaining between division opponents Bethune-Cookman and Alabama A&M. JSU is the favorite to repeat hosting the SWAC Championship game.
![FAMU](https://www.si.com/.image/t_share/MTkyOTc1MjQ4NzQ2ODgyMjY5/resize-3jfif.jpg)
Florida A&M has rebounded with excellent reports after a dreadful season's start with two losses, athletics department turmoil, and player-compliance issues to rattle off four-straight victories.
Alcorn State must have had one of the most demanding coursework outside the SWAC and received extra credits for defeating McNeese State. The Braves are lurking and could take over the SWAC West for good with a victory at Southern on Saturday.
Southern scores well after trouncing Prairie View in a highly-contested SWAC West battle.
Alabama A&M, Alabama State, Bethune-Cookman, and Texas Southern have been up-and-down at the midway point of 2022 and are searching for their identities.
While Grambling, UAPB, and Mississippi Valley State have incomplete grades and yield disappointing results.
![Shedeur Sanders](https://www.si.com/.image/t_share/MTkyOTc1MjQ4NzQ3MTQ0OTEy/usatsi_19201113_168388561_lowres.jpg)
SWAC TEAMS' MID-SEASON GRADES
EAST
- Jackson State - (3-0 SWAC, 5-0): A+
- Florida A&M - (2-1 SWAC, 4-2): B
- Alabama A&M - (2-1 SWAC, 2-4): B-
- Bethune-Cookman - (1-1 SWAC, 1-4): C-
- Alabama State - (1-2 SWAC, 3-3): C+
- Mississippi Valley State - (0-3 SWAC, 0-6): I
WEST
- Alcorn State - (2-0 SWAC, 3-2): A
- Prairie View A&M - (3-1 SWAC, 3-3): B
- Southern - (2-1 SWAC, 3-2): B
- Texas Southern - (2-2 SWAC, 2-4): C+
- Arkansas-Pine Bluff - (0-3 SWAC, 2-4): I
- Grambling State - (0-3 SWAC, 1-5): I
![Jackson State coach Deion Sanders works the game against Grambling State during an NCAA college football game in Jackson, Miss., Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. Tcl Grambling Jackson State](https://www.si.com/.image/t_share/MTkyNDczNDUzNDkwNjExNTI2/usatsi_19064368_168388561_lowres.jpg)
Top SWAC Coach of the Year Candidates
- Deion Sanders - Jackson State
- Fred McNair - Alcorn State
- Bubba McDowell - Prairie View
- Eric Dooley - Southern
Top SWAC Offensive Players of the Year Candidates
- QB Shedeur Sanders - Jackson State
- RB Jarveon Howard - Alcorn State
- QB Besean McCray - Southern
- RB Sy'veon Wilkerson - Jackson State
- WR Xavier Smith - Florida A&M
Top SWAC Defensive Player of the Year Candidates
- LB Isaiah Major - Florida A&M
- LB Colton Adams - Alabama State
- LB Aubrey Miller - Jackson State
- LB Nyles Gaddy - Jackson State
- LB Lewis Matthews - Grambling State
- DL Ronnie Thomas - MVSU