The discussion is centered more on winning the championship.These are the six teams expected to contend for the crown:

6. Fayetteville State Broncos
Both are transplants from arch-rival Winston-Salem State that know what it takes to win the conference and go deep into the playoffs.Taylor, a former FSU quarterback who has worked under mentor Connell Maynor, certainly should have some tricks up his sleeve.Defensively, the Broncos are led by Safety Travis Scales and leading tackler LB Seth Johnson.

Part of winning the conference championship includes getting to the actual game. Go figure.

5. Bowie State Bulldogs

Why they can win the conference: Bowie is stout on defense, led by LB Kevaugn Townsend. Five of their top seven leading tacklers are returning and line up on either the defensive line or at linebacker.
Last year, BSU was a tale of two seasons.Prior to the discovery of an ineligible quarterback, BSU looked like a world beater.The Bulldogs became a much scrappier team, leaning heavily on their defense once that quarterback was struck from the lineup.Now, you have an offense that most certainly looking for answers once word came out that Sophomore and presumptive starting QB Nyema Washington is out for a few games due to injury.BSU also won games on the strength of its running game, and they are breaking in a new starting RB.

4. Virginia State Trojans

Why they can win the conference: Enter Reggie Barlow, seasoned head coach and winner of two SWAC championships.Just what the doctor ordered.This is a team that has all the tools offensively to win it all, just like two years ago.can wear down defenses. VSU also has an experienced offensive line.

Why they wont win the conference: All my comments above was focused on the offense and for good reason. QB Tarian Ayres is a three year starter, but is relatively erratic from game to game and threw more interceptions than touchdowns last year.Additionally, he will have a relatively young WR core to throw to outside of returning starter WR Willie Stubblefield.VSU is also very susceptible in the passing game, although that liability is minimized in this this run-first conference.

3. Chowan Hawks

Why they can win the conference: The Hawks brought in a couple of key players last year in Quarterback Randall Dixon and all everything RB Tyree Lee and just took off.This is possibly the best offense he has put together since Chowan has been a D-II member. While Chowan almost always had a decent offense, the defensive unit is one build to handle the offensively diverse North Division, led by DL Anthony Joffrion and LB Demetrius Newberry.

All the numbers indicate a team that does just enough on both sides of the ball to win a game.That feeling comes from the fact that much of the offensive production went through Lee. Everything unsurprisingly started to slow down as the season progressed and Lee started showing signs of wear and tear.rd

and Playoff Participant

Why they will win the conference: Every conference has that one team that makes an unprecedented run at being at or close to the top.Over the past five years, that team is WSSU.That has to be a concerning thought for the rest of the conference.

Why they wont win the conference: Even in the softened Southern Division, WSSU needed late game heroics or a stroke of luck to make it to the championship game.QB play was very unsettling to watch, and Rod Tinsley will have to improve to put breathing room between the Rams and the rest of the division.If Tinsley struggles again, then the coaching staff will be putting their trust in unproven transfers and recruits.Wide receiver is another area of intrigue with losses to graduation and transfers.

and Playoff Participant

Why they will win the conference: VUU is a complete team on both sides. This team really shines on defense, led by preseason All-American DL Paulin Miano and DB Rodeshawn Joseph.

Why they wont win the conference: Penalties come at the worst time for this squad, often becoming drive killers for the offense, and extenders for the defense.