College football is finally back, and already, this opening Saturday has served up more drama than the entirety of the offseason. From the fumble-heavy start in Iowa State vs. Kansas State’s “Farmageddon” clash in Dublin, which quickly turned into an offensive shootout, and the IRL family feud to Hawaii’s upset victory over Stanford, powered by a kicker who reportedly learned his craft from YouTube, the excitement keeps building. The MEAC/SWAC Challenge has added its own flair, but the headline that really turned heads came from Atlanta. Southern University’s starting quarterback, Jalen Woods, found himself paying a major price for what would seem to many as a simple slip: missing the team bus.

Jalen Woods had earned his role as QB through consistent effort and a reputation for leadership during spring practice. This redshirt freshman saw two seasoned QBs (Noah Bodden and Czavian Teasett) leave after the 2024 season, making way for him to take command. Coach Terrence Graves praised Woods’ maturity and confidence, saying he’s “done a great job in the winning condition of the program,” and he’s “stepping up to the challenge.” 

Imagine garnering such high praise from your head coach, only to lose your starting spot on game day. Rule number one: the bus waits for none. Yes, Woods was benched because he missed the bus. As Mia Berry posted on X, “Sources close to Southern University’s program tell me that the reason why Southern quarterback Jalen Woods didn’t play tonight was because Woods missed the team bus headed to the game. Woods is with the team now, and that’s the reason why McCoy got the start #MEACSWACchallenge.”

He was with the squad at the stadium, but that slip cost him the starting spot, giving Cam’Ron McCoy the chance to step in at QB for the opener. Coach Graves decided to send the message that accountability and upholding team standards matter. Woods eventually got a chance, but it was late in the fourth quarter with Southern trailing by a large margin. At that point, the score was 31-14 in favor of North Carolina Central, and Woods managed to complete four of five passes for 21 yards. His cameo came during garbage time, with the Eagles having already locked down the second half. 

If nothing else, Jalen Woods’ story this weekend is an alarm for us. Sure, missing a bus seems trivial, but it becomes a real teaching moment in a program trying to build a culture of responsibility. Some coaches simply want players ready for game day, while others, like Graves, see every mistake as a chance to develop character. Woods will likely bounce back and learn from this, but it’s clear that in college football, details like discipline matter just as much as raw talent. Accountability is part of the uniform. whether you’re on the field, on the sideline, or sometimes, just trying to catch the bus.

MEAC/SWAC challenge recap

North Carolina Central jumped in front with a 13-play opening touchdown drive and then traded haymakers with Southern’s big-play offense. Cam’Ron McCoy’s 69-yard keeper and LSU transfer Trey Holly’s 80-yard burst put the Jaguars ahead 14-10, but the lead was soon gone. Chris Mosley answered with a 49-yard sprint that sent the Eagles to halftime up 17-14.

After the break, quarterback Walker Harris orchestrated two short-field scoring drives, capped by a three-yard strike to Kyle Morgan and a six-yard Aleni Mageo plunge, to build a 31-14 cushion, while NCCU’s defense pitched a second-half shutout and limited Southern to just 92 passing yards all night. McCoy’s fourth-quarter red-zone fumble snuffed out the Jaguars’ last real chance, and Jalen Woods’ late cameo came with the game essentially decided.

Would starting Woods have flipped the result? His 57.6 percent accuracy and poise might have added some balance to a run-heavy attack that stalled once NCCU adjusted. Yet, letting him play after missing the team bus would have undercut the accountability that coach Terrence Graves has emphasized since spring. Southern paid a price on the scoreboard, but the staff clearly decided that maintaining discipline now is worth more than a single Week 0 win.