Alabama A&M and Albany State top HBCU-PSMA week one football polls
The Bulldogs of Alabama A&M and the Golden Rams of Albany State battle their way to the top spots in this week’s HBCU-PSMA poll.
Coach Connell Maynor and his Bulldogs are making it known that the 2020 spring football championship is no fluke. Alabama A&M garnered all of the first-place votes and finished with 122 points to finish ahead of Jackson State, Arkansas Pine-Bluff, North Carolina Central and Grambling State who filled out the top five of the Major Division. Meanwhile Prairie View A&M claims the sixth position followed by last week’s number one North Carolina A&T, South Carolina State, Florida A&M and Alcorn State.
In the Mid-Major Poll, the Golden Rams of Albany State are shining brightly sitting in the top spot just one first place vote ahead of the Wildcats of Fort Valley State and Bowie State. The Bulldogs of Bowie State, despite suffering a loss this past weekend, fall only from number one to number three. Fayetteville State and Miles College round out the top five. Meanwhile the Thoroughbreds of Kentucky State lead the next five ahead of Langston, Benedict, Savannah State and Virginia Union.
The HBCU-Pro Sports Media Black College Football Poll will be released every Monday evening on the HBCU-Pro Sports Media Knights of the Round Table Podcast (hbcuprosportsmedia.com).
Major Division Rankings (Week One)
| Rank | Team | 2021 Season Record | Points * |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alabama A&M (SWAC) Previous HBCU-PSMA Ranking: 2 Last Game: 9/4 won vs South Carolina State Next Game: 9/16 away vs Bethune-Cookman | 1-0 | 122 (11) |
| 2 | Jackson State (SWAC) Previous HBCU-PSMA Ranking: 8 Last Game: 9/5 won vs Florida A&M Next Game: 9/11 home vs Tennessee State | 1-0 | 104 |
| 3 | Arkansas at Pine Bluff (SWAC) Previous HBCU-PSMA Ranking: 6 Last Game: 9/4 won vs Lane College Next Game: 9/18 away vs Central Arkansas | 1-0 | 79 |
| 4 | North Carolina Central (MEAC) Previous HBCU-PSMA Ranking: N/A Last Game: 8/28 won vs Alcorn State Next Game: 9/11 away vs Marshall | 1-0 | 65 |
| 5 | Grambling State University (SWAC) Previous HBCU-PSMA Ranking: 9 Last Game: 9/5 won vs Tennessee State Next Game: 9/11 away vs Southern Mississippi | 1-0 | 58 (2) |
| 6 | Prairie View A&M (SWAC) Previous HBCU-PSMA Ranking: N/A Last Game: 9/4 won vs Texas Southern Next Game: 9/11 Away vs Incarnate World | 1-0 | 56 ** |
| 7 | North Carolina A&T (BSC) Previous HBCU-PSMA Ranking: 1 Last Game: 9/4 lost vs Furman University Next Game: 9/10 away vs Duke University | 0-1 | 56 |
| 8 | South Carolina State (MEAC) Previous HBCU-PSMA Ranking: 5 Last Game: 9/4 lost vs Alabama A&M Next Game: 9/11 away vs Clemson | 0-1 | 55 |
| 9 | Florida A&M (SWAC) Previous HBCU-PSMA Ranking: 3 Last Game: 9/5 lost vs Jackson State Next Game: 9/11 home vs Fort Valley State | 0-1 | 50 |
| 10 | Alcorn State (SWAC) Previous HBCU-PSMA Ranking: 4 Last Game: 8/28 lost vs North Carolina Central Next Game: 9/11 home vs Northwestern State | 0-1 | 27 |
| Others receiving 10 or more votes: Alabama Sate Dropped out: Bethune-Cookman, Southern University |
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| * First place votes in parentheses | |||
| ** Prairie View A&M received the tie-breaker vote | |||
“Major” schools include all HBCU members that participate in FCS: MEAC and SWAC teams, and teams who do not participate in traditional HBCU conferences – Hampton, North Carolina A&T State, and Tennessee State.
Mid-Major Division Rankings (Week One)
| Rank | Team | 2021 Season Record | Points * |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Albany State (SIAC) Previous HBCU-PSMA Ranking: 5 Last Game: 9/2 won vs Mississippi College Next Game: 9/11 home vs Shorter University | 1-0 | 106 (4) |
| 2 | Fort Valley State (SIAC) Previous HBCU-PSMA Ranking: N/A Last Game: 9/5 won vs Tuskegee Next Game: 9/11 away vs Florida A&M | 1-0 | 79 (3) |
| 3 | Bowie State (CIAA) Previous HBCU-PSMA Ranking: 1 Last Game: 9/4 lost vs Delaware State Next Game: 9/11 home vs Saginaw Valley State | 0-1 | 78 (3) |
| 4 | Fayetteville State (CIAA) Previous HBCU-PSMA Ranking: 6 Last Game: 9/4 won vs Elizabeth City State Next Game: 9/11 away vs Wingate | 1-0 | 77 ** |
| 5 | Miles College (SIAC) Previous HBCU-PSMA Ranking: 2 Last Game: 9/4 lost vs Alabama State Next Game: 9/11 away vs Southern University | 0-1 | 77 |
| 6 | Kentucky State (SIAC) Previous HBCU-PSMA Ranking: N/A Last Game: 8/28 won vs Central State Next Game: 9/11 home vs Kentucky Wesleyan | 1-0 | 54 |
| 7 | Langston University (SAC) Previous HBCU-PSMA Ranking: 9 Last Game: 9/4 won vs Panhandle State Next Game: 9/11 home vs Texas College | 1-0 | 49 |
| 8 | Benedict College (SIAC) Previous HBCU-PSMA Ranking: N/A Last Game: 9/4 won vs Allen University Next Game: 9/9 home vs Edward Waters | 1-0 | 33 |
| 9 | Savannah State (SIAC) Previous HBCU-PSMA Ranking: 3 Last Game: 9/4 lost vs Valdosta State Next Game: 9/11 home vs Livingstone College | 0-1 | 23 |
| 10 | Virginia Union (CIAA) Previous HBCU-PSMA Ranking: 7 Last Game: 9/4 lost vs Hampton University Next Game: 9/4 away vs Hampton University | 0-1 | 20 |
| Others receiving 10 or more votes: Clark-Atlanta University, Edward Waters Dropped out: Tuskegee, Virginia State, West Virginia State |
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| * First place votes in parentheses | |||
| ** Fayetteville State received the tie-breaker vote | |||
“Mid-Major” schools include all HBCU teams that participate in an NCAA Division II HBCU conference (CIAA, SIAC), NCAA Division II teams in a non-traditional HBCU conference (Bluefield State, Lincoln-MO, West Virginia State), NAIA (Florida Memorial, Langston, Texas College), and USCAA (Virginia-Lynchburg).
Weekly Rankings
Pre-Season
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
Week 7
Week 8
Week 9
Week 10 (final polls)
