Jackson State and Albany State retain top spots in HBCU-PSMA football polls for fifth straight week
Jackson State retains the top spot in this week’s HBCU-Pro Sports Media Association Major Division (week nine) football poll for the fifth straight week followed by Prairie View A&M which was off this past week. With a loss to Southern University, Alcorn State (previously No. 3) drops to No. 6 and Florida A&M, Norfolk State and Tennessee State all jump one spot each from the last poll to the new rankings of No. 3, No. 4 and No. 5 respectively. Southern University (No. 7), South Carolina State (No. 8), Alabama A&M (No.9) and Delaware State (No. 10) round out the top 10 in the Major Division HBCU foortball poll.
In the Mid-Major Division of the week nine HBCU-PSMA poll, Albany State retains the No. 1 spot, again barely holding off No. 2 Bowie State. Both schools, with victories this past week, are currently 8-1 on the season. Fayetteville State and Langston University flip-flop from last week with the Broncos of Fayetteville State jumping the Lions of Langston into the No. 3 spot. Savannah State and Shaw University remain at No. 5 and No. 6 respectively with Lane College, Miles College, Kentucky State and Virginia Union rounding out the Mid-Major top 10. Both Kentucky State and Virginia Union reclaim spots in the rankings after falling out last week.
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 Nine)
| Rank | Team | 2021 Season Record | Points * |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jackson State (SWAC) Previous HBCU-PSMA Ranking: 1 Last Game: 10/30 won vs Mississippi Valley St Next Game: 11/6 home vs Texas Southern | 7-1 | 146 (11) |
| 2 | Prairie View A&M (SWAC) Previous HBCU-PSMA Ranking: 2 Last Game: 10/23 won vs Southern University Next Game: 11/6 home vs Alabama State | 6-1 | 139 (4) |
| 3 | Florida A&M (SWAC) Previous HBCU-PSMA Ranking: 4 Last Game: 10/30 won vs Grambling State Next Game: 11/6 away vs Southern University | 6-2 | 120 |
| 4 | Norfolk State (MEAC) Previous HBCU-PSMA Ranking: 5 Last Game: 10/30 won vs Morgan State Next Game: 11/6 away vs North Carolina Central | 6-2 | 96 |
| 5 | Tennessee State (OVC) Previous HBCU-PSMA Ranking: 6 Last Game: 10/30 won vs Murray State Next Game: 11/6 away vs Tennessee-Martin | 5-3 | 85 |
| 6 | Alcorn State (SWAC) Previous HBCU-PSMA Ranking: 3 Last Game: 10/30 lost vs Southern Univ Next Game: 11/6 away vs Bethune-Cookman | 5-3 | 69 |
| 7 | Southern University (SWAC) Previous HBCU-PSMA Ranking: Not Ranked Last Game: 10/30 won vs Alcorn State Next Game: 11/6 home vs Florida A&M | 4-4 | 49 |
| 8 | South Carolina State (MEAC) Previous HBCU-PSMA Ranking: Not Ranked Last Game: 10/30 won vs North Carolina Central Next Game: 11/6 home vs Howard University | 4-4 | 47 |
| 9 | Alabama A&M (SWAC) Previous HBCU-PSMA Ranking: 7 Last Game: 10/30 won vs Alabama State Next Game: 11/6 home vs Mississippi Valley St | 4-3 | 45 |
| 10 | Delaware State (MEAC) Previous HBCU-PSMA Ranking: Not Ranked Last Game: 10/30 won vs Howard Univ Next Game: 11/4 away vs Morgan State | 4-4 | 14 |
| Others receiving votes: Alabama State, North Carolina A&T Dropped out: Alabama State, Hampton University, North Carolina A&T |
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| * First place votes in parentheses | |||
“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 Nine)
| Rank | Team | 2021 Season Record | Points * |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Albany State (SIAC) Previous HBCU-PSMA Ranking: 1 Last Game: 10/30 won vs Morehouse College Next Game: 11/6 vs Fort Valley State | 8-1 | 134 (8) |
| 2 | Bowie State (CIAA) Previous HBCU-PSMA Ranking: 2 Last Game: 10/30 won vs Lincoln (PA) Univ Next Game: 11/6 home vs Elizabeth City St | 8-1 | 132 (6) |
| 3 | Fayetteville State (CIAA) Previous HBCU-PSMA Ranking: 4 Last Game: 10/30 won vs Livingstone College Next Game: 11/6 home vs Winston-Salem St | 7-1 | 107 |
| 4 | Langston University (SAC) Previous HBCU-PSMA Ranking: 3 Last Game: 10/30 lost vs Louisiana College Next Game: 11/6 home vs Arizona Christian | 7-1 | 93 |
| 5 | Savannah State (SIAC) Previous HBCU-PSMA Ranking: 5 Last Game: 10/30 won vs Fort Valley State Next Game: 11/6 home vs Edward Waters | 7-2 | 84 |
| 6 | Shaw University (CIAA) Previous HBCU-PSMA Ranking: 6 Last Game: 10/30 won vs Winston-Salem State Next Game: 11/6 away vs St. Augustine’s | 6-3 | 63 |
| 7 | Lane College (SIAC) Previous HBCU-PSMA Ranking: 8 Last Game: 10/30 won vs Central State Next Game: 11/6 away vs Benedict College | 6-3 | 56 |
| 8 | Miles College (SIAC) Previous HBCU-PSMA Ranking: 9 Last Game: 10/30 won vs Edward Waters Next Game: 11/6 home vs Tuskegee | 5-4 | 36 |
| 9 | Kentucky State (SIAC) Previous HBCU-PSMA Ranking: Not Ranked Last Game: 10/30 won vs Tuskegee Next Game: 11/6 home vs Central State | 5-4 | 24 |
| 10 | Virginia Union (CIAA) Previous HBCU-PSMA Ranking: Not Ranked Last Game: 10/30 won vs Elizabeth City State Next Game: 11/6 home vs Virginia State | 5-4 | 21 |
| Others receiving votes: Fort Valley State Dropped out: Bluefield State, Fort Valley State |
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| * First place votes in parentheses | |||
“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).
About the HBCU-Pro Sports Media Association:
While the seeds of the HBCU-Pro Sports Media Association were planted well before, early in 2020 a like-minded group of journalists got together and built an organization that represented who collectively we are… professionals providing multimedia coverage of Historically Black College and University sports, as well as professional sports.
The purpose of the association is to transform and empower the culture of media by providing informative broadcast stories, rich contextual reporting, and inspirational photography of the marginalized by educating, inspiring, and informing a global community.
It is the vision of the HBCU-PSMA to
- acknowledge the heritage of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and the connection to professional sports organization,
- illuminate the pride of the African American community and the Black Diaspora,
- recognize the voice of Black media,
- create unity for substantive change in the world.
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