Florida A&M Rattlers move back into top spot in Major Division while Benedict College Tigers remains atop the Mid-Major Division in week eight of HBCU-PSMA’s Black College football polls.
Pittsburgh, PA: Coach Willie Simmons and his Florida A&M Rattlers are the number one team on the HBCU-Pro Sports Media Association Black College Football Poll for the second time this season.
The Rattlers garnered 192 points on its way back to the top spot which it last held in week four and sent North Carolina Central down to number two after the Eagles of NCCU held the top spot for three straight weeks. Tennessee State, Jackson State, and Alcorn State round out the top five while Southern University, Alabama A&M, Alabama State and Prairie View A&M (who each tied for the eighth spot) and Grambling State complete the top ten.
Norfolk State, Grambling State, Alabama A&M and Howard University sits just outside the top ten with 18 points, while Hampton University dropped out of the top ten this week.
Major Division
| # | School | W/L | Points | First Place Votes |
| 1 | Florida A&M | 6-1 | 192 | 12 |
| 2 | North Carolina Central | 6-1 | 188 | 8 |
| 3 | Tennessee State | 5-2 | 156 | |
| 4 | Jackson State | 5-3 | 129 | |
| 5 | Alcorn State | 4-3 | 116 | |
| 6 | Southern University | 4-3 | 103 | |
| 7 | Alabama A&M | 4-3 | 75 | |
| 8 (tie) | Alabama State | 3-3 | 43 | |
| 8 (tie) | Prairie View A&M | 3-4 | 43 | |
| 10 | Grambling State | 3-4 | 21 |
Meanwhile, the Tigers of Benedict College remain the only undefeated team in HBCU football and continues its firm hold on first place in the Mid Major Division for the fifth straight week. The Purple and Gold garnered all 200 points and every first place vote. Number two, Virginia Union jumped Virginia State after State suffered its first defeat at the hands of Elizabeth City State by the score of 17-16. Rounding out the top five are Fayetteville State and Fort Valley State. Miles College, Tuskegee, Allen University, Edward Waters an Langston University comprise the last five on this week’s Mid-Major top ten poll.
Johnson C Smith received points, but still dropped out of the top ten, as did West Virginia State
Mid-Major Division
| # | School | W/L | Points | First Place Votes |
| 1 | Benedict College | 8-0 | 200 | 20 |
| 2 | Virginia Union | 7-1 | 169 | |
| 3 | Virginia State | 7-1 | 148 | |
| 4 | Fayetteville State | 6-2 | 125 | |
| 5 | Fort Valley State | 6-2 | 107 | |
| 6 | Miles College | 6-2 | 105 | |
| 7 | Tuskegee | 6-2 | 80 | |
| 8 | Allen University | 6-2 | 59 | |
| 9 | Edward Waters | 5-3 | 53 | |
| 10 | Langston University | 5-2 | 27 |
Pollsters comprise a cross-section of HBCU media members, including eight different media organizations. These voters cover all four HBCU football-playing conferences, and reside in 11 different states.
2023 Weekly Polls
Week 7 – through October 15th
Week 6 – through October 8th
Week 5 – through October 1st
Week 4 – through September 24th
The HBCU-PSMA
Established in 2021, the HBCU-Pro Sports Media Association is an organization of 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.
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