By// Donal Ware
The Bethune-Cookman Wildcats were atop both the Boxtorow media and coaches’ polls for the second-straight week.
Last week’s coaches’ poll saw the Wildcats edging the Norfolk State Spartans out by one point, despite the Spartans having more first-place votes.
This week the Wildcats received 10 first-place votes, to the Spartans four, which helped to create the 13-point gap between the two teams.
The Tennessee State Tigers and Alabama A&M Bulldogs are No. 3 and No. 4, respectively, and aside from Bethune-Cookman and Norfolk State, are the only undefeated teams among the FCS HBCUs.
Last week, the MEAC held the top three spots, four overall. They now hold the top two spots in the coaches’ poll, but have five teams total in the Top 10, as the North Carolina A&T Aggies make their season debut at No. 9. The SWAC has four teams represented, while Tennessee State, which has its highest rank ever at No. 3, represents the Ohio Valley Conference.
In the media poll, the Wildcats and the Spartans also placed No. 1 and No. 2 this week.
The defending Boxtorow HBCU National Champion Winston-Salem State Rams edged out the Bulldogs by one point for the No. 3 spot. Both teams moved up one spot from a week ago, as did Tennessee State.
| Rank | School | W-L | Pts. | LW |
| 1 | Bethune-Cookman (16) | 2-0 | 178 | 1 |
| 2 | Norfolk State (2) | 2-0 | 158 | 2 |
| 3 | Winston-Salem State | 2-0 | 118 | 4 |
| 4 | Alabama A&M | 2-0 | 117 | 5 |
| 5 | Tennessee State | 2-0 | 109 | 6 |
| 6 | South Carolina State | 1-1 | 95 | 3 |
| 7 | Alabama State | 1-1 | 83 | 8 |
| 8 | Jackson State | 0-2 | 27 | 7 |
| 9 | Alcorn State | 1-1 | 19 | T-9 |
| 10 | Texas Southern | 1-1 | 17 | NR |
Others receiving votes: Morehouse (1-1) 13, Miles (1-1) 10, Fort Valley State (1-1) 9, Bowie State (2-0) 8, Albany State (1-1) 6, Tuskegee (1-1) 5, Arkansas-Pine Bluff (1-1) 4, North Carolina A&T (1-1) 4, Virginia Union (1-1) 3, Howard (1-1) 2, Morgan State (1-1) 2, Grambling State (0-2) 1, Delaware State (1-1) 1, Saint Augustine’s (1-1) 1.
| Rank | School | W-K | Pts. | LW |
| 1 | Bethune-Cookman (10) | 2-0 | 136 | 1 |
| 2 | Norfolk State (4) | 2-0 | 129 | 2 |
| 3 | Tennessee State | 2-0 | 113 | 4 |
| 4 | Alabama A&M | 2-0 | 96 | 5 |
| 5 | Alabama State | 1-1 | 70 | 7 |
| 6 | South Carolina State | 1-1 | 63 | 3 |
| 7 | Texas Southern | 1-1 | 41 | 8 |
| 8 | Morgan State | 1-1 | 36 | 9 |
| 9 | North Carolina A&T | 1-1 | 24 | NR |
| 10 | Jackson State | 0-2 | 14 | 6 |
Others receiving votes: Alcorn State (1-1) 10, Arkansas-Pine Bluff (1-1) 10, Delaware State (1-1) 7, Howard (1-1) 8, Florida A&M (0-2) 6, North Carolina Central (1-1) 4, Grambling State (0-2) 3, Southern (0-1) 1.
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The Boxtorow HBCU FCS Coaches’ poll is administered by FROM THE PRESS BOX TO PRESS ROW and is voted on by the HBCU Football Championship Subdivision coaches. The Media poll is voted on by top media members around the country who cover HBCU sports.
