by Donal Ware
For the second-straight week the #1 team in HBCU Football fell, this time making room for two #1 teams.
With Jackson State’s 26-23 loss Saturday to Grambling State, the Winston-Salem State Rams are the new #1 in the Boxtorow National HBCU Football Media Poll, while the Alabama A&M Bulldogs are the top team in the coaches poll. This marks the first time in the history of either poll that Winston-Salem State or Alabama A&M has been #1.
The Rams received 18-of-24 first-place votes from the media while the Bulldogs received 12-of-14 first-place votes from the coaches.
In the media poll the Norfolk State Spartans received five first-place votes and finished second, six points behind Winston-Salem State. Alabama A&M (received one first-place vote) and Alabama State each moved up one spot from last week to #3 and #4, respectively. Previous #1 Jackson State fell to #5.
The Albany State Golden Rams, Bethune-Cookman Wildcats, the South Carolina State Bulldogs, and the Morehouse Maroon Tigers all maintained the #6, #7, #8, and #9 spots from last week. Florida A&M, reenters the poll at #10.
As for the coaches poll, Norfolk State received two first place votes and moved up one spot to #2. Alabama State and Bethune-Cookman both moved up one spot to #3 and #4, while similar to the media poll, Jackson State fell from the top spot to #5.
Florida A&M maintained its #6 spot, while South Carolina State moved up two spots to #7 this week. With its loss to Bethune-Cookman, Morgan State only dropped one spot to #8. Grambling State with its upset of Jackson State reenters the poll for the first time since September 27 at #9, while Howard also reenters the poll this week at #10.
Key matchups this week include Winston-Salem State and Elizabeth City State meeting in the CIAA Championship Game at Durham County Stadium on Saturday. Jackson State will be at Alabama A&M with first place in the SWAC Eastern Division on the line. Albany State and Miles will square off in the first ever SIAC Championship Game in Atlanta, while Morgan State hosts Norfolk State.
FROM THE PRESS BOX TO PRESS ROW (Boxtorow) is the nationally syndicated sports talk radio show which places major emphasis on HBCU Sports. The voters in the media poll are comprised of some of the top media members in the country who cover HBCU football. The coaches poll is voted on by the FCS HBCU coaches. The media poll is in its fifth year and the coaches poll is in its third.
2011 Boxtorow HBCU Football Media Top 10 Poll
Week 10
(Records through November 5)
Rank School W-L Pts. LW
1. Winston-Salem State (18) 10-0 225 2
2. Norfolk State (5) 8-2 219 3
3 Alabama A&M (1) 7-2 189 4
4. Alabama State 7-2 178 5
5. Jackson State 7-2 135 1
6. Albany State 8-2 124 6
7. Bethune-Cookman 6-3 107 7
8. South Carolina State 5-4 82 8
9. Morehouse 8-2 52 9
10. Florida A&M 6-3 34 NR
Others receiving votes:, Elizabeth City State (8-2) 18, Grambling State (5-4) 10, Howard (5-5) 3, Hampton (5-4) 2, Stillman (7-3) 1.
2011 Boxtorow FCS HBCU Football Coaches Top 10 Poll
Week 10
(Records through November 5)
Rank School W-L Pts. LW
1. Alabama A&M (12) 7-2 137 2
2. Norfolk State (2) 8-2 124 3
3. Alabama State 7-2 110 4
4. Bethune-Cookman 6-3 96 5
5. Jackson State 7-2 90 1
6. Florida A&M 6-3 71 6
7. South Carolina State 5-4 54 9
8. Morgan State 5-4 31 7
9. Grambling State 5-4 21 NR
10. Howard 5-5 14 NR
Others receiving votes: Hampton (5-4) 9, North Carolina A&T (4-5) 7, Prairie View A&M (4-5) 4, Texas Southern (4-5) 1.
Known as the Voice of Black College Sports, Donal Ware has covered historically black college and university sports and pro sports across the U.S. for years. He is the host of the nationally syndicated FROM THE PRESS BOX TO PRESS ROW which airs on radio stations around the country and on Saturdays from 1-2 p.m. ET at http://www.boxtorow.com. You can follow him on twitter @dware1 or @boxtorow
