• BOXTOROW HBCU Coaches Poll: Grambling tops preseason rankings

    BOXTOROW HBCU Coaches Poll: Grambling tops preseason rankings

    RALEIGH, N.C. – After one of the most memorable seasons in HBCU football history, defending Black College Football champion Grambling State sits atop the BOXTOROW Preseason Coaches Poll.

    All 22 coaches voted and the GSU Tigers received 18 first-place votes. The Tigers opened the 2016 season with a heartbreaking 31-21 loss to Pac-12 opponent Arizona after taking a 21-3 lead into halftime. The Tigers then reeled off 11-straight wins, including a 9-0 record in SWAC play and a victory over Alcorn State in the SWAC championship game. Grambling then capped the season with a 10-9 victory over North Carolina Central in the Celebration Bowl before a nationally televised audience on ABC.

    The aforementioned NCCU Eagles are picked second and received two first-place votes in the preseason poll. North Carolina A&T (one first-place vote), Southern (one first-place vote) and Tennessee State round out the top five.

    In its ninth year, 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.

    2017 BOXTOROW FCS HBCU Preseason Football Coaches Poll

    (Records through December 17, 2016)

    No. Team W/L Pts
    Final Poll ’16
    1. Grambling (18) 11-1 206
    1
    2. North Carolina Central (2) 9-3 193
    2
    3. North Carolina A&T (1) 9-3 164
    3
    4. Southern (1) 8-3 135
    4
    5. Tennessee State 7-4 130
    6
    6. Prairie View A&M 7-4 100
    5
    7. Alcorn State 5-6 79
    7
    8. South Carolina State 5-6 69
    8
    9. Bethune-Cookman 4-6 50
    10
    10. Hampton 5-6 43
    9

    Others receiving votes: Alabama State (4-7) 13, Florida A&M (4-7) 6, Alabama A&M (4-7) 6, Jackson State (3-8) 6, Morgan (3-8) 3, Texas Southern(4-7) 1.

    Note: (1st place votes in parentheses)

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    Michael Wallace
    Published on Aug 28, 2016

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