• BOXTOROW HBCU Coaches Poll: Tennessee State regroups in poll; N.C. A&T and Grambling remain on collision course

    BOXTOROW HBCU Coaches Poll: Tennessee State regroups in poll; N.C. A&T and Grambling remain on collision course

    RALEIGH, N.C. – The best of the best in HBCU football kept rolling over the weekend, and there was very little change in the BOXTOROW Coaches Poll heading into the season’s stretch run.

    The coaches poll remained steady for the second straight week, as North Carolina A&T received all but two first place votes to remain the top team. No.2 Grambling received the other two first place votes. The only significant change was Hampton’s loss to North Carolina Central dropped the Pirates two spots to No. 9, allowing for Bethune-Cookman and Tennessee State – both winners – to move up one spot each to Nos. 7 and 8, respectively.

    The Aggies and Tigers appear to remain on a collision course to meet up in the Celebration Bowl on Dec. 16 in Atlanta for the mythical HBCU championship. But both teams still have work to do over the final weeks of the regular season to secure their spots in the ESPN televised bowl game.

    North Carolina A&T, off to a 9-0 start for the first time in school history, still remains only one game ahead of No. 3 North Carolina Central in the MEAC standings as they march toward their Nov. 18 matchup in Greensboro. Meanwhile Grambling is one game ahead of No. 5 Southern in the SWAC West division standings, with the two teams set to meet at the Bayou Classic on Nov. 25 in New Orleans in what could be a showdown for a spot in the Dec. 2 SWAC Championship Game.

    The BOXTOROW FCS coaches poll is voted on by HBCU Football Championship Subdivision coaches.

    2017 BOXTOROW FCS HBCU Football Coaches Poll Week 9

    (Records through November 4, 2017)

    No. Team W/L Pts
    Last Week
    1. North Carolina A&T (17) 9-0 188
    1
    2. Grambling (2) 8-1 173
    2
    3. North Carolina Central 7-2 149
    3
    4. Alcorn State 6-3 129
    4
    5. Southern 6-3 111
    5
    6. Howard 6-3 102
    6
    7. Bethune-Cookman 5-4 69
    8
    8. Tennessee State 5-4 52
    9
    9. Hampton 5-4 47
    7
    10. Prairie View A&M 3-5 16
    10

    Others receiving votes: Alabama State (3-5) 6, Norfolk State (3-6) , Florida A&M (3-7) 1.
    (1st place votes in parentheses)

    Note: (1st place votes in parentheses)

    The contents of this page have not been reviewed or endorsed by the Memphis Grizzlies. All opinions expressed by BOXTOROW HBCU and/or Michael Wallace are solely his own and do not reflect the opinions of the Memphis Grizzlies or its Basketball Operations staff, owners, parent companies, partners or sponsors. His sources are not known to the Memphis Grizzlies and he has no special access to information beyond the access and privileges that go along with being an NBA accredited member of the media.

    Michael Wallace
    Published on Nov 07, 2016

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