Grambling Shoots To The Top Spot In HBCU Polls
Special to College Sports Journal
PHILADELPHIA, PA. — Two years ago, Grambling’s football program was in disarray. After going 1-10 in 2012, coming off a SWAC championship in 2011, the Tigers 2013 season unraveled on and off the field and finished 1-11 that year.
Today, the Tigers are No. 1.
With North Carolina A&T’s loss to North Carolina Central, the Tigers, who had been No. 2 the last four weeks, sit atop the BOXTOROW Coaches and Media Polls.
In the coaches poll, the Tigers received 15-of-20 first-place votes with No. 2 Bethune-Cookman receiving the other five.
Bethune-Cookman, whose win over Florida A&M in the Florida Classic secured it a share of the MEAC title with NCCU and N.C. A&T is No. 2 while Prairie View A&M and NCCU follow suit, all moving up one spot. The Aggies fell to to No. 5.
Despite the Aggie loss and by virtue of the tie breaker rules N.C. A&T will represent the MEAC in the Celebration Bowl against either Alcorn State or Grambling, who will face off in the SWAC championship game on December 5 in Houston.
In the media poll, Grambling received all but three first-place votes. No. 2 Bethune-Cookman received a No. 1 vote as did North Carolina Central who moved up four spots to No. 4, behind the Aggies dropped to No. 3, one point ahead of the Eagles.
The next BOXTOROW Coaches and Media Polls will be released on December 21 and will be the final polls that will determine the national champion.
The BOXTOROW HBCU FCS coaches and media polls are administered by FROM THE PRESS BOX TO PRESS ROW. The coaches poll is voted on by the HBCU Football Championship Subdivision coaches and the media poll is voted on by media members around the country who cover HBCU football.
2015 BOXTOROW HBCU Football Coaches Top 10 Poll
Week 12
(Records through November 21, 2015)
Team W-L Points Last Week
1.Grambling State (15) 8-2 195 2
2.Bethune-Cookman (5) 9-2 171 3
3.Prairie View A&M 8-2 146 4
4.North Carolina Central 8-3 142 5
5. North Carolina A&T 9-2 138 1
6.Alcorn State* 7-3 106 6
7.South Carolina State 7-4 76 7
8.Southern 6-4 60 8
9.Hampton 6-5 41 9
10.Alabama State 6-5 23 10
Other receiving votes: Tennessee State (4-6) 2.
(1st place votes in parentheses)
2015 BOXTOROW HBCU Football Media Top 10 Poll
Week 12
(Records through November 21, 2015)
Team W-L Points Last Week
1.Grambling (13) 8-2 144 2
2.Bethune-Cookman (1) 9-2 133 3
3. North Carolina A&T (1) 9-2 119 1
4.North Carolina Central (1) 8-3 118 8
5.Prairie View A&M 8-2 112 4
6.Alcorn State* 7-3 80 5
7.Tuskegee 9-2 64 6
8.South Carolina State 7-4 56 9
9.Bowie State 9-3 33 7
10.Southern 6-4 22 NR
Other receiving votes: Virginia Union (8-3) 16, Alabama State (6-5) 9,
Hampton (6-5) 2, Virginia State (6-4) 1.
(1st place votes in parentheses)
*Defending champion