Hartly, DE — Bethune-Cookman and Winston-Salem State continued their winning ways and hold steady in the their top spots of the Heritage Sports Radio Network (HSRN) football polls after week eight of the 2014 season.
In FCS Division I, the top five teams held their positions, lead by Bethune-Cookman (6-1) with a 48-20 win at Savannah State. North Carolina A&T (6-2) downed Delaware State 33-20) to hold second and Alcorn State (6-2) throttled Texas Southern (40-25) to hold third place.
Grambling State (5-3) extended their win-streak to four games with a 63-39 win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff and South Carolina State (4-3) held fifth place with an idle weekend. Morgan State (4-3) moved into sixth place with a 21-20 win over North Carolina Central (3-4) and Texas Southern (5-2) dropped to seventh place after their loss at Alcorn.
Southern (4-3) was idle, but moved to eighth and Tennessee State (4-4) dropped to ninth after their second consecutive loss. Alabama State (4-3) moved back into the poll at tenth prior to their rivalry battle with Alabama A&M at the Magic City Classic in Birmingham.
HSRN Football Poll
FCS – Division I
| School (First Place Votes) | Record | Pts | Prev | |
| 1 | Bethune-Cookman Wildcats (15) | 6-1 | 153 | 1 |
| 2 | North Carolina A&T Aggies (1) | 6-2 | 132 | 2 |
| 3 | Alcorn State Braves | 6-2 | 127 | 3 |
| 4 | Grambling State Tigers | 5-3 | 118 | 4 |
| 5 | South Carolina State Bulldogs | 4-3 | 88 | 5 |
| 6 | Morgan State Bears | 4-3 | 78 | 8 |
| 7 | Texas Southern Tigers | 5-2 | 75 | 5 |
| 8 | Southern Jaguars | 4-3 | 58 | 9 |
| 9 | Tennessee State Tigers | 4-4 | 36 | 7 |
| 10 | Alabama State Hornets | 4-3 | 30 | NR |
| Others: North Carolina Central-28; Prairie View A&M-24. |
||||
HSRN Football Poll
Division II
| School (First Place Votes) | Record | Pts | Prev | |
| 1 | Winston-Salem State Rams (16) | 6-1 | 173 | 1 |
| 2 | Tuskegee Golden Tigers | 6-2 | 140 | 2t |
| 3 | Virginia Union Panthers | 6-1 | 132 | 2t |
| 4 | Virginia State Trojans | 5-2 | 127 | 4 |
| 5 | Fort Valley State Wildcats | 5-2 | 98 | 7 |
| 6 | Albany State Golden Rams | 4-2 | 82 | 10 |
| 7 | Miles Golden Bears | 4-3 | 77 | 9 |
| 8 | Stillman Tigers | 4-3 | 63 | 5 |
| 9 | Livingstone Blue Bears | 5-2 | 52 | 6 |
| 10 | Morehouse Maroon Tigers | 4-3 | 44 | 8 |
| Others: Fayetteville State-22; Elizabeth City State-17. |
||||
Dr. Cavil’s HBCU Major Division Football Top 10 Poll Rankings
| Rank | Team & Mascot | Record | FPV | Points | PWR |
| 1 | @-Bethune-Cookman Wildcats | (6-1, 3-0) | 7 | 103 | 1 |
| 2 | North Carolina A&T Aggies | (6-2, 3-1) | 2 | 93 | 2 |
| 3 | Grambling State Tigers | (5-3, 5-0) | 2 | 88 | 3 |
| 4 | Alcorn State Braves | (6-2, 4-1) | 79 | 5 | |
| 5 | S. C. State Bulldogs | (4-3, 2-1) | 74 | 4 | |
| 6 | Morgan State Bears | (4-3, 3-1) | 52 | 7 | |
| 7 | Texas Southern Tigers | (5-2, 3-2) | 51 | 6 | |
| 8 | Southern Jaguars | (4-3, 3-1) | 44 | 8 | |
| 9 | Alabama State Hornets | (4-3, 3-2) | 35 | 9 | |
| 10 | North Carolina Central Eagles | (3-4, 2-1) | 10 | 10 |
FPV = First Place Votes; PWR = Previous Week Ranking; NR = Not Ranked
@ Bethune-Cookman Wildcats
@ = 3C 2013 HBCU Football Major Division National Champion
Dropped Out: N/A
Receiving Votes: Prairie View A&M Panthers-(3-4, 3-3)-4, Tennessee State Tigers (4-3, 1-2)-1
Dr. Cavil’s HBCU Mid-Major Division Football Top 10 Poll Rankings
| Rank | Team & Mascot | Record | FPV | Points | PWR |
| 1 | @ Winston-Salem State Rams | (6-1, 4-0) | 11 | 111 | 1 |
| 2 | Virginia Union Panthers | (6-1, 5-0) | 93 | 2 | |
| 3 | Tuskegee Golden Tigers | (5-2, 5-0) | 91 | 3 | |
| 4 | Virginia State Trojans | (5-2, 4-0) | 72 | 6 | |
| 5 | Fort Valley State Wildcats | (5-2, 3-1) | 60 | 7 | |
| 6 | Livingstone Blue Bears | (5-2, 2-2) | 54 | 8 | |
| 7 | Albany State Golden Rams | (4-2, 4-1) | 38 | 9 | |
| 8 | Miles Golden Bears | (4-3, 3-1) | 29 | 10 | |
| 9 | Morehouse Maroon Tigers | (4-3, 3-2) | 17 | 4 | |
| 10 | Stillman Tigers | (4-3, 3-1) | 8 | 5 |
FPV = First Place Votes; PWR = Previous Week Ranking; NR = Not Ranked
@ Winston-Salem State Rams
@ = 3C 2013 HBCU Football Mid-Major Division National Champion
Dropped Out: N/A
Receiving Votes: Langston Lions-(3-4, 1-1)-3
SBN Black College Poll
| SCHOOL | MASCOTS | POINTS | (#1 VOTES) | 2014 |
| 1. Bethune-Cookman | Wildcats | 299 | (29) | 6-1 |
| 2. North Carolina A&T | Aggies | 234 | 6-2 | |
| 3. Alcorn State | Braves | 226 | 6-2 | |
| 4. Winston-Salem State | Rams | 176 | (1) | 6-1 |
| 5. Grambling State | Tigers | 153 | 5-3 | |
| 6. Southern University | Jaguars | 119 | 4-3 | |
| 7. South Carolina State | Bulldogs | 79 | 4-3 | |
| 8. Alabama State | Hornets | 62 | 4-3 | |
| 9. Texas Southern | Tigers | 53 | 5-2 | |
| 10. Tennessee State | Tigers | 41 | 4-4 |
*2013 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!
Other Teams Receiving Votes:
| SCHOOL | MASCOTS | POINTS |
| Morgan State | Bears | 26 |
| Tuskegee Golden | Tigers | 21 |
| Virginia Union | Panthers | 17 |
| Virginia State | Trojans | 11 |
| Albany State | Golden Rams | 9 |
