HBCU Sports 2016 MEAC Football Preseason Predictions: MEAC Champion — North Carolina A&T
North Carolina A&T capped off an historic 10-2 season by winning the MEAC title for second consecutive year and took the inaugural Celebration Bowl.
The reigning Black College Football National Champions enter the 2016 season ranked in the FCS Top 25 and No. 1 in the HBCU Sports Ultimate Preseason Poll. [lasso align=”right” cloak=”y” identifier=”B0033JT2UO” locale=”US” tag=”hbcusports-20″ ref=”amzn-ncaa-north-carolina-aandt-aggies-3-by-5-foot-flag” type=”single” id=”71797″ link_id=”4914″]
The Aggies are the favorite to win another MEAC crown thanks in large part to the return of electric running back Tarik Cohen, who rushed for 1,542 yards on his way to being named MEAC Offensive Player of the Year.
Cohen will have help in stressing defenses with the return of receivers Xavier Griffin, Michael Weaver, Khris Gardin and Denzel Keyes.
While the offense is expected to garner most of the attention, the Aggies won on the strength of its defense, which returns several pieces that ranked No. 2 in the FCS last season.
Even though the MEAC race has been tight the last two seasons, the biggest advantage the Aggies have on their side is head coach Rod Broadway, who has turned North Carolina A&T into an elite FCS program that will be a contender for years to come.
“We feel like we are ring chasers,” said All-MEAC performer Marquis Ragland. “We don’t feel like the hunted. We feel like we’re in the hunt.”
