Hartly, DE – Despite a loss to Tulsa, North Carolina A&T maintained its top spot in the HSRN FCS Football Poll. Tuskegee University remained on top in the DivisionII/NAIA Poll thanks to a come-from-behind win over Florida A&M in the 5th Quarter Classic in Mobile, AL.
In the Division I FCS poll, Tennessee State jumped from 4th to 2nd and picked up three first place votes. Grambling State, Prairie View A&M and Alcorn State completed the top five. Hampton and Arkansas-Pine Bluff entered the top ten for the first time this season. The Pirates claimed the moniker of “The Real HU” by knocking off Howard, 34-7, in the Nation’s Football Classic. UAPB edged Alcorn State, 45-43, in three overtimes before a national television audience on ESPNU.
In Division II, Tuskegee’s 20-17 win over Florida A&M left no doubt about their strength in the division. The Golden Tigers are undefeated and captured 11 of 12 first place votes of the HSRN pollsters.
Virginia State held on to second place leading a strong representation for the CIAA. Virginia Union, Lane and Bowie State complete the top five. VUU (8th to 3rd) and Albany State (9th to 6th) made the biggest jumps this week. Chowan returned to the top ten following a 35-28 win over West Florida.
| Week 3 – Rankings | ||||
| Division I FCS | ||||
| School (First Place Votes) | Record | Pts | Last Week | |
| 1 | North Carolina A&T (10) | 2-1 | 125 | 1 |
| 2 | Tennessee State (3) | 3-0 | 111 | 4 |
| 3 | Grambling State | 1-1 | 108 | 3 |
| 4 | Prairie View A&M | 2-1 | 81 | 5 |
| 5 | Alcorn State | 1-1 | 73 | 2 |
| 6 | Southern | 1-2 | 64 | 6 |
| 7 | Bethune-Cookman | 0-2 | 51 | 5 |
| 8 | North Carolina Central | 1-2 | 33 | 9T |
| 9 | Hampton | 1-2 | 25 | NR |
| 10 | Arkansas-Pine Bluff | 1-2 | 13 | NR |
| Others receiving votes | ||||
| S.C. State, Alabama A&M, Texas Southern | ||||
| Alabama State, Morgan State | ||||
| Division II/NAIA | ||||
| School (First Place Votes) | Record | Pts | Last Week | |
| 1 | Tuskegee (11) | 3-0 | 116 | 1 |
| 2 | Virginia State | 3-0 | 101 | 2 |
| 3 | Virginia Union | 1-2 | 63 | 8 |
| 4 | Lane | 3-0 | 62 | 5 |
| 5 | Bowie State | 1-2 | 61 | 3 |
| 6 | Albany State | 1-2 | 44 | 9 |
| 7 | Winston-Salem State | 1-2 | 31 | 4 |
| 8 | Miles | 1-1 | 26 | 7 |
| 9 | Chowan | 2-1 | 25 | NR |
| 10 | Morehouse | 2-1 | 23 | 6 |
| Others receiving votes | ||||
| Langston (1), Fort Valley St., Elizabeth City St.,Benedict, | ||||
| Johnson C. Smith, Shaw, Fayetteville St. | ||||
