Last season Grambling State won its first SWAC championship since 2011 and are the favorites to repeat as Black College Football National Champion this season.

Going into the 2017 season, the Tigers are atop the preseason HBCU Sports Ultimate Football Poll.

1. Grambling State
2. North Carolina Central
3. North Carolina A&T
4. South Carolina State
5. Bethune Cookman
6. Southern
7. Alcorn State
8. Tennessee State
9. Prairie View
10. Tuskegee
11. Albany State
12. Winston Salem State
13. Norfolk State
14. Jackson State
15. Texas Southern
16. Hampton
17. Fort Valley State
18. Alabama A&M
19. Miles
20. Howard
21. Morgan State
22. Florida A&M
23. Livingstone
24. Virginia State
25. Langston