After getting off to an impressive 3-0 start, including wins over then-No. 6 Jacksonville State and FBS opponent East Carolina, North Carolina A&T has entrenched itself as one of the elite programs in the FCS in 2018.
Currently ranked fourth in the most recent FCS STATS Top 25 Poll, there are a few voters who believe the Aggies should be higher.
A lot higher, in fact.
Even No. 1.
The Aggies received two first-place votes following its victory over Jacksonville State and three the next two weeks.
HBCU Sports decided to ask the handful of voters who saw fit to give North Carolina A&T — a group that carries the longest winning streak in the FCS — a first-place vote in during the release of the first three STATS regular season polls.
Marc Rabb, Big South Conference voter
“I’ve seen North Carolina A&T in person two seasons in a row and they are, in my opinion, a complete team that deserves the respect they’re now getting. A&T is well coached, very disciplined and dynamic in all three phases – offense, defense and special teams. They play with a genuine confidence that is impressive to see up close. I think they’re one of the deepest teams that I’ve seen in person in a long time. I’m not one to throw around comparisons, but they may be the most dominant team overall that I’ve seen over the past 10-15 seasons.”
Dan Ryan, MEAC voter
“Why not North Carolina A&T? Undefeated last year. Signature road wins against (a) top-10 FCS (opponent) and FBS (school) this year. I’ve known (Aggies head coach) Sam Washington for 25 years and his team is representative of the quality football the MEAC features. Also, I have a vote and when you feel strongly about an issue, you utilize that opportunity to make your statement. Now some would say I’m trying to UCFitize the FCS and use this as a venue to appear in football blogs and televised shouting matches like others do. But no, I feel North Carolina A&T deserved to be number one and will be until October 20 (North Carolina A&T is scheduled to play Bethune-Cookman).”
At least in the estimation of some, North Carolina A&T has few equals in the FCS.
So what would you have @ndsufootball ranked the? Undefeated defeated defending national champs that beat JMU.
Twinterquist, the poll is for what has been done so far this year. Why are you bringing up last season?
Both voters bring up last season in their discussion of why they voted the way they did.
How about now? Where should they be ranked?
Until A&T plays in the playoff and not the celebration bowl this is a mute point. In others words you got to beat the best to be the best go after NDSU or James Madison and we can have a discussion.
That explains why you are not a voter. You can’t follow directions.
I have an honest question about Dan Ryan’s comment. Maybe you can explain it, maybe you can’t. He says, “I feel North Carolina A&T deserved to be number one and will be until October 20 (North Carolina A&T is scheduled to play Bethune-Cookman).”
What does that mean, exactly? Does it mean after that game they will no longer be #1? Does it mean they won’t deserve to be #1 after that game? Or am I missing something?