Jackson State lone HBCU representative in FCS preseason Top 25 poll

Jackson State, which finished 2021 as the only HBCU ranked in the FCS Top 25, has appeared in the poll again to start the 2022 season.

On Monday, JSU appeared at No. 15 in the Stats Perform FCS Preseason Top 25 poll.

A national media panel selects the Stats Perform FCS Top 25. A first-place vote is worth 25 points, a second-place vote 24 points, all the way down to one point for a 25th-place vote.

Also read: Should Travis Hunter been named an All-American as a true freshman? The writer who selected him explains

Jackson State went 11-2 and won the SWAC championship for the first time since 2007 last season.

SWAC playoff representative Florida A&M, HBCU national champion South Carolina State and North Carolina A&T were among those who received votes in the poll.

Stats Perform FCS Preseason Top 25

1. North Dakota State (14-1, 7-1 Missouri Valley), 1,348 points (52 first-place votes)

2. South Dakota State (11-4, 5-3 Missouri Valley), 1,285 (2)

3. Montana (10-3, 6-2 Big Sky), 1,218

4. Montana State (12-3, 7-1 Big Sky), 1,203

5. Missouri State (8-4, 6-2 Missouri Valley), 1066

6. Villanova (10-3, 7-1 CAA), 997

7. Sacramento State (9-3, 8-0 Big Sky), 991

8. Kennesaw State (11-2, 6-0 Big South), 959

9. Southern Illinois (8-5, 5-3 Missouri Valley), 915

10. Stephen F. Austin (8-4, 4-2 ASUN-WAC), 813

11. ETSU (11-2, 7-1 Southern), 750

12. Chattanooga (6-5, 5-3 Southern), 562

13. Eastern Washington (10-3, 6-2 Big Sky), 538

14. UIW (10-3, 7-1 Southland), 533

15. Jackson State (11-2, 8-0 SWAC), 515

16. Holy Cross (10-3, 6-0 Patriot), 503

17. Southeastern Louisiana (9-4, 6-2 Southland), 440

18. UT Martin (10-3, 5-1 Ohio Valley), 404

19. Delaware (5-6, 3-5 CAA), 401

20. Weber State (6-5, 5-3 Big Sky), 391

21. Northern Iowa (6-6, 4-4 Missouri Valley), 289

22. Rhode Island (7-4, 4-4 CAA), 242

23. Mercer (7-3, 6-2 Southern), 215

24. Richmond (6-5, 4-4 CAA), 166

25. UC Davis (8-4, 5-3 Big Sky), 153