In the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Division II Preseason Rankings, two HBCUs ranked in the top 25.
The reigning SIAC champion Benedict Tigers come in the 17th slot, and the Virginia Union Panthers are right behind them in the 18th slot.
The Benedict Tigers had their best season in school history in 2022, finishing with an 11-1 overall record. The team claimed its first-ever SIAC conference title and first Division II playoff appearance.
Ferris State (Mich.) begins 2023 at No. 1 in the AFCA Division II Coaches' Top 25 Poll.
The Preseason Top 5:
1️⃣@FerrisFootball
2️⃣@MinesFootball
3️⃣@gvsufootball
4️⃣@GorillasFB
5️⃣@ASURamFootballThe rest of the Top 2️⃣5️⃣ ⬇️https://t.co/bRpErisWZc
— AFCA (@WeAreAFCA) August 14, 2023
Virginia Union, on the other hand, had its best season since 2007, recording a 9-2 overall record. Despite falling short of a CIAA championship appearance, the Panthers were selected to host its first Division II playoff game since 1990.
Meanwhile, the reigning CIAA champion Fayetteville State Broncos were snubbed from the top 25 list.
The Broncos finished the 2022 season with a 9-3 record, including a win over Chowan to claim the team’s first CIAA title since 2009.
