But HBCU national championship contenders were found on the outer edges of the poll.
Reigning Celebration Bowl champion Florida A&M received 65 votes for a spot in the poll. North Carolina Central got 52 votes and Alabama State received 17.
NC Central is coming off a season in which it finished with a 9-3 record and earned an FCS postseason berth despite not winning the MEAC title. Howard, which won the conference in 2023, did not receive any votes.
Meanwhile, Florida A&M, which won the SWAC and first-ever Celebration Bowl in 2023, was not favored to win the SWAC in the conference preseason rankings. The Tigers recorded a third straight nine-win season, finishing 9-2 overall.
The conference preseason predicted order of finish had the Hornets as the team to claim the SWAC East Division title.
