The No. 1 spot in HBCU football at the Division I level continues to change hands, and nobody has figured out how to hold on.
South Carolina State, the defending MEAC and HBCU national champions, were preseason No.1 and held the top spot until consecutive losses to end their non-conference schedule dropped them in the rankings.
Jackson State, a favorite to compete for another SWAC championship, has taken over the No. 1 spot twice so far. The first came after SC State stumbled and then following Morgan State going down to Tennessee State.
But the Tigers could not hold it after losing to Grambling State and then Bethune-Cookman this past Saturday.
Morgan State unexpectedly spent a week atop the Black College Football Poll before suffering back-to-back losses. The Bears’ tumble continued a season of upsets that has made identifying the best HBCU football team in the FCS difficult.
So, who deserves to be No. 1 now?
South Carolina State has the championship pedigree
The defending HBCU national champions have a compelling résumé. Coach Chennis Berry guided the Bulldogs to the 2025 Celebration Bowl title, establishing South Carolina State as a program capable of handling championship pressure.
Saturday’s victory over Norfolk State strengthened that case, extending their MEAC winning streak under Berry to 11 straight dating back to 2024.
The Bulldogs will continue to be considered the HBCU football in America until they are dethroned. Its championship pedigree matters in this discussion.
Alabama A&M brings the firepower
Alabama A&M has made the most significant year-to-year jump of any team in Black College Football.
After going 1-7 in the SWAC and 4-8 overall in 2025, the Bulldogs sit atop the SWAC East and control their own destiny to appear in the conference championship game.
Alabama A&M’s only setback was a three-point loss to Jackson State. But these Bulldogs seem different since the version that won the SWAC championship in the COVID-truncated 2021 season. Alabama A&M averages a little over 40 points per game on offense and features the No. 2-ranked defense in the SWAC.
They are a complete team and will likely be ranked No. 1 in the latest Black College Football Poll after Saturday’s results.
The verdict
Alabama A&M gets the nod for now because they haven’t had a major setback — yet.
The problem for every No. 1 team so far is the same: Nobody has completely separated from the pack so far.
Alabama A&M may be the safest choice today, but another weekend of upsets could change everything.
