Grambling State and Winston-Salem State were again the top vote-getters in the HBCU Sports FCS and Division II fan polls.
The Tigers (7-3), after defeating Mississippi Valley State 38-23 in a Thursday night game televised on ESPNU, managed to garner 12 first-place votes and 309 points. Alcorn State maintained its No. 2 ranking with 11 first-place votes, followed by North Carolina A&T (8-2), Bethune-Cookman (8-2) and Southern (7-3) to round up the top five.
South Carolina State (7-3) held steady at the No. 6 spot, followed by North Carolina Central (7-3), Alabama State (5-5), Tennessee State (5-6) and Morgan State (5-5).
The Rams (9-1), preparing for a showdown against Virginia State in the CIAA Football Championship Game this Saturday in Durham, N.C., received 15 first-place votes and 210 points In the Division II poll. Tuskegee (8-2) stayed ranked at No. 2, followed by Albany State (7-2), Virginia State (8-2), Virginia Union (7-3), Miles (6-4), Fort Valley State (6-4), Fayetteville State (5-5), Morehouse (6-4) and Langston (6-3).
HBCU Sports FCS Fan Poll
| Rank | School | Record | Points | Previous |
| 1 | Grambling (12) | 7-3 | 309 | 1 |
| 2 | Alcorn State (11) | 8-2 | 297 | 2 |
| 3 | North Carolina A&T (10) | 8-2 | 271 | 3 |
| 4 | Bethune-Cookman (3) | 8-2 | 243 | 4 |
| 5 | Southern | 7-3 | 193 | 5 |
| 6 | South Carolina State (1) | 7-3 | 184 | 6 |
| 7 | North Carolina Central | 5-5 | 70 | NR |
| 8 | Alabama State | 5-5 | 67 | NR |
| 9 | Tennessee State | 5-6 | 57 | 10 |
| 10 | Morgan State | 5-5 | 52 | 8 |
| Others receiving votes: Norfolk State 47, Prairie View A&M 41, Texas Southern 33, Alabama A&M 32, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 30 | ||||
HBCU Sports Division II Fan Poll
| Rank | School | Record | Points | Previous |
| 1 | Winston-Salem State (15) | 9-1 | 210 | 1 |
| 2 | Tuskegee (1) | 8-2 | 190 | 2 |
| 3 | Albany State (6) | 7-2 | 165 | 3 |
| 4 | Virginia State | 8-2 | 157 | 4 |
| 5 | Virginia Union | 7-3 | 93 | 6 |
| 6 | Miles | 6-4 | 87 | 5 |
| 7 | Fort Valley State | 6-4 | 75 | 8 |
| 8 | Fayetteville State | 5-5 | 72 | 7 |
| 9 | Morehouse | 6-4 | 36 | 9 |
| 10 | Langston | 6-3 | 24 | NR |
| Others receiving votes: Bowie State 19, Stillman 13, Livingstone 12, Johnson C. Smith 10, St. Augustine 9 | ||||
