Alcorn State and Virginia State Claim HSRN Conaway Cup
Hartly, DE – The Alcorn State Braves and Virginia State Trojans have finished the 2014 football season as the top teams in the Heritage Sports Radio Network (HSRN) football poll(s) for Division I (FCS) and Division II, respectively and are winners of the 2014 HSRN Conaway Cup.
The HSRN Conaway Cup, named in honor late HSRN Co-Founder LeCounte Conaway is indicative of the HSRN National Football Champion in the respective divisions. Ironically, Conaway was a former Sports Information Director for the Trojans (1980-84).
Alcorn State finished the season with a record of 10-3 and claimed the school’s first-ever SWAC football championship. Virginia State finished the season with a record of 10-2 and won the CIAA football championship, advancing to the second round of the NCAA Division II football play-offs.
The following are the HSRN football polls for the 2014 season:
FCS – Division I
| School (First Place Votes) | Record | Pts | Prev | |
| 1 | Alcorn State Braves (14 ) | 10-3 | 205 | 5 |
| 2 | North Carolina A&T Aggies (2 ) | 9-3 | 184 | 1 |
| 3 | Bethune-Cookman Wildcats(3 ) | 9-3 | 175 | 2 |
| 4 | Southern Jaguars | 9-4 | 155 | 3 |
| 5 | South Carolina State Bulldogs | 8-4 | 120 | 4 |
| 6 | Morgan State Bears | 7-5 | 116 | 6 |
| 7 | Grambling State Tigers | 7-4 | 98 | 8 |
| 8 | North Carolina Central Eagles | 7-5 | 81 | 7 |
| 9 | Alabama State Hornets | 7-5 | 55 | 9 |
| 10 | Tennessee State Tigers | 6-6 | 34 | 10 |
| Others: Texas Southern-23; | ||||
Division II
| School (First Place Votes) | Record | Pts | Prev | |
| 1 | Virginia State Trojans (6) | 10-2 | 1 | |
| 2 | Tuskegee Golden Tigers (3) | 9-3 | 2 | |
| 3 | Winston-Salem State Rams (1) | 9-2 | 3 | |
| 4 | Albany State Golden Rams | 7-4 | 4 | |
| 5 | Virginia Union Panthers | 7-3 | X | |
| 6 | Miles Golden Bears | 6-4 | X | |
| 7 | Ft. Valley State Wildcats | 6-4 | X | |
| 8 | Bowie State Bulldogs | 5-5 | X | |
| 9 | Fayetteville State Broncos | 5-5 | X | |
| 10 | Morehouse Maroon Tigers | 6-4 | X | |
| X – Season Completed | ||||
Alcorn State claims BOXTOROW national championship
Boxtorow.com
There is a first time for everything.
This year marks the first time the Alcorn State Braves are BOXTOROW HBCU national champions with the release of the final BOXTOROW Media Poll of 2014.
Alcorn State won its first SWAC championship since 1994 by defeating Southern 38-24 on Saturday.
“It’s a true honor and we’re very appreciative of this award,” said third-year head coach Jay Hopson. “I am very proud of this team and the coaches. It has been a long time since Alcorn State has won a national championship. It’s a humbling experience and we are truly honored and blessed.”
The Braves received the majority of the first-place votes with five other teams also receiving at least one first-place vote. The final poll was reflective of the parity of the 2014 football season.
Last year’s champion Bethune-Cookman received one first-place vote, finishing No. 2, six points ahead of No. 3 Southern.
North Carolina A&T also received a first-place vote finishing No. 4. CIAA champion Virginia State received three first-place votes and rounded out the top five. It was the Trojans highest finish ever.
Morgan State, South Carolina State and North Carolina Central – all three were MEAC co-champions with Bethune-Cookman and North Carolina A&T – finished No. 6, No. 7 and No. 8, respectively.
The BOXTOROW Media Poll is administered by FROM THE PRESS BOX TO PRESS ROW and is voted on by media members around the country who cover HBCU football.
2014 BOXTOROW FCS HBCU Football Media Poll
Final
(Records through December 6, 2014)
| Rank | School | W-L | Pts. | Last Week |
| 1. | Alcorn State (10) | 10-3 | 144 | 5 |
| 2. | Bethune-Cookman (1) | 9-3 | 126 | 3 |
| 3. | Southern (1) | 9-4 | 120 | 1 |
| 4. | North Carolina A&T (1) | 9-3 | 116 | 4 |
| 5. | Virginia State (3) | 10-3 | 115 | 2 |
| 6. | Morgan State (1) | 7-6 | 73 | 7 |
| 7. | South Carolina State | 8-4 | 71 | 6 |
| 8. | North Caro;ina Central | 7-5 | 47 | 8 |
| 9. | Winston-Salem State | 9-2 | 46 | 10 |
| 10. | Grambling State | 7-5 | 41 | 9 |
Others receiving votes: Tuskegee (9-3) 25, Albany State (7-3) 6, Jackson Sate (5-7) 3, Tennessee State (6-6) 1.
Alcorn State voted BOXTOROW national champions
Boxtorow.com
They say timing is everything.
Four teams have sat atop the BOXTOROW Coaches Poll this season. None of the teams was Alcorn State.
Until now.
With its 38-24 victory over Southern in the SWAC championship game, the Braves were voted 2014 BOXTOROW HBCU national champions in the final poll of 2014.
“It’s a true honor and we’re very appreciative of this award,” said third-year head coach Jay Hopson. “I am very proud of this team and the coaches. It has been a long time since Alcorn State has won a national championship. It’s a humbling experience and we are truly honored and blessed.”
Alcorn’s three losses this year – to Southern Mississippi, Grambling State and Jackson State – all came by seven points or less.
Last year’s champion Bethune-Cookman finished No. 2 and received four first-place votes. North Carolina A&T received the other first-place vote, finishing No. 3. South Carolina State finished No. 5, giving the MEAC three of the top five teams. All three, along with No. 6 North Carolina Central and No. 7 Morgan State, shared the MEAC crown in an unusual five-way tie for the championship.
Southern was also in the top five and finished exactly where it did last year at No. 4.
The BOXTOROW HBCU FCS coaches poll is administered by FROM THE PRESS BOX TO PRESS ROW and is voted on by the HBCU Football Championship Subdivision coaches.
2014 BOXTOROW FCS HBCU Football Coaches Poll
Final
(Records through December 6, 2014)
| Rank | School | W-L | Pts. | Last Week |
| 1. | Alcorn State (13) | 10-3 | 174 | 4 |
| 2. | Bethune-Cookman (4) | 9-3 | 157 | 1 |
| 3. | North Carolina A&T (1) | 9-3 | 140 | 3 |
| 4. | Southern | 9-4 | 134 | 2 |
| 5. | South Carolina State | 8-4 | 92 | 5 |
| 6. | North Carolina Central | 7-5 | 81 | 6 |
| 7. | Morgan State | 7-5 | 76 | 7 |
| 8. | Grambling State | 7-5 | 73 | 8 |
| 9. | Alabama State | 7-5 | 40 | 9 |
| 10. | Tennessee State | 6-6 | 17 |
Others receiving votes: Alabama A&M (5-7) 3, Prairie View A&M (5-5) 2, Texas Southern (5-6) 1.
Dr. Cavil’s HBCU Major Division Football Final Top 10 Poll Rankings – Week 15 Final
Released 12/08/14
| Rank | Team & Mascot | Record | FPV | Points | PWR |
| 1 | @-Alcorn State Braves | (10-3, 7-2) | 5 | 90 | 4 |
| 2 | South Carolina State Bulldogs | (8-4, 6-2) | 3 | 88 | 2 |
| 3 | North Carolina A&T Aggies | (9-3, 6-2) | 3 | 87 | 3 |
| 4 | Southern Jaguars | (9-4, 8-1) | 84 | 1 | |
| 5 | Bethune-Cookman Wildcats | (9-3, 6-2) | 83 | 5 | |
| 6 | Grambling State Tigers | (7-5, 7-2) | 82 | 6 | |
| 7 | Morgan State Bears | (7-6, 6-2) | 47 | 7 | |
| 8 | North Carolina Central Eagles | (7-5, 6-2) | 42 | 8 | |
| 9 | Alabama State Hornets | (7-5, 5-4) | 21 | 9 | |
| 10 | Prairie View A&M Panthers | (5-5, 5-4) | 10 | 10 |
FPV = First Place Votes; PWR = Previous Week Ranking; NR = Not Ranked
@ Alcorn State Braves
@ = Dr. Cavil’s 2014 HBCU Football Major Division National Champion
Dropped Out: N/A
Receiving Votes: Tennessee State Tigers (6-6, 3-5)-8
Dr. Cavil’s HBCU Mid-Major Division Football Final Top 10 Poll Rankings – Week 15
Released 12/08/14
| Rank | Team & Mascot | Record | FPV | Points | PWR |
| 1 | Virginia State Trojans | (10-3, 7-0) | 9 | 107 | 1 |
| 2 | @ Winston-Salem State Rams | (9-2, 7-0) | 1 | 101 | 2 |
| 3 | Tuskegee Golden Tigers | (9-3, 7-0) | 1 | 96 | 3 |
| 4 | Langston Lions | (7-4, 5-0) | 81 | 4 | |
| 5 | Albany State Golden Rams | (7-3, 7-0) | 80 | 5 | |
| 6 | Virginia Union Panthers | (7-3, 5-2) | 39 | 6 | |
| 7 | Miles Golden Bears | (6-4, 5-2) | 26 | 7 | |
| 8 | Morehouse Maroon Tigers | (6-4, 4-3) | 21 | 8 | |
| 9 | Fort Valley State Wildcats | (6-4, 4-3) | 13 | 9 | |
| 10 | Fayetteville State Broncos | (5-5, 5-2) | 9 | 10 |
FPV = First Place Votes; PWR = Previous Week Ranking; NR = Not Ranked
@ Winston-Salem State Rams
@ = 3C 2013 HBCU Football Mid-Major Division National Champion
Dropped Out: N/A
Receiving Votes: Livingstone Blue Bears (5-5, 2-5)-2, Bowie State Bulldogs (5-5, 5-2)-1
