Football | 10/19/2026 3:24:03 PM
NORFOLK, Va. — South Carolina State climbed to No. 3 in this week’s Black College Football Poll, followed by Morgan State at No. 4 and Delaware State at No. 5.
Norfolk State also earned a top-10 ranking at No. 9, while Howard received votes.
The Black College Football Poll is the first officially endorsed national poll dedicated exclusively to HBCU football programs competing at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) and NCAA Division II levels.
The poll is jointly sanctioned by the MEAC, Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) and Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAC), providing a unified national ranking of HBCU football programs across both divisions.
Black College Football Poll
NCAA Division I (FCS)
| Rank |
Institution |
Points (FPV*) |
Previous Week |
| 1 |
Jackson State |
400 |
2 |
| 2 |
Alabama A&M |
372 |
3 |
| 3 |
South Carolina State |
332 |
5 |
| 4 |
Morgan State |
296 |
1 |
| 5 |
Delaware State |
214 |
6 |
| 6 |
Alabama State |
134 |
9 |
|
Grambling State |
134 |
4 |
| 8 |
Bethune-Cookman |
110 |
NR |
| 9 |
Norfolk State |
98 |
8 |
| 10 |
Prairie View A&M |
76 |
NR |
*(First-Place Votes)
Others Receiving Votes: Alcorn State 68;
Howard 24; North Carolina A&T 10; Southern 6; Arkansas-Pine Bluff 4
About the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) enters its 56th year of intercollegiate competition with the 2026–27 academic year. Headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia, the MEAC is comprised of eight distinguished Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) along the Atlantic seaboard: Coppin State University, Delaware State University, Howard University, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Morgan State University, Norfolk State University, North Carolina Central University, and South Carolina State University. Since its founding in 1970, the MEAC has been dedicated to promoting academic excellence, sportsmanship, and the personal growth of student athletes. For more information, visit
www.MEACSports.com.