Boxtorow.com
North Carolina A&T was one a few teams to win a game this past week and the coaches and media took notice.
After defeating Shaw 61-7 the Aggies received five first place votes, which is as many as South Carolina State did, but outpaced the Bulldogs by 11 points.
The No. 2 Bulldogs had a convincing 35-7 victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge in Orlando on Sunday.
Despite falling to No. 16 Georgia Tech 69-6, the defending BOXTOROW champion Alcorn State Braves sits at No. 3 and received six first-place votes. ASU was ranked No. 1 in the BOXTOROW preseason coaches poll.
North Carolina Central made the biggest jump from the preseason poll to the Week 1 poll, moving from No. 7 to No. 4. Bethune-Cookman rounds out the top five.
Meanwhile, in the media poll, the Aggies took the top spot for the first time in the history of the media poll after Week 1. South Carolina State received three first-place votes and is No. 2 this week. Defending champion Alcorn State sits at No. 5 and received four first-place votes. No. 4 Tennessee State received two first-place votes, while No. 3 North Carolina Central and No. 6 Prairie View A&M received on first-place vote each.
Key games this week include Grambling at Bethune-Cookman and Alcorn State at Alabama State
The BOXTOROW HBCU FCS coaches and media polls are administered by FROM THE PRESS BOX TO PRESS ROW. The coaches poll is voted on by the HBCU Football Championship Subdivision coaches and the media poll is voted on by media members around the country who cover HBCU football.
2015 BOXTOROW FCS HBCU Football Coaches Poll
Week 1
(Records through September 6, 2015)
| Rank | School | W-L | Pts. | Last Week |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | North Carolina A&T (5) | 1-0 | 163 | 2 |
| 2. | South Carolina State (5) | 1-0 | 149 | 4 |
| 3. | Alcorn State* (6) | 0-1 | 148 | 1 |
| 4. | North Carolina Central (1) | 1-0 | 106 | 7 |
| 5. | Bethune-Cookman | 0-1 | 103 | 3 |
| 6. | Tennessee State (2) | 1-0 | 97 | 8 |
| 7. | Southern | 0-1 | 75 | 5 |
| 8. | Grambin State | 0-1 | 60 | 6 |
| 9. | Prairie View A&M | 1-0 | 48 | NR |
| 10. | Hampton | 1-0 | 36 | NR |
Others receiving votes: Morgan State (0-1) 28, Alabama State (0-1) 16, Norfolk State (0-1) 6, Delaware State (0-1) 4, Savannah State (0-1) 3, Jackson State (0-1) 2.
2015 BOXTOROW HBCU Football Media Top 10 Poll
Week 1
(Records through September 6, 2015)
| Rank | School | W-L | Pts. | Last Week |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | North Carolina A&T (5) | 1-0 | 131 | 4 |
| 2. | South Carolina State (3) | 1-0 | 127 | 7 |
| 3. | North Carolina Central (1) | 1-0 | 86 | 8 |
| 4. | Tennessee State (2) | 1-0 | 84 | 6 |
| 5. | Alcorn State* (4) | 0-1 | 79 | 1 |
| 6. | Prairie View A&M (1) | 1-0 | 70 | NR |
| 7. | Tuskegee | 1-0 | 55 | NR |
| 8. | Bethune-Cookman | 0-1 | 54 | 2 |
| T-9 | Southern | 0-1 | 31 | 3 |
| T-9 | Hampton | 1-0 | 31 | NR |
Others receiving votes: Grambling State (0-1) 29, Alabama State (0-1) 14, Morehouse (1-0) 11, Virginia Union (1-0) 11, Livingstone (1-0) 10, Elizabeth City State (1-0) 9, Virginia State (0-1) 9, Bowie State (1-0) 6, Norfolk State (0-1) 5, Delaware State (0-1) 4, Alabama A&M (0-1) 3, Albany State (0-1) 3, Morgan State (0-1) 3, Winston-Salem State (0-1) 3, West Virginia State (1-0) 2, Chowan (1-0) 1, Miles (0-1) 1.