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[/insert_php]HBCU football teams performed well in the opening week of the college football season and pulled off many upsets and wins, but perhaps none as convincing as North Carolina A&T’s 45-3 victory at Gardner-Webb on Saturday and that victory was reflective in both the BOXTOROW Coaches and Media Polls as the Aggies are No. 1 after week one.
In the coaches poll, the Aggies received 12 of 21 first-place votes. Tennessee State was one of two schools to defeat an FBS program as the Tigers defeated Georgia State 17-10 on Thursday and received six first place votes.
But the biggest upset of the week and perhaps one of the biggest in college football history was Howard’s 43-40 victory over UNLV. While the Bison didn’t receive any first-place votes, their No. 6 ranking is the highest the Bison has ever been ranked in the coaches poll.
Defending HBCU national champion Grambling lost to Tulane and fell from its preseason No. 1 ranking, three spots to No. 4.
Meanwhile, it was the first media poll of the year and A&T and Howard each received five first place votes. The Aggies were followed in the poll by Tennessee State, with Grambling, Southern and Howard finishing Nos. 3 – 5.
The BOXTOROW HBCU FCS coaches poll and the media poll 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.
2017 BOXTOROW HBCU FCS Football Coaches Top 10 Poll
Week 1
(Records through September 3, 2017)
| No. | Team | W-L | Pts | Preseason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Carolina A&T (12) | 1-0 | 194 | 3 |
| 2 | Tennessee State (6) | 1-0 | 180 | 5 |
| 3 | Southern | 1-0 | 152 | 4 |
| 4 | Grambling (3) | 0-1 | 151 | 1 |
| 5 | North Carolina Central | 0-1 | 113 | 2 |
| 6 | Howard | 1-0 | 87 | NR |
| 7 | Prairie View A&M | 0-0 | 81 | 6 |
| 8 | Alcorn State | 1-0 | 80 | 7 |
| 9 | Bethune-Cookman | 0-1 | 38 | 9 |
| 10 | South Carolina State | 0-1 | 37 | 8 |
Other receiving votes: Florida A&M (1-1) 19, Arkansas-Pine Bluff (1-0) 5, Hampton (0-1) 4, Alabama A&M (0-1) 3, Delaware State (0-1) 1.
(1st place votes in parentheses)
2017 BOXTOROW HBCU Media Top 10 Poll
Week 1
(Records through September 3, 2017)
| No. | Team | W-L | Pts. | 2016 Final Poll |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Carolina A&T (5) | 1-0 | 140 | 3 |
| 2 | Tennessee State (3) | 1-0 | 129 | 8 |
| 3 | Southern | 1-0 | 106 | 4 |
| 4 | Grambling (2) | 0-1 | 104 | 1 |
| 5 | Howard (5) | 1-0 | 101 | NR |
| 6 | North Carolina Central | 0-1 | 69 | 2 |
| 7 | Tuskegee | 1-0 | 49 | 6 |
| 8 | Alcorn State | 1-0 | 47 | NR |
| 9 | Virginia State | 1-0 | 22 | 9 |
| 10 | Bethune-Cookman | 0-1 | 21 | NR |
Other receiving votes: Winston-Salem State (1-0) 20, Albany State (1-0) 16, Prairie View A&M (0-0) 15, South Carolina State (0-1) 15, Bowie State (1-0) 10, Florida A&M (1-1) 8, Delaware State (0-1) 2, Arkansas-Pine Bluff (1-0) 1, Hampton (0-1) 1, Elizabeth City State (1-0) 1, Morgan State (0-1) 1.
(1st place votes in parentheses)