HBCU Football Top 25 Power Ranking | Week 1

HBCU football's top 25 football power rankings for Week 1 of 2024.

HBCU Football - Top 25 Power Rankings - Week 1 / Credit: USA Today Sports, SCS, JSU, PVAMU Athletics, HBCU Legends

The legacy of Black College Football began on December 27, 1892, at Biddle College and Livingstone College (Johnson C. Smith). Since then, HBCU football has been steeped in tradition, pageantry, pride, and history that transcends generations.

On any given Saturday across the nation, legends are and have been made on the gridiron as HBCU students, fans, alums, administrators, and newcomers to the weekly rituals experience the richness and uniqueness of our culture.  

Get ready for the drum majors leading the marching bands, the dancing teams, majorettes, and flag twirlers to start the parade of cheers, camaraderie, and family fun as the 2024 HBCU football season kicks off!

HBCU Football - Week 1 / Credit: USA TODAY SPORTS

Last season, former head coach Willie Simmons led Florida A&M to become the 2023 HBCU Division I National Champions after defeating the Howard Bison in the 2023 Cricket Celebration Bowl. As Simmons departed to accept a new position with Duke University, James Colzie III was appointed the Rattlers football program's new leader. In Week 0, FAMU continued winning with a one-point victory, 24-23, over Norfolk State in the 2024 Cricket MEAC/SWAC Challenge.

As Week 1 kicked off last night for HBCU football teams facing tough FBS and FCS adversaries, all preseason predictions were quickly dispatched. Alcorn State's 41-3 loss to UAB wasn't unexpected, but the offensive execution was subpar. Can the Braves rebound once conference action begins against Mississippi Valley State on Sept. 28?

Most wonder if another dominant team rise in HBCU football this season. On Sunday, two teams are projected to face each other again in December and will battle at Hard Rock Stadium in the 2024 Denny's Orange Blossom Classic.  

The Alabama State Hornets and North Carolina Central Eagles could be 1a and 1b for some pundits. However, there can only be one. After the Sunday afternoon tilt, we'll see which team has the upper hand to match Florida A&M atop the "Top-25 HBCU Football Teams" in the nation.

Here are the Week 1 powerhouse programs on the HBCU football landscape:

HBCU Football - Top 25 Power Rankings - Week 1 / Credit: USA Today Sports, SCS, JSU, PVAMU Athletics, HBCU Legends

HBCU LEGENDS TOP 25 FOOTBALL POWER RANKINGS | WEEK 1

1. Florida A&M (Big Game @Home)
2. North Carolina Central (SUNDAY)
3. Alabama State (SUNDAY)
4. Prairie View A&M (No More Talk)
5. South Carolina State (Coach Berry Face FAMU)
6. Tennessee State
7. Southern (Graves Era Begins)
8. Grambling State (Mickey Joseph Era Begins)
9. Howard
10. Jackson State (Offensive Adjustments Needed)
11. Alabama A&M (Ol' Ball Coach Ready Prove People Wrong)
12. Virginia Union (Still The Best In CIAA)
13. Hampton
14. Morgan State (It's Coach Wilson's Time)
15. Virginia State
16. Alcorn State (Big Slide Down)
17. Norfolk State (Can Spartans Rebound?)
18. Fort Valley State
19. Bethune-Cookman
20. Tuskegee
21. Texas Southern (Dishman Era Begins)
22. Bowie State
23. UAPB
24. Fayetteville State
25. Albany State

*Watch for the upsets: Grambling over UL

The entire Top 25 will change after this Labor Day weekend. No more talk. No more projections. Just play football! Who will win?

We shall see.

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HBCU FOOTBALL SCHEDULE - WEEK 1

SWAC

• August 29, 6:00 PM - Jackson State at ULM - Monroe, LA (Broadcast: ESPN+)
• August 29, 6:30 PM - Arkansas-Pine Bluff vs Arkansas - Little Rock, AR (Broadcast: ESPNU)
• August 29, 7:00 PM - Alcorn State at UAB - Birmingham, AL (Broadcast: ESPN+)
• August 31, 5:00 PM - South Carolina State at Florida A&M - Tallahassee, FL (Broadcast: ESPN+)
• August 31, 5:00 PM - Mississippi Valley State at Tennessee State - Nashville, TN (Broadcast: ESPN+)
• August 31, 6:00 PM - Bethune-Cookman at South Florida - Tampa, FL (Broadcast: ESPN+)
• August 31, 6:00 PM - Texas Southern at Prairie View A&M - Prairie View, TX (Broadcast: ESPN+)
• August 31, 6:30 PM - Alabama A&M at Auburn - Auburn, AL (Broadcast: SEC Network+)
• August 31, 7:00 PM - Southern at McNeese State - Lake Charles, LA (Broadcast: ESPN+)
• August 31, 7:00 PM - Grambling State at Louisiana - Lafayette, LA (Broadcast: ESPN+)
• September 1, 3:00 PM - North Carolina Central vs Alabama State - Miami Gardens, FL (Broadcast: ESPN)

MEAC

• August 29, 6:00 PM - Howard at Rutgers - Piscataway, NJ
• August 31, 6:00 PM - Norfolk State at East Carolina - Greenville, NC
• August 31, 6:00 PM - Morgan State at Hampton University - Hampton, VA
• September 1, 3:00 PM - North Carolina Central vs Alabama State - Miami Gardens, FL (Broadcast: ESPN)

SIAC

• August 29, 7:00 PM - Central State at Morehead State - Morehead, KY
• August 31, 1:00 PM - Clark Atlanta at Fort Valley State - Fort Valley, GA (Broadcast: TheGrio)
• August 31, 3:00 PM - Virginia Union at Kentucky State - Frankfort, KY (Broadcast: HBCU GO)
• August 31, 3:00 PM - Edward Waters at Morehouse - Atlanta, GA (Broadcast: ESPN+)
• September 1, 4:00 PM - Virginia State vs Benedict - Canton, OH (Broadcast: NFL Network)
• September 1, 7:00 PM - Tuskegee vs Johnson C. Smith - Montgomery, AL (Broadcast: ESPNU)

CIAA

• August 31, 12:00 PM - Elizabeth City State at Shaw - Durham, NC (Broadcast: CIAA Network)
• August 31, 3:00 PM - Virginia Union at Kentucky State - Frankfort, KY (Broadcast: HBCU GO)
• August 31, 6:00 PM ET - University of Charleston at Livingstone - Bluefield, WV (Big Blue Sports Network)
• August 31, 6:00 PM - Winston-Salem State at Bluefield State - Salisbury, NC  
• September 1, 4:00 PM - Virginia State vs Benedict - Canton, OH (Broadcast: NFL Network)
• September 1, 7:00 PM - Tuskegee vs Johnson C. Smith - Montgomery, AL (Broadcast: ESPNU)

CAA

• August 29, 6:00 PM - North Carolina A&T vs. Wake Forest Demon Deacons - Winston-Salem, NC (Broadcast: ACC Network)
• August 31, 6:00 PM - Morgan State at Hampton University - Hampton, VA (Broadcast: FloFootball)

OVC

• August 31, 5:00 PM - Mississippi Valley State at Tennessee State - Nashville, TN (Broadcast: ESPN+)

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