BOXTOROW Polls: North Carolina A&T No. 1 after opening week

North Carolina A&T quarterback Lamar Raynard. Photo by Kevin L. Drosey (Courtesy: NC A&T Sports Information)

(boxtorow.com) 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 Southern, Grambling and Howard finishing Nos. 3 and 5,
respectively.

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 FCS HBCU Preseason Football Coaches Poll
Week 1
(Records through September 3, 2017)

Others 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 Football Media Top 10 Poll
Week 1
(Records through September 3, 2017)

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)