Full Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Seven Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) football programs earned national recognition in the inaugural 2026 Preseason Black College Football Poll, highlighted by Prairie View A&M's No. 2 national ranking among NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) HBCU programs.
The historic preseason rankings mark the launch of the first officially endorsed national poll dedicated exclusively to HBCU football programs competing at the NCAA Division I FCS and NCAA Division II levels.
The Black College Football Poll is sanctioned by the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) and Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAC).
Prairie View A&M leads the conference after a remarkable 2025 campaign that included a SWAC Championship and the program's first appearance in the Cricket Celebration Bowl. The Panthers received two first-place votes and finished second nationally with 165 points.
Jackson State follows closely at No. 3 after earning four first-place votes, while Alabama State claimed the No. 4 position after receiving six first-place votes. Together, the three programs accounted for 12 of the 48 first-place votes cast in the Division I poll.
Grambling State (No. 7), Bethune-Cookman (No. 8), Texas Southern (No. 9) and Florida A&M (No. 10) also secured Top 10 rankings, giving the SWAC seven nationally ranked programs entering the 2026 season.
In addition, Alcorn State and Alabama A&M received votes as nine of the conference's 12 football-playing institutions appeared on at least one ballot in the inaugural preseason poll.
Beginning with the preseason rankings, the Black College Football Poll will be released weekly throughout the regular season. Rankings are determined by a nationwide panel of HBCU head coaches and media members who cover Black college football.
2026 Preseason Black College Football Poll
NCAA Division I (FCS)
| Rank |
Team |
League |
2025 Record |
Points |
| 1 |
South Carolina State |
MEAC |
10-3 (5-0) |
185 (36) |
| 2 |
Prairie View A&M |
SWAC |
10-4 (7-1) |
165 (2) |
| 3 |
Jackson State |
SWAC |
9-3 (7-1) |
149 (4) |
| 4 |
Alabama State |
SWAC |
10-2 (7-1) |
141 (6) |
| 5 |
North Carolina Central |
MEAC |
8-4 (3-2) |
107 |
| 6 |
Delaware State |
MEAC |
8-4 (4-1) |
98 |
| 7 |
Grambling State |
SWAC |
7-5 (4-4) |
63 |
| 8 |
Bethune-Cookman |
SWAC |
6-6 (5-3) |
46 |
| 9 |
Texas Southern |
SWAC |
6-5 (5-3) |
42 |
| 10 |
Florida A&M |
SWAC |
5-7 (4-4) |
32 |
* First-Place Votes listed in parenthesis ()
Others Receiving Votes: Alcorn State (15), Howard (13), Alabama A&M (13)
About the SWAC
The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) is considered one of the premier HBCU conferences in the country and currently ranks among the elite in the nation in terms of HBCU alumni playing with professional sports teams.
Current championship competition offered by the league includes competition for men in Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Football, Golf, Indoor Track and Field, Outdoor Track and Field and Tennis.
Women’s competition is offered in the sports of Basketball, Bowling, Cross Country, Golf, Indoor Track and Field, Outdoor Track and Field, Soccer, Softball, Tennis and Volleyball.
Follow the SWAC
For complete coverage of the Southwestern Athletic Conference, please follow the SWAC on social media at @TheSWAC (Twitter), @TheSWAC (Facebook), and @TheSWAC (Instagram) or visit the official home of the Southwestern Athletic Conference at
www.swac.org.