August is here. College football is back this month, and HBCU football kicks it all off in Week Zero. There鈥檚 no better way to get you ready for the season than with the first HBCU football power rankings of 2025 from 红杏视频 Digital's Stan Becton.
These are the first rankings of the season. The rankings will be done weekly throughout the regular season, sorting each HBCU football team at the FCS level based on their performances this season. Nicknamed "The Road to Atlanta," the weekly power rankings lead to the annual meeting of HBCU football's two best teams at this year's Celebration Bowl held in Atlanta, GA.
See the preseason power rankings below.
The Road to Atlanta: 2025 preseason HBCU football power rankings
1. Jackson State
Jackson State is the defending Celebration Bowl champion, and the Tigers rightfully open the year atop my HBCU football power rankings. JSU returns the preseason SWAC Offensive Player of the Year quarterback Jacobian Morgan and JSU has the best skill corps on offense and defense in the SWAC. They have the talent to go back-to-back.
EVERYTHING HBCU: Schedule, scores, updates and more from the 2025 HBCU football season
2. North Carolina Central
North Carolina Central brings back the best quarterback in the MEAC in Walker Harris, who will enter year two as the full-time starter under Trei Oliver. The Eagles have the most preseason First-Team All-MEAC players and get to play South Carolina State at home this year. That gets NCCU the nod as the second-best team in HBCU football entering the year.
3. Southern
Southern is the favorite in the SWAC West entering the year and the second-highest ranked SWAC team in my preseason rankings. I think the ground attack has the potential to be dominant in Baton Rouge this fall. That鈥檒l provide some balance to a Jaguar defense that should be good yet again thanks to the return of the best player in HBCU football, defensive lineman Ckelby Givens.
4. South Carolina State
South Carolina State won the MEAC last year, but I have the Bulldogs as the second-highest ranked MEAC team entering the preseason.
South Carolina State lost quarterback Eric Phoenix after winning the HBCU Player of the Year award. While backup Ryan Stubblefield proved he can hold his own last year against a talented Morgan State defense, it鈥檚 not enough to say there won鈥檛 be a slight drop off from Phoenix. The Bulldogs lost talent across the board too, whether it was defensive end Ashaad Hall or others. SC State only has one First-Team All-MEAC player to NC Central鈥檚 eight.
That said head coach Chennis Berry will have the Bulldogs ready to play each week. I see South Carolina State competing for a MEAC title into the season鈥檚 final week.
WHAT TO KNOW: 7 storylines to follow in the 2025 HBCU football season
5. Alabama State
The biggest loss for Alabama State this offseason might鈥檝e been the departure of defensive coordinator Ryan Lewis Sr. to UAB. However, head coach Eddie Robinson Jr. has his roots on the defensive side of the football, so that drop-off might not be too drastic. The defense should still live up to the elite standard it has set in recent years.
On offense, the biggest question is at the quarterback position. Kareem Keye made the transition from wide receiver last fall and went 5-2 as the starter. Andrew Body returns from injury and was an All-SWAC performer prior to getting hurt. FBS transfer Te鈥橲ean Smoot is also in the building from Jacksonville State.
Whoever takes over the Alabama State quarterback job will have earned it against tough competition. If the Hornets stay healthy at the position, I think they can challenge Jackson State in the SWAC East.
6. Florida A&M
Year two of the James Colzie III era begins at Florida A&M, and for the second straight year, Colzie has to name a new starting quarterback. Yet, unlike last year, there isn鈥檛 a transfer coming in that threw for over 2,000 yards and double-digit touchdowns a season prior in the FBS like Daniel Richardson did.
I love the talent throughout the rest of the Rattler roster, specifically on an offensive line that should be one of the best in HBCU football. But Florida A&M will need its new quarterback 鈥 whoever it is 鈥 to continue playing at the All-SWAC standard set by Jeremy Moussa and Richardson before them.
7. Tennessee State
Tennessee State made the FCS playoffs last year, but the head coach from that run, Eddie George, left for Bowling Green. As new head coach Reggie Barlow entered, 14 transfers left for the FBS and 11 transfers left for other FCS schools.
I鈥檓 giving Tennessee State the benefit of the doubt by ranking them in the top-10, but this season can go a multitude of ways. It鈥檚 not far-fetched that the Tigers enter their homecoming with only one win on a five-game losing streak. TSU could also have a winning record by homecoming. We鈥檒l have to let it all play out on the field.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR: Top 25 nonconference games in the 2025 FCS season
8. Alcorn State
Alcorn State only lost one SWAC West game in Cedric Thomas鈥 first year as head coach, finishing the season 6-6. The Braves return All-SWAC running back Jacorian Sewell, who should take on a bigger load this fall. I like the potential that quarterback Jaylon Tolbert showed in stints at Howard, and it鈥檒l be a battle between him and Charlotte transfer Andre Washington this offseason for the starting role. This is a program that is trending upward into 2025.
9. Morgan State
Morgan State has the preseason MEAC Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year in 2025, but the team was only picked third in the MEAC preseason poll. That鈥檚 because no matter how good the skill position players have been in Baltimore the past three years, the pass game has severely struggled.
That said, I think the Bears will be a hard out for any team they play this year and should hover around the top-10 teams in HBCU football all season long.
10. Prairie View A&M
New head coach Tremaine Jackson drew a ton of headlines this offseason to Prairie View A&M as he arrived after leading Valdosta State to a Division II national title game berth last season. Coming with the head coach is one of the top transfer classes in the SWAC with 24 FBS transfers and 16 FCS transfers. A good transfer class should allow the Panthers to hit the ground running in the SWAC.
PORTAL: FCS transfers that can have an instant impact
11. Grambling State
Grambling State lost five SWAC games by one possession in 2024, and no loss was decided by more than 10 points. If Mickey Joseph can get his team to come up big in clutch moments, this Grambling State team will be in SWAC West title contention.
12. Norfolk State
No HBCU program will get more eyes than coach Michael Vick and the Norfolk State Spartans this fall. I think the Spartans could surprise a lot this fall.
Quarterback Otto Kuhns is back with experience as a starter while FBS transfer Israel Carter is in from South Florida. Running back Kevon King will ease the load off whoever the starter is, and I expect the offensive line to be held up this year in Norfolk with Vincent Byrd Jr. leading the way.
I think on defense the Spartans could have the best back seven in the MEAC. The linebackers and secondary have plenty of potential.
The nonconference schedule is where I鈥檓 most intrigued by Norfolk State in Coach Vick鈥檚 first year. The opponents are Towson, Virginia State (DII), Sacred Heart, Wagner, Hampton and Wofford. Only one of those teams had a winning record last year. Could Michael Vick finish with just one FBS loss in nonconference play? I think so.
VICK: Michael Vick named Norfolk State head football coach
13. Texas Southern
Texas Southern finished last season on a two-game win streak to close year one under Cris Dishman. We鈥檒l see if that momentum carries over into 2025 right away as the Tigers try to win back-to-back Labor Day Classics for the first time since 2003.
14. Alabama A&M
I loved how coach Sam Shade turned around the program at Miles College. I think he鈥檒l eventually do the same at Alabama A&M. I don鈥檛 know if it鈥檒l happen this year, though, as the SWAC East is a difficult mountain to climb.
On the field, quarterback Cornelious Brown IV is set to be the full-time starter this fall after Arkansas-Pine Bluff transfer Mekhi Hagens was found ineligible. Brown is serviceable under center, but he鈥檒l need to improve on a 12-7 TD-interception ratio for the Bulldogs to contend in the SWAC East.
15. Howard
Howard finished a disappointing 4-8 last season with just one win in MEAC play. It won鈥檛 get any easier for the Bison in 2025, as they won鈥檛 play a home game until MEAC play starts in late October. In fact, Howard plays just three home games all season.
Even with continuity from returning quarterback Ja'Shawn Scroggins, running back Eden James and others, that schedule is hard to overcome. I don鈥檛 see Howard finishing .500 this year.
LAST YEAR: Final HBCU power rankings from 2024 | 2024 Celebration Bowl recap
16. Hampton
Hampton鈥檚 CAA schedule doesn鈥檛 give them a break this year with Villanova, William & Mary and Rhode Island all on the slate. Monmouth has arguably the top returning QB in the FCS, so that game won鈥檛 be easy either.
When it comes to HBCUs, a road season-opening contest at Jackson State might be the loudest game on Hampton鈥檚 schedule and rivalry games against Howard and Norfolk State are toss-ups.
With a schedule like that, I don鈥檛 see Hampton contending for a top-10 spot this year.
17. Delaware State
I don鈥檛 see Delaware State contending for the MEAC title in DeSean Jackson鈥檚 first year as head coach, but the Hornets have some winnable FCS games in the nonconference slate. That potential lands DSU at No. 17.
DJAX: NFL great DeSean Jackson named head football coach at Delaware State
18. Arkansas-Pine Bluff
I think Arkansas-Pine Bluff will get two wins against Lincoln (CA) and Westgate Christian 鈥 two non-红杏视频 schools. I don鈥檛 know if the Golden Lions will get a win elsewhere in 2025.
19. Bethune-Cookman
Bethune-Cooman plays two FBS opponents, the defending MEAC champion and a Division II opponent before SWAC play. It鈥檒l be a difficult year in Daytona Beach again in 2025.
20. Mississippi Valley State
Mississippi Valley State knocked off Florida A&M last year in the HBCU football upset of the year. My expectations aren鈥檛 high for the Delta Devils in 2025, but I wouldn鈥檛 be surprised if they knocked off another top team this fall.
21. North Carolina A&T
North Carolina A&T has only won a single game in each of the last two seasons. The Aggies don鈥檛 play a Division II opponent in 2025, so they might end up winless in their third year in the CAA.
馃张: Recapping the 2024 HBCU football season
馃摬 B/R:
馃摎 Football History: Top MEAC/SWAC Challenge moments | Individual stars | | Recapping 2022 | Recapping 2021
Championships: Jackson State wins 2024 Celebration Bowl | Tennessee State, NC Central win tennis title | Football title history | Track champions
馃彑 Classics: Every HBCU Football Classic's history | Florida Classic | Bayou Classic | Can't miss atmospheres
馃弨 HBCU hoops: Pac-12/SWAC series |1980s Alcorn State | NBA draft picks | Hall of Famers
馃憖 March Madness: Men's history | Women's history | Two HBCU wins in 2021 | HBCU vs. HBCU | Tournament upsets
