HBCU
Grambling Takes No. 1 Spot in BTRC/BASN Poll
By Tony McClean
Dec 2, 2008

NEW HAVEN, Ct. -- When Alabama State defeated Tuskegee University 17-13 on Thanksgiving Day, it not only ended college football's longest current winning streak at 26, it also signaled the end of the Golden Tigers' reign as Black College football's No. 1 team in the nation.

For the first time in over 13 months, a new team sits atop the BoxToRow.com/BASN BC Top 10 Football Poll. The Gr ambling State Tigers, fresh off their Bayou Classic victory against Southern, are now ranked No. 1 in the latest poll.

GSU (10-2), who gained a berth in the SWAC title game with the 29-14 win, received nine of 17 first-place votes. MEAC Champion South Carolina State (10-3), second in the poll, got five first-place votes.

The Bulldogs' season ended this past Saturday as they fell to defending champion Appalachian State 37-21 in the first round of the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.

Despite their Turkey Day loss, the Golden Tigers (10-1) did receive the other three first-place votes. The three-time SIAC Champions and Prairie View (9-1) are tied for third with 129 points, with Florida A&M (9-3) just behind at number five.

As for Rod Broadway's bunch, they'll meet Jackson State for the second straight year in the SWAC Championship on Saturday, December 13th in Birmingham.

JSU won last year's title tilt 42-31, however back on September 20th, GSU defeated JSU 14-5 at Eddie Robinson Stadium.

The rest of the poll includes Tennessee State (8-4) at number six, CIAA Champion Shaw (8-3) is seventh, Jackson State (7-4) comes in at number eight, while Southern (6-5) and Bethune-Cookman (8-3) round out the poll tied for ninth.

BOXTOROW.COM/BASN
HBCU TOP 10 FOOTBALL POLL
(Records through November 29)

School                                  W-L  Pts  LW
1. Grambling State (9)          10-2  160   3
2. S.C. State (5)                   10-3  156   2
3. Prairie View A&M             9-1  129    4
(tie) Tuskegee (3)                 10-1  129    1
5. Florida A&M                     9-3    99    5
6. Tennessee State                 8-4    54    7
7. Shaw                                 8-3    49    8
8. Jackson State                    7-4    37  10
9. Southern                            6-5    29    6
(tie) Bethune-Cookman          8-3    29  NR

(First place votes in parentheses)

Others receiving votes: Albany State (7-4) 26, Langston (10-2) 17,
Elizabeth City State (7-4) 6, Fayetteville State (8-2) 5, West
Virginia State (7-3) 2, Morgan State (7-5) 1.