Defending HBCU champions South Carolina State and Johnson C. Smith have been voted No. 1 in the inaugural 2026 Preseason Black College Football Poll, making history as the first programs to top the newly established national rankings.
The poll, which is endorsed by the MEAC, SWAC, CIAA and SIAC, provides an official weekly ranking of HBCU football programs across NCAA Division I (FCS) and Division II. The rankings are determined by a panel of HBCU head coaches and media members and are designed to become the definitive benchmark for Black college football.
South Carolina State enters the season atop the Division I poll after finishing 10-3 and capturing the 2025 HBCU national championship. The Bulldogs earned 185 points, including 36 first-place votes.
Prairie View A&M begins the year ranked No. 2 after a 10-4 campaign that included capturing the SWAC Championship and heartbreaking loss to No.1 South Carolina State in the Celebration Bowl. Jackson State, Alabama State and North Carolina Central round out the top five.
Johnson C. Smith leads the Division II rankings after a 10-2 season, in which they won the CIAA for the first time since 1969, collecting 168 points and 12 first-place votes. The Golden Bulls narrowly edged SIAC powers Benedict and Albany State in one of the closest preseason races in either division.
Virginia Union and Kentucky State complete the Division II top five.
2026 Preseason Black College Football Poll
NCAA Division I (FCS)
| Rank | School | Conference | 2025 Record | Points (FPV) |
| 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) |
Others Receiving Votes: Alcorn State (15), Howard (13), Alabama A&M (13)
NCAA Division II
| Rank | School | Conference | 2025 Record | Points (FPV) |
| 1 | Johnson C. Smith | CIAA | 10-2 (6-1) | 168 (12) |
| 2 | Benedict | SIAC | 10-3 (7-1) | 157 (20) |
| 3 | Albany State | SIAC | 12-2 (8-0) | 156 (4) |
| 4 | Virginia Union | CIAA | 9-3 (7-0) | 154 (7) |
| 5 | Kentucky State | SIAC | 9-3 (7-1) | 112 |
| 6 | Fayetteville State | CIAA | 6-4 (6-1) | 91 |
| 7 | Virginia State | CIAA | 6-4 (4-3) | 66 |
| 8 | Allen | SIAC | 6-5 (5-3) | 60 |
| 9 | Edward Waters | SIAC | 5-5 (4-4) | 53 |
| 10 | Tuskegee | SIAC | 4-7 (3-7) | 17 (1) |
Receiving Votes: Livingstone (10)
The introduction of the Black College Football Poll marks a significant step forward for HBCU football, providing a unified national ranking supported by all four NCAA HBCU conferences. Along with the weekly polls, the initiative will also feature Black College Football All-America teams and annual awards recognizing the top players, coaches and performances across the HBCU landscape.
With the 2026 season fast approaching, South Carolina State and Johnson C. Smith will enter the year carrying the distinction of being the first-ever preseason No. 1 teams in the history of the Black College Football Poll.
