The 2023 HBCU football season is rapidly approaching. It's time to take a look at the first HBCU football power rankings from NCAA 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 up 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 next. The Road to Atlanta: 2023 preseason HBCU football power rankings
The top dog 1. North Carolina Central | MEAC | 10-2 | Prev: 1 Championship sights tier 2. Florida A&M | SWAC | 9-2 | Prev: 3 3. Southern | SWAC | 7-5 | Prev: 5
4. Howard | MEAC | 5-6 | Prev: 7 5. Jackson State | SWAC | 12-1 | Prev: 2 Bubbling under tier 6. Alabama State | SWAC | 6-5 | Prev: 6
7. North Carolina A&T | CAA | 7-4 | Prev: 4 Sleeper Tier 8. Texas Southern | SWAC | 5-6 | Prev: 9 9. Alcorn State | SWAC | 5-6 | Prev: 10
10. Morgan State | MEAC | 4-7 | Prev: 13 Bounce-back tier 11. Prairie View A&M | SWAC | 6-5 | Prev: 8 12. South Carolina State | MEAC | 3-8 | Prev: 17
13. Tennessee State | Big South-OVC | 4-7 | Prev: 16 Put it together tier 14. Grambling State | SWAC | 3-8 | Prev: 15 15. Hampton | CAA | 4-7 | Prev: 12
16. Alabama A&M | SWAC | 4-7 | Prev: 11 Uncertainty tier 17. Mississippi Valley State | SWAC | 2-9 | Prev: 19 18. Delaware State | MEAC | 5-6 | Prev: 14
19. Bethune-Cookman | SWAC | 2-9 | Prev: 18 20. Norfolk State | MEAC | 2-9 | Prev: 20 21. Arkansas-Pine Bluff | Conf | 3-9 | Prev: 21