Benedict remains on top of the Black College Football Poll Division II rankings, but there is plenty of movement behind the Tigers following the latest weekend of HBCU football.
Benedict improved to 2-0 and collected 16 first-place votes and 334 points to retain the No. 1 ranking. Kentucky State made a significant move into the No. 2 spot, while Johnson C. Smith climbed to No. 3.
Virginia State and Virginia Union round out a Top 5 that looks considerably different from the previous week.
Kentucky State and Johnson C. Smith make big moves
Kentucky State jumped from No. 4 to No. 2 after improving to 2-1 overall and 1-0 in conference play. The Thorobreds received 260 points, narrowly edging Johnson C. Smith.
JCSU moved from fifth to No. 3 with 256 points after improving to 2-1.
Virginia State experienced the biggest drop near the top, falling from No. 2 to No. 4. The Trojans suffered a 66-0 loss to Division I South Carolina State over the weekend.
Virginia Union, meanwhile, moved from sixth to fifth and received one first-place vote. The Panthers and Edward Waters each received 188 points, with Edward Waters ranked sixth.
Fayetteville State fell from No. 3 to No. 7, while Allen makes its debut in the Top 10 at No. 8.
Allen is 2-1 overall and 1-0 in conference play after a 43-7 victory over Lane.
Tuskegee slipped one position to No. 9, while West Virginia State remains at No. 10.
Several programs remain within striking distance of the rankings. Shaw leads the others receiving votes with 22 points, followed by Fort Valley State (18), Albany State (16), Clark Atlanta (14) and Central State (12).
| Rank | Team | Record | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Benedict | 2-0 | 334 |
| 2 | Kentucky State | 2-1 | 260 |
| 3 | Johnson C. Smith | 2-1 | 256 |
| 4 | Virginia State | 2-1 | 212 |
| 5 | Virginia Union | 2-1 | 188 |
| 6 | Edward Waters | 2-1 | 188 |
| 7 | Fayetteville State | 2-1 | 162 |
| 8 | Allen | 2-1 | 84 |
| 9 | Tuskegee | 1-1 | 66 |
| 10 | West Virginia State | 1-1 | 26 |
The tightest race is near the top, where only four points separate Kentucky State and Johnson C. Smith for the No. 2 position. Virginia Union and Edward Waters are deadlocked at 188 points immediately behind Virginia State, setting up plenty of opportunity for movement as conference play develops.
