One week of HBCU football remains and some teams are making late-season pushes in the top 10 of the latest HBCU football power rankings from Stan Becton.
These are the last rankings of the regular season. The rankings will return after the Celebration Bowl after being held 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.
See the latest power rankings below.
The Road to Atlanta: 2025 Week 13 HBCU football power rankings
1. Jackson State | SWAC | 8-2 (6-1) | Prev: 1
Jackson State continues to find ways to win with quarterback Jared Lockhart under center. It'll need to do so in the Soul Bowl to clinch the SWAC East.
EVERYTHING HBCU: Schedule, scores, updates and more from the 2025 HBCU football season
2. Alabama State | SWAC | 8-2 (6-1) | Prev: 2
Quarterback Te'Sean Smoot won his second straight start as he continues to fill in for SWAC Offensive Player of the Year candidate Andrew Body. The win keeps Alabama State alive in the SWAC East race for one more week.
3. Delaware State | MEAC | 8-3 (4-0) | Prev: 3
Delaware State handled business against Howard to set up a winner-take-all contest in head coach DeSean Jackson's final regular season game of his first year as head coach.
CLINCHING SCENARIOS: See how the MEAC and SWAC East titles can be clinched this week
4. South Carolina State | MEAC | 8-3 (4-0) | Prev: 5
South Carolina State won the preseason MEAC game of the year, taking down North Carolina Central. Now it's time for the real MEAC game of the year — a de facto MEAC championship game against Delaware State.
5. Prairie View A&M | SWAC | 8-3 (6-1) | Prev: 6
Prairie View A&M returns to the top five after clinching the SWAC West title with a win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
SWAC TITLE INFO: Date, time, location, TV channel, history for the 2025 SWAC Football Championship Game
6. North Carolina Central | MEAC | 7-4 (2-2) | Prev: 4
North Carolina Central is now out of the MEAC title race after a loss to South Carolina State. The Eagles are still a good team, but this season fell short of expectations.
7. Florida A&M | SWAC | 5-5 (4-2) | Prev: 9
Florida A&M won a thriller against Alabama A&;M that I got the chance to be in the booth for. Quarterback RJ Johnson has found his rhythm and the Rattlers have won four of their last five games.
8. Alcorn State | SWAC | 5-6 (4-3) | Prev: 12
Alcorn State has gone from the worst team in HBCU football to start the year to winners of four straight games. Can the Braves keep the turnaround going with a season-ending upset?
CELEBRATION BOWL INFO: Date, time, location, TV channel, history for the 2025 Celebration Bowl
9. Texas Southern | SWAC | 5-5 (4-3) | Prev: 10
Texas Southern ended a two-game losing streak with a win over Southern. Yet, it wasn't an easy victory. The Tigers trailed entering the fourth quarter against one of DI HBCU football's worst teams.
10. Grambling State | SWAC | 7-4 (4-3) | Prev: 7
Grambling State's four-game winning streak is over after a loss to Alcorn State. We won't see the Tigers on the field again until the Bayou Classic.
| RANK | TEAM |
|---|---|
| 1 | Jackson State |
| 2 | Alabama State |
| 3 | Delaware State |
| 4 | South Carolina State |
| 5 | Prairie View A&M |
| 6 | North Carolina Central |
| 7 | Florida A&M |
| 8 | Alcorn State |
| 9 | Texas Southern |
| 10 | Grambling State |
| 11 | Bethune-Cookman |
| 12 | Alabama A&M |
| 13 | Howard |
| 14 | Arkansas-Pine Bluff |
| 15 | Tennessee State |
| 16 | North Carolina A&T |
| 17 | Morgan State |
| 18 | Hampton |
| 19 | Southern |
| 20 | Norfolk State |
| 21 | Mississippi Valley State |
PAST POWER RANKINGS: Preseason | WK 2 | WK 3 | WK 4 | Wk 5 | Wk 6 | Wk 7 | Wk 8 | Wk 9 | Wk 10 | Wk 11 | Wk 12
11. Bethune-Cookman | SWAC | 5-6 (4-3) | Prev: 8
Bethune-Cookman couldn't hang with Jackson State in a loss. Now, the Wildcats have to end a four-game losing streak in the Florida Classic for a shot at finishing .500 this year.
12. Alabama A&M | SWAC | 4-7 (1-6) | Prev: 11
Alabama A&M fans might be thinking about the ending to the FAMU game all offseason after a late sack ended a comeback effort. After a 3-1 start, the Bulldogs have lost six of their last seven games.
13. Howard | MEAC | 4-7 (1-3) | Prev: 13
Howard has lost all momentum, now losers of three straight games in MEAC play.
14. Arkansas-Pine Bluff | SWAC | 3-7 (2-5) | Prev: 14
After being competitive in most of their games across the last month, Arkansas-Pine Bluff was no match for Prairie View A&M in a 56-9 loss.
*Arkansas-Pine Bluff's win over Westgate Christian is not a win.
15. Tennessee State | OVC-Big South | 2-9 (0-7)| Prev: 15
Tennessee State remains winless in conference play after losing to Gardner-Webb.
MORE RANKINGS: AFCA Coaches Poll | STATS PERFORM | FCS Committee Rankings
16. North Carolina A&T | CAA | 2-9 (2-5) | Prev: 16
North Carolina A&T holds off Morgan State in the rankings because of its prior win over Campbell. No team ranked below the Aggies have a better win.
17. Morgan State | MEAC | 4-7 (1-3) | Prev: 18
Morgan State finally picked up a DI win, beating Norfolk State.
18. Hampton | CAA | 2-10 (0-8) | Prev: 17
Hampton remains winless in the CAA after a loss to William & Mary.
19. Southern | SWAC | 1-10 (0-7) | Prev: 19
Southern fought hard to end its losing streak, but ultimately fell short in a close one to Texas Southern.
20. Norfolk State | MEAC | 1-10 (0-4) | Prev: 20
Norfolk State lost its ninth straight game and will have won more shot at landing coach Mike Vick his first DI win.
21. Mississippi Valley State | SWAC | 1-9 (0-6) | Prev: 21
Mississippi Valley State was shut out by Alabama State for most of the game until a lat fourth quarter field goal.
🏈: Recapping the 2024 HBCU football season
📲 B/R:
📚 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
🏟 Classics: Every HBCU Football Classic's history | Florida Classic | Bayou Classic | Can't miss atmospheres
🏀 HBCU hoops: Pac-12/SWAC series |1980s Alcorn State | NBA draft picks | Hall of Famers
👀 March Madness: Men's history | Women's history | Two HBCU wins in 2021 | HBCU vs. HBCU | Tournament upsets
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