The 2025 HBCU football season is over, so it's time to take a look at the final HBCU football power rankings from NCAA Digital's Stan Becton.
These rankings have been done weekly throughout the regular season, as I sorted each HBCU football team at the FCS level based on their performances. 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 in Atlanta.
All previous rankings are from before the final regular season week (Week 13).
See the final power rankings below.
The Road to Atlanta: 2025 Final HBCU football power rankings
| RANK | Team |
|---|---|
| 1 | South Carolina State |
| 2 | Alabama State |
| 3 | Prairie View A&M |
| 4 | Jackson State |
| 5 | Delaware State |
| 6 | North Carolina Central |
| 7 | Texas Southern |
| 8 | Bethune-Cookman |
| 9 | Alcorn State |
| 10 | Grambling State |
| 11 | Howard |
| 12 | Florida A&M |
| 13 | Alabama A&M |
| 14 | Arkansas-Pine Bluff |
| 15 | Tennessee State |
| 16 | North Carolina A&T |
| 17 | Southern |
| 18 | Morgan State |
| 19 | Mississippi Valley State |
| 20 | Hampton |
| 21 | Norfolk 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 | Wk 13
1. South Carolina State | MEAC | 9-3 (5-0) | Prev: 4
What a comeback! Down 21 points and down a starting quarterback, South Carolina State played the second half of a lifetime as it came back to win the 2025 Celebration Bowl over Prairie View A&M. The Bulldogs closed the season strong with a MEAC-clinching win over Delaware State and the first Celebration Bowl title of the Chennis Berry era.
CHAMPIONS: Prairie View A&M tops South Carolina State to win the 2025 Celebration Bowl
2. Alabama State | SWAC | 10-2 (7-1) | Prev: 2
There's an argument that Alabama State should be the No. 1 team in the season-ending power rankings. After all, 2021 is proof that the Celebration Bowl winner isn't guaranteed the top spot. However, unlike 2021, Prairie View A&M and South Carolina State were both top-5 teams entering the game. A win over a top-5 team that won a conference title is enough to earn the top spot and hold off an Alabama State squad that dominated its opponents to close the season and has a head-to-head win over Prairie View A&M.
3. Prairie View A&M | SWAC | 10-3 (7-1) | Prev: 5
The SWAC Champions come in at No. 3 after a Celebration Bowl loss. It was a great season for head coach Tremaine Jackson in his first year, even with a loss in the finale.
4. Jackson State | SWAC | 9-3 (7-1) | Prev: 1
Jackson State had an impressive run, overcoming injuries to quarterback JaCobian Morgan to still clinch the SWAC East. However, injuries would finally catch up to the Tigers after Morgan got hurt in the SWAC Championship Game.
5. Delaware State | MEAC | 8-4 (4-1) | Prev: 3
Delaware State lost a chance at a MEAC title with a season-ending defeat to South Carolina State, but it still was a remarkable year for head coach DeSean Jackson in his first season. The Hornets finished 8-4 and as a top-5 team in HBCU football.
2025 HBCU football: Recapping the 2025 HBCU football season from start to finish
6. North Carolina Central | MEAC | 8-4 (3-2) | Prev: 6
It was a disappointing year for North Carolina Central, which goes to show how great of an HBCU program the Eagles are. An 8-4 record is something most schools would love, but not in Durham, where there are championship expectations.
7. Texas Southern | SWAC | 6-5 (5-3) | Prev: 9
Texas Southern has now finished No. 7 in back-to-back years of my season-ending HBCU football power rankings. That's a great start for head coach Cris Dishman in his first two years, ending year two on a 6-2 run.
8. Bethune-Cookman | SWAC | 6-6 (5-3) | Prev: 11
Bethune-Cookman beat Florida A&M to win its first Florida Classic since it left the MEAC. That win gave Bethune-Cookman a .500 record at 6-6 and a spot in the top 10.
ALL-HBCU: The top HBCU football players, by position, from the 2025 season
9. Alcorn State | SWAC | 5-7 (4-4) | Prev: 8
After starting the season 0-5 and later 1-6 without a DI win, Alcorn State won four straight games late in the season before a season-ending loss to Jackson State. That gets the Braves from the bottom of the rankings into the top 10 to end the year.
10. Grambling State | SWAC | 7-5 (4-4) | Prev: 10
Grambling State had a successful season with a 7-5 finish, but the season ended sourly with losses to Alcorn State and Southern.
11. Howard | MEAC | 5-7 (2-3) | Prev: 13
Howard beat Norfolk State in the season finale for its second MEAC win. With a head-to-head win over Florida A&M, the Bison move in front of the Rattlers.
12. Florida A&M | SWAC | 5-7 (4-4) | Prev: 7
Florida A&M drops out of the top 10 after closing the season with back-to-back losses to Bethune-Cookman and Mississippi Valley State. After a 5-7 finish, head coach James Colzie III is out.
PAST FINAL RANKINGS: 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021
13. Alabama A&M | SWAC | 4-8 (1-7) | Prev: 12
After a 3-1 start, an injury to quarterback Quad Brown derailed head coach Sam Shade's first season at Alabama A&M. The Bulldogs ended the season by going 1-7 in their last eight games.
14. Arkansas-Pine Bluff | SWAC | 3-8 (2-6) | Prev: 14
Arkansas-Pine Bluff lost its final three games, suffering blowout losses to Prairie View A&M and Alabama State in their last two outings. However, wins over Southern and Alcorn State give the Golden Lions a floor in these rankings.
*Arkansas-Pine Bluff's win over Westgate Christian is not a win.
15. Tennessee State | OVC-Big South | 2-10 (0-8)| Prev: 15
Reggie Barlow ended his first year as head coach with a 2-10 record, going winless in OVC-Big South play and ending on a five-game losing streak. However, the Tigers beat North Carolina A&T and Howard to go 2-1 against HBCUs this year.
MORE RANKINGS: AFCA Coaches Poll | STATS PERFORM
16. North Carolina A&T | CAA | 2-10 (2-6) | Prev: 16
North Carolina A&T beat Hampton and picked up its first-ever PWI CAA win with a win over Campbell this year. It wasn't a good year by NCAT's historical standard, but not a bad start for first-year head coach Shawn Gibbs.
17. Southern | SWAC | 2-10 (1-7) | Prev: 19
Southern moves up in the final rankings after a Bayou Classic win. The win ended a nine-game losing streak and brings momentum into the Marshall Faulk era.
18. Morgan State | MEAC | 4-8 (1-4) | Prev: 17
Morgan State might have four wins, but a win over Norfolk State is the only DI win. That leaves the Bears in the bottom four.
19. Mississippi Valley State | SWAC | 2-10 (1-7) | Prev: 21
The first year of the Terrell Buckley era ended on a high note with the head coach's first DI win over Florida A&M in the season finale. The Delta Devils have beaten the Rattlers in back-to-back years.
20. Hampton | CAA | 2-10 (0-8) | Prev: 18
Hampton won two games this year, one game over DII Elizabeth City State and another over the last team in the rankings, Norfolk State. It was a horrible season for the Pirates, who fired head coach Trenton Boykin.
21. Norfolk State | MEAC | 1-11 (0-5) | Prev: 20
The worst team in HBCU football this year was Norfolk State. In year one of the head coach Michael Vick era, the Spartans won just one game — and that game was over a DII opponent — and that game also took overtime to win.
🏈: 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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