TUSKEGEE, Ala. | Following the conclusion of the HBCU football season, the Tuskegee University Golden Tigers found themselves ranked in the top 10 of the final two football polls for HBCU football this season.
Tuskegee (9-3), who made it to the second round of the NCAA Division II playoffs, finished as high as sixth in the two polls released in the last week. The Golden Tigers finished sixth in the 2016 BOXTOROWÂ HBCUÂ Football Media Poll released following the Celebration Bowl this past weekend, finishing with 62 votes and were the second-highest ranked NCAA Division II team in the poll - trailing Winston-Salem State (9-3) who finished with 71 votes.
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Grambling State (11-1), the eventual Celebration Bowl champion, finished as the national champion with 140 votes (all 14 first place votes). They were followed by North Carolina Central (9-3), North Carolina A&T (9-3), Southern (8-3) and Winston-Salem State (71) in the top five. Following Tuskegee in the poll were Prairie View A&M (7-4), Tennessee State (7-4), Virginia State (9-2) and Bowie State (7-4).
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BOXTOROW MEDIA POLL
December 17, 2016 |
| Rk |
School |
Rec |
Pts |
Last Wk |
| 1 |
Grambling State (14) |
11-1 |
140 |
1 |
| 2 |
North Carolina Central |
9-3 |
126 |
2 |
| 3 |
North Carolina A&T |
9-3 |
111 |
3 |
| 4 |
Southern |
8-3 |
98 |
4 |
| 5 |
Winston-Salem State |
9-3 |
71 |
5 |
| 6 |
Tuskegee |
9-3 |
62 |
6 |
| 7 |
Prairie View A&M |
7-4 |
53 |
7 |
| 8 |
Tennessee State |
7-4 |
43 |
9 |
| 9 |
Virginia State |
9-2 |
42 |
8 |
| 10 |
Bowie State |
7-4 |
17 |
10 |
| Others Receiving Votes: Alcorn State (5-6) 2, Langston (7-2) 2, Hampton (5-6) 2, South Carolina State (5-6) 1. |
The Golden Tigers also finished in the top 10 in the SBN Top 10 at the conclusion of the Celebration Bowl, the highest ranked Division II program in the poll - finishing seventh overall in the poll. The Golden Tigers finished with 96 votes, nearly double that of eighth place Winston-Salem State who finished with 54 total votes.
Grambling State, the eventual Celebration Bowl champion, finished as the national champion. They were followed by North Carolina Central, North Carolina A&T, Tennessee State and Southern in the top five. Prairie View A&M finished sixth overall, followed by Tuskegee, Winston-Salem State, Virginia State and Bowie State.
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SBN POLL
December 21, 2016 |
| Rk |
School |
Rec |
Last Wk |
| 1 |
Grambling State |
11-1 |
1 |
| 2 |
North Carolina Central |
9-3 |
2 |
| 3 |
North Carolina A&T |
9-3 |
3 |
| 4 |
Tennessee State |
7-4 |
4 |
| 5 |
Southern |
8-3 |
5 |
| 6 |
Prairie View A&M |
7-4 |
6 |
| 7 |
Tuskegee |
9-3 |
7 |
| 8 |
Winston-Salem State |
9-3 |
8 |
| 9 |
Virginia State |
9-2 |
8 |
| 10 |
Bowie State |
7-4 |
10 |
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