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Football MSU Athletics Communications

Morgan State Enters Black College Football Poll at No. 10

BALTIMORE, Md. (Sept. 15, 2026) — Morgan State football has earned its first national ranking of the 2026 season, landing at No. 10 in the latest Black College Football Division I FCS Poll following a dominant 55-0 shutout of Virginia University of Lynchburg on Saturday (Sept. 12).

The Bears, who improved to 2-1 overall following their shutout victory in their 2026 home opener, received 82 points to secure the No. 10 position in this week's poll. Morgan State is one of four Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) programs represented in the Division I FCS rankings.

South Carolina State retained the No. 1 ranking and was a unanimous selection, receiving all 26 first-place votes and 520 total points. Delaware State is ranked No. 5, North Carolina Central is No. 7, while Howard received votes.

The Bears made a statement in their first home game of the season, scoring 55 unanswered points while holding Virginia University of Lynchburg scoreless. Morgan State's offense produced 428 total yards, while the defense recorded its first shutout of the season.

The Bears have now won two of their last three games and will look to carry their momentum into their next contest when they travel to take on crosstown rival Towson in the "Battle for Greater Baltimore" on Saturday, Sept. 19.

Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Minnegan Field at Johnny Unitas Stadium. The game will be broadcast live on FloCollege and Monumental Sports Network, with additional radio coverage provided by WEAA 88.9 FM.

The Black College Football Poll is the first officially endorsed national poll dedicated exclusively to HBCU football programs competing at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) and NCAA Division II levels.

The poll is jointly sanctioned by the MEAC, Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA), and Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAC), providing a unified national ranking of HBCU football programs across both divisions.

Black College Football Poll
NCAA Division I (FCS)
 Rank  Institution  Record   Points
 1  South Carolina State  3-0, 0-0  520 (26)
 2  Jackson State  1-1, 1-0  406
 3  Alabama State  2-1, 0-0  370
 4  Prairie View A&M  1-2, 0-0  336
 5  Delaware State  2-1, 0-0  320
 6  Grambling State  2-1, 0-0  188
 7  North Carolina Central  2-1, 0-0  170
 8  Alabama A&M  2-1, 0-0  168
 9  Alcorn State  2-1, 0-1  100
 10  Morgan State  2-1, 0-0  82
First-place votes in parentheses.

Others Receiving Votes: Howard 76, Bethune-Cookman 44, Texas Southern 22, North Carolina A&T 12.


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ABOUT MORGAN
Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified high research (R2) institution offering more than 150 baccalaureate, master's degree, doctorate, and certificate programs. As Maryland's Preeminent Public Urban Research University, and the only university to have its entire campus designated as a National Treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Morgan serves a multiethnic and multiracial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information about Morgan State University, visit www.morgan.edu.
 
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