North Carolina a hotbed for top FCS football teams, with four in this week’s national rankings, including N.C. A&T and NCCU

GREENSBORO, North Carolina -- NC State is the only North Carolina team ranked among the nation’s top 25 in the Football Bowl Subdivision. The Wolfpack, however, isn’t the only state entry in the national college polls.

The Old North State has become a hotbed for top Championship Subdivision teams, with no fewer than four making the grade this week in the STATS FCS Top 25 rankings.

Undefeated NC A&T, at 6-0, leads the way at No. 15, followed by Elon at No. 16, Western Carolina at No. 21 and NC Central, which became the latest team to enter the poll at No. 25 following its 13-7 win at Howard last Saturday.

The Eagles have won four straight since a season-opening loss to Duke. This marks the second straight season they’ve been ranked, after topping out at No. 18 in 2016. Coach Jerry Mack’s team made its first appearance in the national poll as a Division I program last November 7.

“Anytime you get a chance to have some recognition,whether it’s in life or on the football field, I think everybody appreciates that,” Mack said earlier this week. “But with that comes and responsibility and we have to go out there this Saturday against Gardner-Webb and prove we are worthy of being a top 25 team.”

Central’s MEAC rival A&T has done just that by outscoring its first six opponents by a 250-61 margin during the first half of its regular season schedule.



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