Bethune Cookman and Albany State Lead Off In HSRN’s 2011 Pre-Season Polls

Hartly, DE – Bethune Cookman and Albany State will open their 2011 football season on top in HSRN’s Pre-Season Division I FCS and Division II Top-10 polls. Each week during the 2011 season HSRN staff and writers, along with selected media representatives and SIDs, will rank Historical Black Colleges Division I FCS and NCAA Division II teams.

Division I FCS voting have the defending MEAC Co-Champions each receiving first place votes, but it was Bethune Cookman getting the top spot with 10. Albany State got all but three first place votes to beat out Shaw, who picked up three, for the top spot in Division II.

Division I-FCS Top-10 Pre-Season

#	Schools (1st Place Votes)	2011 Record	Total Points	Final 2010 Ranking (Record)
1.	Bethune Cookman (10)	0-0	174	1 (10-2)
2.	S.C. State (5)	0-0	171	3 (9-3)
3.	Florida A&M (3)	0-0	152	5 (8-3)
4.	Jackson St. (2)	0-0	138	6 (8-3)
5.	Grambling St.	0-0	127	4 (9-2)
6.	Texas Southern	0-0	110	2 (9-3)
7.	Hampton	0-0	69	9 (6-5)
8.	Alabama St.	0-0	55	7 (7-5)
9.	Prairie View	0-0	38	8 (7-4)
10.	Norfolk St.	0-0	24	10 (6-5)
	Others Receiving votes: Alcorn St. 20, N.C. Central 10, AL A&M 5, TN St. 4, Morgan St. 2,ARK PB 1

Division II Pre-Season

#	Schools (1st Place Votes)	2011 Record	Total Points	Final 2010 Ranking (Record)
1.	Albany St.  (17)	0-0	195	1 (11-1)
2.	Shaw  (3)	0-0	179	2 (9-3)
3.	Tuskegee	0-0	160	3 (9-2)
4.	St. Augustine’s	0-0	123	4 (9-2)
5.	Ft. Valley St.	0-0	108	5 (8-3)
6.	Winston Salem St.	0-0	105	6 (8-2)
7.	Morehouse	0-0	78	8 (8-3)
8.	Virginia St.	0-0	54	7 (8-3)
9.	Elizabeth City St.	0-0	49	10 (6-4)
10.	Bowie St.	0-0	34	9 (6-4)
	Others Receiving votes: Fayetteville St. 11, Miles 2, Langston 2

VISIT: HSRN.com

2011 New York Urban League Football Classic

Howard University and Morgan State University will faceoff once again in the New York Urban League Classic at the New Meadowlands Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2011.

In 2010, NYUL had the first college football game ever played at New Meadowlands Stadium and we are excited about returning for the second year.

Last year, after two field goals and three interceptions, the Morgan State Bears defeated Howard University’s Bison 20-3 in front of nearly 35,000 football fans. The tension between the college rivals has had nearly a year to brew and it will be an all out battle on the field to see which team will march out of New Meadowlands Stadium victorious. The competition doesn’t miss a beat as the ultimate Battle of the Bands takes the field during the Halftime Show. The New York Urban League Football Classic steeped in tradition, reunions, and football fun.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit: New York Urban League Football Classic

VISIT: HOWARD UNIVERSITY BISON ATHLETICS
VISIT: MORGAN STATE BEARS ATHLETICS

JSU Opens Fall Practice with a Bang

Coach Rick Comegy

Jackson, MS - A chance for the SWAC title might not be in play for Jackson State this season, but that's not slowing down the Tigers at all. JSU holding its first practice of the fall earlier today and from the start you could see plenty of excitement and energy from the group.

The Tigers are building off of last season's 8-3 performance and will be riding the arm of preseason Walter Payton Award watch list candidate Casey Therriault.

Head coach Rick Comegy says he expects an improved special teams unit and defense this season. He says this team is unified and doesn't have just one key player.

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FAMU eager to begin practice, ready to prove naysayers wrong

Coach Joe Taylor

Tallahassee, FL - Some players are so vexed by the preseason prediction that Florida A&M will finish third in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference that they could hardly wait to get onto the practice field. They will have to hold their anxiety a few more days, though.

"We have been working for about 12 weeks and we are ready to play," said senior safety Anthony Shutt. "We are tired of seeing each other."

Well, it will be like that for another four weeks. But at least the Rattlers will get a chance to do a little hitting in a few days after they spend the next two days going through orientation and other formalities. They'll also spend their afternoons participating walk-through drills all of this week.

The team will begin to get a little more physical on Aug. 15. Two-a-days will be held...

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Davenport: I voted SSU No. 1 in the MEAC

Savannah, GA - Watch out, Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. Steve Davenport has come out swinging.

Savannah State University has not produced a winning football season since 1998, but that did not stop the Tigers’ first-year head coach from picking SSU to win the MEAC during its inaugural season as a conference member.



Davenport revealed Sunday during SSU’s Media Day at Tiger Arena that he voted SSU No. 1 in the MEAC’s preseason poll, which was announced July 29 during the conference’s preseason luncheon in Norfolk, Va.

In a secret ballot, the MEAC’s football coaches and sports information directors picked SSU to finish last among the conference’s 11 schools that play football. The MEAC has 13 schools, but Coppin State and Maryland Eastern Shore do not have football programs.

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