NORFOLK, Va. – The Norfolk State football team has been ranked No. 9 in the preseason HBCU Coaches Top 10 Poll compiled by BOXTOROW.
The Spartans are coming off a 6-5 season in 2021, their first official winning season since 2007, in the first year under head coach
Dawson Odums. The Spartans return 12 starters from that squad, which won six straight games in the middle of the season.
Reigning SWAC champion Jackson State was voted first in the preseason poll, followed by MEAC and Celebration Bowl champion South Carolina State at No. 2.
The BOXTOROW HBCU FCS Coaches Poll, in its 14th year, is administered by FROM THE PRESS BOX TO PRESS ROW and is voted on by the HBCU Football Championship Subdivision coaches.
2022 BOXTOROW Preseason HBCU FCS Football Coaches Poll
| No. |
Team |
W-L |
Pts |
2021 Final Rank |
| 1 |
Jackson State (6) |
11-2 |
166 |
2 |
| 2 |
South Carolina State (10) |
7-5 |
161 |
1 |
| 3 |
Florida A&M (1) |
9-3 |
149 |
3 |
| 4 |
Alabama A&M (1) |
7-3 |
92 |
5 |
| 5 |
Prairie View A&M |
7-5 |
79 |
4 |
| 6 |
Alcorn State |
6-5 |
66 |
6 |
| 7 |
North Carolina A&T |
5-6 |
62 |
9 |
| 8 |
North Carolina Central |
6-5 |
56 |
7 |
| 9 |
Norfolk State |
6-5 |
55 |
8 |
| 10 |
 Tennessee State |
5-6 |
49 |
10 |
