COLUMBIA, S.C. – The Black College Football Poll issued its inaugural preseason Top 10 poll, with Benedict College coming in second.
 
Johnson C. Smith leads the inaugural poll, receiving 168 total points and 12 first-place votes. Benedict is second with 157 total points, but received the most first-place votes with 20.
 
Albany State is third, followed by Virginia Union, Kentucky State, Fayetteville State, Virginia State, Allen, Edward Waters and Tuskegee.
 
Benedict and Johnson C. Smith will meet in the season opener, Aug. 29, at 5 p.m. in Charlie W. Johnson Stadium in the "Battle of the Border Classic," a much-anticipated showdown between the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in Division II HBCU football. Tickets are available now at benedicttickets.com.
 
The Black College Football Poll will be conducted weekly throughout the regular season using a panel of head coaches of the two Division II HBCU conferences and select media members. The Black College Football Poll and the post-season Black College Football All-American teams have been formally endorsed and sanctioned by the two NCAA Division I conferences (Southwestern Athletic Conference and the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) along with the two NCAA Division II conferences (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association).