The latest rankings for the ESPN Band of The Year HBCU band championship are in and North Carolina A&T has made the leap to no. 1.
The North Carolina A&T Blue and Gold Marching Machine jumped up from no. 2 to no. 1, overtaking the Southern University Human Jukebox in the latest ESPN Band of Th Year rankings released exclusively to HBCU Gameday. A&T ranks first in musicality, percussion and picture, drill/design.
The rankings have been cut from the top 15 to the top 10 programs in their latest iteration.
10 Alabama State “Marching Hornets”
9 Florida A&M “Marching 100”
8 Tennessee State University “Aristocrat of Bands”
7 Southern University “Human Jukebox”
6 Prairie View A&M University “Marching Storm”
5 Bethune-Cookman University “Marching Wildcats”
4 Texas Southern University “Ocean of Soul”
3 Jackson State University “Sonic Boom of the South”
2 Norfolk State University “Spartan Legion”
1 NC A&T “Blue and Gold Marching Machine”
Auxiliaries
1 Jackson State
2 Norfolk State
3 North Carolina A&T
4 Texas Southern
5 Florida A&M
6 Tennessee State
7 Prairie View A&M
8 Southern
9 Bethune-Cookman
10 Alabama State
Drum Majors
1 Tennessee State
2 Prairie View A&M
3 Alabama State
4 NC A&T
5 Jackson State
6 Southern
7 Bethune-Cookman
8 Norfolk State
9 Hampton
10 Alcorn State
Musicality
1 NC A&T
2 Jackson State
3 Norfolk State
4 Southern
5 Bethune-Cookman
6 Tennessee State
7 Florida A&M
8 Texas Southern
9 Alabama State
10 Prairie View A&M
Percussion
1 North Carolina A&T
2 Norfolk State
3 Morgan State
4 Jackson State
5 Prairie View A&M
6 Tennessee State
7 Florida A&M
8 South Carolina State
9 Delaware State
10 Bethune-Cookman
Picture/Drill, Design
1 North Carolina A&T
2 Norfolk State
3 Bethune-Cookman4 Jackson State
5 Southern
6 Tennessee State
7 Florida A&M
8 Texas Southern
9 South Carolina State
10 Grambling State
Performances are judged on an individual basis, with judges giving scores for specific areas only. Bands are encouraged to submit a performance to be judged monthly. The committee is co-chaired by Jackson State Director of Bands Emeritus, Professor Dowell Taylor, and Dr. Julian E. White, FAMU Director of Bands Emeritus.
The November ranking will list the top five in each division. The final ranking will award the top two teams in each division a shot at the ESPN Band of The Year title, which will be determined Dec. 15 in the Mercedes-Benz Dome in Atlanta, GA with the show starting at 6 PM EST. It will be simulcast on ESPN3 and ESPN Plus.