East Division

1. Jackson State is the favorite to claim the East for the third time in four years. Polling at 126 points with 16 first-place votes, the Tigers are riding high from their 2024 HBCU National title run, where they went 12-2 and dominated the Celebration Bowl. Head Coach T.C. Taylor has built a talent-laden team with playmakers. Pearson Offensive Player of the Year Jacobian Morgan returns; last season he had 3,000 passing yards and 25 touchdowns plus he has weapons including All-SWAC First-Team wide receivers Nate Rembert and Jonas Fortilien, who combined for 1,800 receiving yards last season. On the defensive side, lineman Jermiah Williams led SWAC in sacks (42). If Jackson State stays healthy this season, they are going to be back-to-back HBCU National Champions.

2. Don’t sleep on Florida A&M Rattlers at 99 points, second place in the West Division and third in the conference, as a primary threat. After the 2024 season, the Rattlers reloaded with running back Thad Franklin, a junior who rushed for 1,200 yards and earned first-team preseason honors. On the defensive side, they have Davion Westmoreland who had 32 tackles and 4.5 sacks. If quarterback Daniel Richerson remains consistent, the Rattlers could upset Jackson State this season (they played each other on Oct. 11).

3. Alabama State Hornets, polling at 91 points, is one top-tier team in SWAC that could potentially upset Jackson State, Southern, and FAMU this season. Last season, they ranked as one of the top defensive teams in SWAC, leading in nine of ten first place positions in every SWAC/FCS category. If Andrew Body stays healthy and Alabama State's defense brings the same hunger and momentum from last season, the Hornets will be the 2025 SWAC Champion and HBCU National Champion.

West Division

4. In the West, Southern Jaguars are the team to beat; they have 120 points and 17 first-place votes. As the 2024 Division champs, they return Preseason Defensive Player of the Year Kelby Givens, who terrorized quarterbacks with 26.5 tackles for loss, the best in SWAC/FCS. Linebacker Vincent Pages Jr. joined him as well; last season they both allowed 18 points per game. With this powerhouse on the field, Southern is going to be in the top 10 defenses in SWAC. Offensively, they have Noah Bodden, who had 1,219 passing yards with f ive touchdowns; with his leadership, the Jaguars are going back to the SWAC Championship, but to get there, they have a huge task at home against Jackson State (Sep. 27) and Florida A&M (Oct. 25).

5. Alcorn State Braves, who have 90 points, rank second in the West and could be a spoiler with their ground game. Running back Jacorian Sewell, a first-team preseason selection, rushed for 1,100 yards with six touchdowns in 2024, while Stemarion Edwards led the defense. With Coach Cedric Thomas, Alcorn has the experience to flip the script if Southern stumbles.

If these polls are true, expect a Jackson State vs. Southern SWAC Championship rematch of last year's thriller, which Jackson State won 28-24. The Tigers' offense and Jaguars' defense must-see TV. But in SWAC, upsets happen, and either FAMU, the Hornets, or Braves could crash the party for both teams.