RANKINGS

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 first Committee ranking will be released in mid-September and will feature the top 15 bands. A second ranking, announced in late October, will narrow the field to the top 10 bands in each division, followed by a November ranking to identify the top five. From the cumulative ranking, all bands are considered equally, the Committee will select the top two bands in each division to compete for the Red Lobster Band of the Year title in December at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. The show begins at 7 p.m. EST and will be simulcast on ESPN3 and ESPN+.

 

Rankings Release Dates:

September Rankings HBCU: September 18
September Rankings High School: September 24
October Rankings HBCU: October 15
October Rankings High School: October 21
November Rankings HBCU (Top 10):  November 12
November Rankings HBCU (Top 5): November 14
November Rankings HBCU & High School (Top 2): November 18. Note, the committee will select the top 2 bands out of the November 14th Top 5 ranking.

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November 2025

Category	Highest Score by Category
Musicality	80
Pictures, Drill, and Design	80
Percussion	70
Drum Majors	50
Auxiliaries (See Below)	50
Dance, Flags, Majorettes	= Mean/Average of all 3 individual scores (If Applicable)
Highest Possible Points Per Band	330

 

Top 15 Division I HBCU Bands
(and Positions in each category)

	Division I “TOP 15” Overall	Sept. Ranking	Oct. Ranking	Nov. Ranking	Total Score
1	North Carolina A&T	305.2	317.03	322.9	945.13
2	Southern University	299.5	315.44	312.8	927.74
3	Florida A&M	286	321.57	313.7	921.27
4	Norfolk State University	284	319.37	309.8	913.17
5	Texas Southern University	280.5	290.27	312.19	882.96
6	Prairie View A&M University	278.4	294.34	280.3	853.04
7	Alabama State University	264.1	286.87	298.3	849.27
8	Hampton University	240.7	295.77	306.5	842.97
9	Alabama A&M University	257.5	298.62	278.9	835.02
10	Grambling State University	259.5	293.9	277	830.4
11	Tennessee State University
12	Morgan State University
13	Alcorn State University
14	South Carolina State University
15	University of Arkansas Pine Bluff
Drum Major Top 10   Percussion Top 10   Musicality Top 10 1 Florida A&M University 1 Alabama A&M University 1 Norfolk State University 2 North Carolina A&T University 2 Alabama State University 2 Florida A&M University 3 Norfolk State University 3 Alcorn State University 3 North Carolina A&T University 4 Southern University 4 Delaware State University 4 Southern University 5 Alabama A&M University 5 Florida A&M University 5 Morgan State University 6 Prairie View A&M University 6 Grambling State University 6 Texas Southern University 7 Texas Southern University 7 Hampton University 7 Alabama State University 8 Alabama State University 8 Howard University 8 Alabama A&M University 9 Hampton University 9 Mississippi Valley State University 9 Grambling State University 10 Alcorn State University 10 Morgan State University 10 Tennessee State University               Pics. Drill & Design Top 10   Auxiliaries Top 10     1 North Carolina A&T University 1 Southern University     2 Southern University 2 North Carolina A&T University     3 Florida A&M University 3 Hampton University     4 Norfolk State University 4 Norfolk State University     5 Alcorn State University 5 Texas Southern University     6 Texas Southern University 6 Florida A&M University     7 Prairie View A&M University 7 Tennessee State University     8 Hampton University 8 Alabama A&M University     9 Alabama State University 9 Alabama State University     10 Tennessee State University 10 Prairie View A&M University

  

Top 10 Division II HBCU Bands
(and Positions in each category)

	Division I “TOP 15” Overall	Sept. Ranking	Oct. Ranking	Nov. Ranking	Total Score
1	Virginia State Univesity	287.5	294.2	296.8	878.5
2	Fayetteville State University	280	276	274.75	830.75
3	Miles College	267	281.1	280.5	828.6
4	Tuskegee University	244.5	285.6	270	800.1
5	Winston Salem State University	246	270.5	277	793.5
6	Albany State University	275.5	258.5	255.5	789.5
7	Florida Memorial	242	272.1	269	783.1
8	Savannah State University	243	258.5	260.4	761.9
9	Benedict College	225	269.5	264.5	759
10	Elizabeth City State University	249	251	242.2	742.2
11	Virginia Union University
12	Edward Waters University
13	Central State University
14	Talladega University
15	Langston University
Drum Major Top 10   Percussion Top 10   Musicality Top 10 1 Virginia State University 1 Virginia State University 1 Miles College 2 Florida Memorial 2 Miles College 2 Virginia State University 3 Fayetteville State University 3 Florida Memorial 3 Fayetteville State University 4 Savannah State University 4 Fayetteville State University 4 Albany State University 5 Edward Waters College 5 Tuskegee University 5 Winston Salem State University 6 Tuskegee University 6 Benedict College 6 Benedict College 7 Miles College 7 Virginia Union University 7 Tuskegee University 8 Winston Salem State University 8 Winston Salem State University 8 Savannah State University 9 Talladega College 9 Talladega College 9 Florida Memorial 10 Elizabeth City State University 10 Elizabeth City State University 10 Elizabeth City State University               Pics. Drill & Design Top 10   Auxiliaries Top 10     1 Virginia State University 1 Virginia State University     2 Fayetteville State University 2 Albany State University     3 Miles College 3 Tuskegee University     4 Tuskegee University 4 Winston Salem State University     5 Albany State University 5 Fayetteville State University     6 Winston Salem State University 6 Florida Memorial     7 Savannah State University 7 Benedict College     8 Benedict College 8 Miles College     9 Elizabeth City State University 9 Virginia Union University     10 Florida Memorial 10 Edward Waters College

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October 2025

Category	Highest Score by Category
Musicality	80
Pictures, Drill, and Design	80
Percussion	70
Drum Majors	50
Auxiliaries (See Below)	50
Dance, Flags, Majorettes	= Mean/Average of all 3 individual scores (If Applicable)
Highest Possible Points Per Band	330

 

Top 12 Division I HBCU Bands
(and Positions in each category)

	Division I “TOP 12” Overall	Points	Sept. Ranking
1	Florida A&M University	321.57	4
2	Norfolk State University	319.37	5
3	North Carolina A&T University	317.03	1
4	Southern University	315.44	2
5	Jackson State University *	314.61	8
6	Bethune Cookman University *	310.49	3
7	Alabama A&M University	298.62	12
8	Hampton University	295.77	17
9	Prairie View A&M University	294.34	7
10	Grambling State University	293.9	10
11	Texas Southern University	290.27	6
12	South Carolina State University	289.55	14
Drum Major Top 12   Percussion Top 12   Musicality Top 12 1 Florida A&M University 1 North Carolina A&T University 1 Norfolk State University 2 Alabama A&M University 2 Norfolk State University 2 Florida A&M University 3 North Carolina A&T University 3 Florida A&M University 3 Bethune-Cookman University * 4 Southern University 4 Southern University 4 North Carolina A&T University 5 Norfolk State University 5 Prairie View A&M University 5 Jackson State University * 6 Jackson State University * 6 Jackson State University * 6 Southern University 7 South Carolina State University 7 Morgan State University 7 Alabama A&M University 8 Bethune-Cookman University * 8 Bethune-Cookman University * 8 Morgan State University 9 Hampton University 9 Hampton University 9 Alabama State University 10 Texas Southern University 10 Texas Southern University 10 Alcorn State University 11 Prairie View A&M University 11 Grambling State University 11 Prarie View A&M University 12 University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff 12 North Carolina Central University 12 South Carolina State University               Pics. Drill & Design Top 12   Auxiliaries Top 12     1 Jackson State University * 1 Southern University     2 Norfolk State University 2 North Carolina A&T University     3 Grambling State University 3 Bethune-Cookman University *     4 Southern University 4 Jackson State University *     5 North Carolina A&T University 5 Florida A&M University     6 Bethune-Cookman University * 6 Hampton University     7 Hampton University 7 Alabama A&M University     8 Florida A&M University 8 Alabama State University     9 Prarie View A&M University 9 Texas Southern University     10 Alabama A&M University 10 Alcorn State University     11 Texas Southern University 11 Norfolk State University     12 Alcorn State University 12 Grambling State University

 

Top 10 Division II HBCU Bands
(and Positions in each category)

	Division II “TOP 10” Overall	Points	Sept. Rankings
1	Virginia State Trojan Explosion	294.2	1
2	Tuskegee University	285.6	7
3	Miles College Purple Marching Machine	281.1	4
4	Fayetteville State University	276	2
5	Florida Memorial	272.1	9
6	Winston Salem State University	270.5	6
7	Benedict College	269.5	12
8	Albany State University	258.5	3
9	Savannah State University	258.5	8
10	Langston University	257	11
Drum Major Top 10   Percussion Top 10   Musicality Top 10 1 Virginia State Trojan Explosion 1 Clark Atlanta University 1 Fayetteville State University 2 Miles College Purple Marching Machine 2 Miles College Purple Marching Machine 2 Virginia State Trojan Explosion 3 Savannah State University 3 Talladega College 3 Winston Salem State University 4 Benedict College 4 Florida Memorial 4 Tuskegee University 5 Tuskegee University 5 Langston University 5 Miles College Purple Marching Machine 6 Elizabeth City State University 6 Savannah State University 6 Benedict College 7 Florida Memorial 7 Fayetteville State University 7 Elizabeth City State University 8 Clark Atlanta University 8 Benedict College 8 Florida Memorial 9 Fayetteville State University 9 Virginia State Trojan Explosion 9 Langston University 10 Johnson C. Smith University 10 Tuskegee University 10 Albany State University               Pics. Drill & Design Top 10   Auxiliaries Top 10     1 Virginia State Trojan Explosion 1 Tuskegee University     2 Fayetteville State University 2 Virginia State Trojan Explosion     3 Tuskegee University 3 Winston Salem State University     4 Albany State University 4 Morehouse College     5 Florida Memorial 5 Albany State University     6 Miles College Purple Marching Machine 6 Savannah State University     7 Virginia Union University 7 Benedict College     8 Winston Salem State University 8 Miles College Purple Marching Machine     9 Benedict College 9 Central State University     10 Elizabeth City State University 10 Edward Waters College

 

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September 2025

Category	Highest Score by Category
Musicality	80
Pictures, Drill, and Design	80
Percussion	70
Drum Majors	50
Auxiliaries (See Below)	50
Dance, Flags, Majorettes	= Mean/Average of all 3 individual scores (If Applicable)
Highest Possible Points Per Band	330

 

Top 15 Division I HBCU Bands
(and Positions in each category)

	Division I “TOP 15” Overall	Points
1	North Carolina A&T University	305.70
2	Southern University	299.70
3	Bethune Cookman University	293.25
4	Florida A&M University	286.55
5	Norfolk State University	284
6	Texas Southern University	280.55
7	Prairie View A&M University	278.65
8	Jackson State University	273.60
9	Alabama State University	264.35
10	Grambling State University	259.5
11	Tennessee State University	258.80
12	Alabama A&M University	257.5
13	Alcorn State University	257.75
14	South Carolina State University	251
15	University of Arkansas Pine Bluff	247.5
Drum Major Top 15   Percussion Top 15   Musicality Top 15 1 North Carolina A&T University 1 North Carolina A&T University 1 North Carolina A&T University 2 Norfolk State University 2 Southern University 2 Southern University 3 Bethune Cookman University 3 Prairie View A&M University 3 Florida A&M University 4 Florida A&M University 4 Jackson State University 4 Jackson State University 5 Prairie View A&M University 5 Norfolk State University 5 Texas Southern University 6 Texas Southern University 6 Florida A&M University 6 Bethune-Cookman University 7 Alabama State University 7 Bethune- Cookman University 7 Norfolk State University 8 Alcorn State University 8 Texas Southern University 8 Alabama State University 9 Southern University 9 Grambling State 9 Grambling State 10 Alabama A&M University 10 South Carolina State University 10 Tennessee State University 11 South Carolina State University 11 Tennessee State University 11 Morgan State University 12 Delaware State University 12 Alabama A&M University 12 Alabama A&M University 13 Mississippi Valley State University 13 Alabama State University 13 Prairie View A&M University 14 North Carolina Central University 14 North Carolina Central University 14 Alcorn State University 15 Hampton University 15 University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff 15 Mississippi Valley State University               Pics. Drill & Design Top 15   Auxiliaries Top 15     1 Bethune- Cookman University 1 Southern University     2 North Carolina A&T University 2 North Carolina A&T University     3 Southern University 3 Texas Southern University     4 Florida A&M University 4 Norfolk State University     5 Alcorn State University 5 Prairie View A&M University     6 Jackson State University 6 Hampton University     7 Texas Southern University 7 Bethune Cookman University     8 Grambling State University 8 Alabama A&M University     9 Norfolk State University 9 University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff     10 Prairie View A&M University 10 Alabama State University     11 Mississippi Valley State University 11 Florida A&M University     12 Alabama State University 12 South Carolina State University     13 Hampton University 13 Tennessee State University     14 Tennessee State University 14 Howard University     15 University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff 15 Jackson State University

 

 

Top 15 Division II HBCU Bands
(and Positions in each category)

	Division II “TOP 15” Overall	Points
1	Virginia State University	287.95
2	Fayetteville State University	280.55
3	Albany State University	276.25
4	Miles College	267.15
5	Elizabeth City State University	249.90
6	Winston Salem State University	246.10
7	Tuskegee University	244.75
8	Savannah State University	243
9	Florida Memorial	242.35
10	Edward Waters College	236.30
11	Langston University	234.10
12	Virginia Union University	225.30
13	Benedict College	225
14	Clark Atlanta University	222
15	Talladega College	220.30
Drum Major Top 15   Percussion Top 15   Musicality Top 15 1 Virginia State University  1 Virginia State University  1 Miles College 2 Fayetteville State University  2 Tuskegee University  2 Virginia State University  3 Florida Memorial 3 Miles College 3 Fayetteville State University  4 Edward Waters College 4 Fayetteville State University  4 Albany State University  5 Albany State University  5 Virginia Union University  5 Langston University  6 Tuskegee University  6 Florida A&M University 6 Savannah State University  7 Elizabeth City State University  7 Fort Valley State University 7 Benedict College 8 Savannah State University  8 Elizabeth City State University  8 Elizabeth City State University  9 Winston Salem State University 9 Langston University  9 Winston Salem State University 10 Talladega College 10 Talladega College 10 Florida Memorial 11 Central State University 11 Florida Memorial 11 Central State University 12 Clark Atlanta University  12 Edward Waters College 12 Allen University 13 Miles College 13 Benedict College 13 Tuskegee University  14 Fort Valley State University 14 Clark Atlanta University  14 Virginia Union University  15 Livingstone College 15 Winston Salem State University 15 Edward Waters College               Pics. Drill & Design Top 15   Auxiliaries Top 15     1 Virginia State University  1 Albany State University      2 Savannah State University  2 Fort Valley State University     3 Fayetteville State University  3 Florida Memorial     4 Winston Salem State University 4 Edward Waters College     5 Albany State University  5 Virginia State Trojan Explosion     6 Miles College 6 Fayetteville State University      7 Elizabeth City State University  7 Winston Salem State University     8 Benedict College 8 Morehouse College     9 Tuskegee University  9 Benedict College     10 Virginia Union University  10 Elizabeth City State University      11 Langston University  11 Clark Atlanta University      12 Clark Atlanta University  12 Johnson C. Smith University     13 Shaw University 13 Miles College     14 Fort Valley State University 14 Savannah State University      15 Allen University  15 Virginia Union University

 

Top 25 Metro ATL High School Bands
(This is not a September Ranking.
Only in Alphabetical Order)

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Preseason Rankings