2026 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 and Professor Dowell Taylor.

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+.

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

 

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September 2026

Top 15 HBCU Bands | Division I

	Division I “TOP 15” Overall	Points
1	Norfolk State University	304.6
2	North Carolina A&T State University	304.5
3	Bethune-Cookman University	303.5
4	Florida A&M University	303.4
5	Jackson State University	301.5
6	Prairie View A&M University	295.7
7	Texas Southern University	294.5
8	Southern University	291.8
9	Alabama A&M University	290.5
10	Tennessee State University	2833.5
11	Alabama State University	279.5
12	South Carolina State University	279.5
13	Grambling State University	278
14	North Carolina Central University	274.5
15	Alcorn State University	269.5

 

Top 15 Per Category | Division I

	Drum Major Top 15		Percussion Top 15		Musicality Top 15		Pics. Drill & Design Top 15		Auxiliaries Top 15
1	Jackson State University	1	South Carolina State University	1	Jackson State University	1	Florida A&M University	1	Prairie View A&M University
2	Florida A&M University	2	Norfolk State University	2	Florida A&M University	2	Jackson State University	2	Texas Southern University
3	Bethune Cookman University	3	North Carolina Central University	3	Southern University	3	Grambling State University	3	Howard University
4	North Carolina A&T University	4	North Carolina A&T University	4	Prairie View A&M University	4	Bethune- Cookman University	4	Norfolk State University
5	Texas Southern University	5	Bethune- Cookman University	5	Norfolk State University	5	Southern University	5	North Carolina A&T University
6	Norfolk State University	6	Jackson State University	6	North Carolina A&T University	6	North Carolina A&T University	6	Alabama A&M University
7	Texas Southern University	7	Hampton University	7	Bethune-Cookman University	7	Texas Southern University	7	Southern University
8	Alabama A&M University	8	Alabama State University	8	Alabama A&M University	8	Norfolk State University	8	Alabama State University
9	Tennessee State University	9	Florida A&M University	9	Texas Southern University	9	Alabama A&M University	9	Alcorn State University
10	Prairie View A&M University	10	Prairie View A&M University	10	Tennessee State University	10	Prairie View A&M University	10	Florida A&M University
11	Southern University	11	Delaware State Unversity	11	Alcorn State University	11	Tennessee State University	11	Bethune Cookman University
12	Morgan State University	12	Tennessee State University	12	University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff	12	Alabama State University	12	South Carolina State University
13	North Carolina Central University	13	Texas Southern University	13	Alabama State University	13	University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff	13	Tennessee State University
14	South Carolina State University	14	Alabama A&M University	14	Grambling State	14	Alcorn State University	14	North Carolina Central University
15	Howard University	15	Howard University	15	North Carolina Central University	15	Hampton University	15	Grambling State

 

Top 15 HBCU Bands | Division II

	Division II “TOP 15” Overall	Points
1	Virginia State University	299.3
2	Fayetteville State University	273.25
3	Miles College	264.2
4	Winston-Salem State University	264.15
5	Tuskegee University	261.1
6	Savannah State University	259.55
7	Langston University	258.6
8	Albany State University	245.85
9	Fort Valley State University	245.4
10	Talladega College	242.45
11	Benedict College	237.4
12	Elizabeth City State University	233.4
13	Florida Memorial University	224.4
14	Morehouse College	223.2
15	Bowie State University	220.6

 

Top 15 Per Category | Division II

	Drum Major Top 15		Percussion Top 15		Musicality Top 15		Pics. Drill & Design Top 15		Auxiliaries Top 15
1	Tuskegee University	1	Virginia State University	1	Fayetteville State University	1	Virginia State University	1	Morehouse College
2	Miles College	2	Fayetteville State University	2	Virginia State University	2	Fayetteville State University	2	Virginia State University
3	Virginia State University	3	Elizabeth City State University	3	Albany State University	3	Miles College	3	Langston University
4	Savannah State University	4	Bowie State University	4	Winston Salem State University	4	Savannah State University	4	Florida Memorial Unversity
5	Winston Salem State University	5	Fort Valley State University	5	Langston University	5	Benedict College	5	Talladega College
6	Langston University	6	Johnson C. Smith University	6	Savannah State University	6	Elizabeth City State University	6	Tuskegee University
7	Morehouse College	7	Tuskegee University	7	Talladega College	7	Winston Salem State University	7	Winston Salem State University
8	Fort Valley State University	8	Albany State University	8	Tuskegee University	8	Langston University	8	Albany State University
9	Benedict College	9	Miles College	9	Florida Memorial Unversity	9	Tuskegee University	9	Fayetteville State University
10	Johnson C. Smith University	10	Savannah State University	10	Miles College	10	Talladega College	10	Fort Valley State University
11	Talladega College	11	Winston Salem State University	11	Fort Valley State University	11	Albany State University	11	Miles College
12	Fayetteville State University	12	Talladega College	12	Elizabeth City State University	12	Clark Atlanta University	12	Clark Atlanta University
13	Albany State University	13	Langston University	13	Benedict College	13	Fort Valley State University	13	Bowie State University
14	Florida Memorial Unversity	14	Benedict College	14	Bowie State University	14	Bowie State University	14	Central State University
15	Elizabeth City State University	15	Florida Memorial Unversity	15	Arkansas Baptist College	15	Central State University	15	Benedict College