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testRANKINGS
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 next update will come in late October as the top 15 will be reduced to the top 10 overall in each division. 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. 13 in the Mercedes-Benz Dome in Atlanta, GA with the show starting at 7 PM EST. It will be simulcast on ESPN3 and ESPN Plus.
Rankings Release Dates:
October Rankings: October 3, 2024
November Rankings: TBD
Final Cumulative Ranking: TBD
October 2024
| 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 |
Drum Major | Percussion | Musicality | Drill and Design | Auxiliary | ||
| 1 | North Carolina A&T University | 323.5 | 10 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 3 | |
| 2 | Southern University | 321 | 12 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 1 | |
| 3 | Norfolk State University | 319 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 9 | |
| 4 | Jackson State University | 313 | 4 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 11 | |
| 5 | Bethune Cookman University | 309.5 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 1 | 16 | |
| 6 | Florida A&M University | 309 | 16 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 17 | |
| 7 | Texas Southern University | 305.5 | 1 | 17 | 8 | 7 | 7 | |
| 8 | Prairie View A&M University | 298 | 11 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 5 | |
| 9 | Alabama State University | 297.5 | 8 | 10 | 7 | 8 | 18 | |
| 10 | Tennessee State University | 295 | 7 | 15 | 6 | 13 | 6 | |
| 11 | Alcorn State University | 289 | 15 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 14 | |
| 12 | Alabama A&M University | 287.5 | 14 | 5 | 13 | 17 | 4 | |
| 13 | University of Arkansas Pine Bluff | 278.5 | 6 | 19 | 20 | 9 | 13 | |
| 14 | Grambling State University | 278 | 20 | 18 | 15 | 10 | 2 | |
| 15 | North Carolina Central University | 278 | 3 | 14 | 17 | 18 | 10 | |
| Drum Major Top 10 | ||||||||
| 1 | Texas Southern University | |||||||
| 2 | Bethune Cookman University | |||||||
| 3 | North Carolina Central University | |||||||
| 4 | Jackson State University | |||||||
| 5 | Norfolk State University | |||||||
| 6 | University of Arkansas Pine Bluff | |||||||
| 7 | Tennessee State University | |||||||
| 8 | Alabama State University | |||||||
| 9 | Howard University | |||||||
| 10 | North Carolina A&T University | |||||||
| Percussion Top 10 | ||||||||
| 1 | North Carolina A&T University | |||||||
| 2 | Florida A&M University | |||||||
| 3 | Norfolk State University | |||||||
| 4 | Southern University | |||||||
| 5 | Alabama A&M University | |||||||
| 6 | South Carolina State University | |||||||
| 7 | Bethune- Cookman University | |||||||
| 8 | Jackson State University | |||||||
| 9 | Prairie View A&M University | |||||||
| 10 | Alabama State University | |||||||
| Musicality Top 10 | ||||||||
| 1 | Norfolk State University | |||||||
| 2 | Florida A&M University | |||||||
| 3 | Jackson State University | |||||||
| 4 | North Carolina A&T University | |||||||
| 5 | Southern University | |||||||
| 6 | Tennessee State University (Independent) | |||||||
| 7 | Alabama State University | |||||||
| 8 | Texas Southern University | |||||||
| 9 | Bethune- Cookman University | |||||||
| 10 | Alcorn State University | |||||||
| Pics. Drill & Design Top 10 | ||||||||
| 1 | Bethune- Cookman University | |||||||
| 2 | Florida A&M University | |||||||
| 3 | Norfolk State University | |||||||
| 4 | North Carolina A&T University | |||||||
| 5 | Jackson State University | |||||||
| 6 | Southern University | |||||||
| 7 | Texas Southern University | |||||||
| 8 | Alabama State University | |||||||
| 9 | University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff | |||||||
| 10 | Grambling State University | |||||||
| Dance Top 10 | ||||||||
| 1 | Texas Southern University | |||||||
| 2 | Southern University | |||||||
| 3 | Grambling State University | |||||||
| 4 | Alabama A&M University | |||||||
| 5 | North Carolina A&T University | |||||||
| 6 | Prairie View A&M University | |||||||
| 7 | Howard University | |||||||
| 8 | University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff | |||||||
| 9 | Tennessee State University (Independent) | |||||||
| 10 | Alabama State University | |||||||
| Flag Top 10 | ||||||||
| 1 | North Carolina A&T University | |||||||
| 2 | Norfolk State University | |||||||
| 3 | North Carolina Central University | |||||||
| 4 | South Carolina State University | |||||||
| 5 | Alabama A&M University | |||||||
| 6 | Prairie View A&M University | |||||||
| 7 | Hampton University (Independent) | |||||||
| 8 | Howard University | |||||||
| 9 | Morgan State University | |||||||
| 10 | Alcorn State University | |||||||
| Majorette Top 3 | ||||||||
| 1 | Hampton University (Independent) | |||||||
| 2 | Howard University | |||||||
| 3 | South Carolina State University |
| 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 II HBCU Bands
(and Positions in each category)
| Division II Overall Top 15 | Total Points | Drum Major | Percussion | Musicality | Pic. Drill & Design | Auxiliary | |
| 1 | Miles College | 293 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 12 |
| 2 | Florida Memorial | 286 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 1 | 5 |
| 3 | Virginia State University | 284.6 | 16 | 4 | 1 | 10 | 3 |
| 4 | Winston- Salem State University | 269.5 | 10 | 14 | 2 | 12 | 8 |
| 5 | Tuskegee College | 267 | 12 | 7 | 3 | 21 | 2 |
| 6 | Albany State University | 258 | 11 | 12 | 7 | 5 | 7 |
| 7 | Langston University (Independent) | 256 | 4 | 16 | 9 | 3 | 11 |
| 8 | Talladega College (Independent) | 251 | 6 | 6 | 17 | 8 | 13 |
| 9 | Central State University | 249 | 3 | 9 | 21 | 6 | 10 |
| 10 | Morehouse College | 248.5 | 9 | 15 | 10 | 11 | 1 |
| 11 | Fayetteville State University | 245 | 13 | 3 | 14 | 9 | 17 |
| 12 | Savannah State | 244.5 | 5 | 20 | 11 | 4 | 16 |
| 13 | Elizabeth City State University | 239.5 | 7 | 17 | 18 | 7 | 4 |
| 14 | Benedict College | 238.5 | 8 | 11 | 6 | 14 | 20 |
| 15 | Edward Waters College (Independent) | 233.5 | 21 | 13 | 5 | 15 | 14 |
|
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|||||||
| Drum Major Top 10 | |||||||
| 1 | Miles College | ||||||
| 2 | Florida Memorial | ||||||
| 3 | Central State University | ||||||
| 4 | Langston University (Independent) | ||||||
| 5 | Savannah State | ||||||
| 6 | Talladega College (Independent) | ||||||
| 7 | Elizabeth City State University | ||||||
| 8 | Benedict College | ||||||
| 9 | Morehouse College | ||||||
| 10 | Winston- Salem State University | ||||||
| Percussion Top 10 | |||||||
| 1 | Miles College | ||||||
| 2 | Florida Memorial | ||||||
| 3 | Fayetteville State University | ||||||
| 4 | Virginia State University | ||||||
| 5 | Lincoln University | ||||||
| 6 | Talladega College (Independent) | ||||||
| 7 | Tuskegee College | ||||||
| 8 | Shaw University | ||||||
| 9 | Central State University | ||||||
| 10 | Bowie State University | ||||||
|
|
|||||||
| Musicality Top 10 | |||||||
| 1 | Virginia State University | ||||||
| 2 | Winston Salem State University | ||||||
| 3 | Tuskegee College | ||||||
| 4 | Miles College | ||||||
| 5 | Edward Waters College (Independent) | ||||||
| 6 | Benedict College | ||||||
| 7 | Albany State University | ||||||
| 8 | Florida Memorial | ||||||
| 9 | Langston University (Independent) | ||||||
| 10 | Morehouse College | ||||||
| Pic. Drill and Design Top 10 | |||||||
| 1 | Florida Memorial | ||||||
| 2 | Miles College | ||||||
| 3 | Langston University | ||||||
| 4 | Savannah State | ||||||
| 5 | Albany State University | ||||||
| 6 | Central State University | ||||||
| 7 | Elizabeth City State University | ||||||
| 8 | Talladega | ||||||
| 9 | Fayetteville State University | ||||||
| 10 | Virginia State University | ||||||
| Dance Top 10 | |||||||
| 1 | Morehouse College | ||||||
| 2 | Tuskegee College | ||||||
| 3 | Elizabeth City State University | ||||||
| 4 | Albany State University | ||||||
| 5 | Fort Valley State University | ||||||
| 6 | Central State University | ||||||
| 7 | Florida Memorial | ||||||
| 8 | Bowie State University | ||||||
| 9 | Langston University | ||||||
| 10 | Winston Salem State University | ||||||
|
|
|||||||
| Flag Top 10 | |||||||
| 1 | Virginia State University | ||||||
| 2 | Florida Memorial | ||||||
| 3 | Morehouse College | ||||||
| 4 | Elizabeth City State University | ||||||
| 5 | Tuskegee College | ||||||
| 6 | Winston Salem State University | ||||||
| 7 | Bowie State University | ||||||
| 8 | Shaw University | ||||||
| 9 | Albany State University | ||||||
| 10 | Miles College | ||||||
| Majorette Top 2 | |||||||
| 1 | Virginia State University | ||||||
| 2 | Florida Memorial |
