INDIANAPOLIS – North Carolina Central University closes out its historic 2016 football campaign as the 19th ranked team in the country, according to the final FCS Coaches Poll announced Monday, Jan. 9.
 
The Eagles collected the most wins in the program's Division I era with a 9-3 overall record and an unbeaten 8-0 mark in league play. NCCU defeated nationally-ranked North Carolina A&T 42-21 on Nov. 19 to capture the MEAC championship and earn the league's bid to the Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. After sharing the league crown in 2014 and 2015, the Eagles are the conference's first outright champion since 2012.
 
The Eagles received their first national ranking as a Division I-FCS program on Nov. 7, when the FCS Coaches Poll announced NCCU at No. 25. By the end of the regular season, the Eagles jumped to No. 18.
 
The final 2016 STATS FCS Top 25 poll ranks NCCU at No. 22.