HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – With the close of the most unique season in program history, the Alabama A&M Sports Information Office has been counting down the Top-10 stories of the 2020-21 season throughout the summer. Today, we conclude that countdown with the No. 1 story of the season – Football Earns First HBCU National Championship in Historic Season.
 
Make sure to check www.AAMUSports.com every Friday to catch the latest release.
 
Story No. 1: Football Earns First HBCU National Championship in Historic Season
Championships don't come easy and don't always come often. In a 2020 season delayed to Spring 2021 and continually impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, Alabama A&M football persevered to accomplish things never before seen in the program's long and illustrious history.
 
Amid a season that saw four games impacted a total of six times by postponements or cancellations, the Bulldogs won all five games to deliver the first undefeated season in 53 years, a run that would see a number of other incredible accomplishments along the way.
 
Chief among those were the first Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Championship since 2006, and just the second in program history, and the first Historically Black College and University (HBCU) National Championship for A&M.
 
While those three achievements may not have been on the radar at the start of the year, a number of individuals recognized that the Bulldogs could be in for a very special season. That began with four BOXTOROW Preseason All-Americans and continued with the SWAC announcing A&M as the league favorite along with a host of preseason honorees.
 
It would also see ESPN announce that they would carry four of the originally scheduled games, a slate that ended up being every game A&M took the field for, and BOXTOROW ranking their recruiting class No. 7 among HBCUs.
 
It wouldn't take long for in-season awards to roll in either as punter Troy Lendvay would earn his first of two straight SWAC Specialist of the Week honors, with those coming on March 10 and April 12 while Glass swept two national awards and SWAC recognition on the latter date. He and kicker Spencer Corey would also take home Specialist and Player of the Week honors, respectively on April 20.
 
In that time Alabama A&M posted a record-setting 52-43 at Jackson State (4/10) and delivered a dominant 38-14 shellacking of rival Alabama State (4/17) in the Magic City Classic. The latter put them into the SWAC Championship Game, one that they would win 40-33 over No. 25 Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
 
Award season would start early as both Glass and head coach Connell Maynor were named finalists for the Walter Payton Award and Eddie Robinson Award on April 19 as two of the best at their positions at the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).
 
It would be the precursor to a flood of awards, beginning with a program record 11 All-SWAC honorees and six BOXTOROW All-Americas on April 29. Wideout Abdul-Fatai Ibrahim would then be named an AFCA Second-Team All-American, becoming just the fourth ever, second in the NCAA Division I Era and first since 2007 before notching a spot on the HERO Sports Sophomore All-American squad.
 
The Bulldogs would also make history off the field as dominating defensive end Marcus Cushine was named a College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District selection on June 10 before becoming the first Academic All-America for the program in 29 years on July 12.
 
He would not be the only individual to earn national recognition as Glass became the first Bulldog to take home the Deacon Jones Trophy as the HBCU Player of the Year as selected by the Black College Football Hall of Fame.
 
Statistically, A&M was dominant in securing an impressive 23 Top-10 rankings in the final NCAA statistics and added a final national ranking of No. 24 in the Stats Perform FCS National Poll and No. 19 in the FCS Coaches Poll.
 
And with that, a season that featured unprecedented team and individual accomplishments and that was capped with championships and a perfect record for the first time since 1966 easily make the Spring 2021 football season the No. 1 story from a most unique 2020-21 season.
 
Countdown to the Top-10 Alabama A&M Athletics Stories from 2020-21
No. 1 – Football Earns First HBCU National Championship in Historic Season (August 6)
No. 2 – Bulldogs Deliver Historic Academic Honors (July 30)
No. 3 – A&M Sees Major Additions, Continues To Make Major Difference (July 23)
No. 4 – Bulldogs Rack Up Unprecedented Honors (July 16)
No. 5 – Women's Track & Field Brings Home Championships and Numerous Honors (July 9)
No. 6 – Women's Basketball's Dariauna Lewis Delivers Season For The Ages (July 2)
No. 7 – Men's Tennis Earns First SWAC Championship and NCAA Tournament Berth (June 25)
No. 8 – Softball's Coe Bursts Onto The Scene With Award Winning Season (June 18)
No. 9 – Women's Soccer Produces Record-Setting Defensive Effort In Spring Campaign (June 11)
No. 10 – Baseball Delivers DI Era Record-Tying Seven-Game Win Streak (June 4)
Honorable Mention (June 2)