Colorado State-Pueblo Takes Control Of The Rmac
November 4, 2024
Colorado State-Pueblo went into their game against Western Colorado knowing the Mountaineers had one of the best defenses in Division II, but the ThunderWolves offense didn’t get the message. CSU-Pueblo took an early 10-0 lead and never looked back, leading the entire way for a 44-34 victory. The ThunderWolves’ offense racked up 593 total yards of offense with 435 of it coming through the air. The win moves CSU-Pueblo to No. 7 in this week’s AFCA Division II Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl, while Western Colorado drops to No. 11.
Valdosta State (Ga.) and Ferris State (Mich.) remain in the top two spots, but Kutztown (Pa.) moves up to No. 3 thanks to Southern Nazarene’s (Okla.) 18-17 shocking upset of then-No. 3 Ouachita Baptist (Ark.). The Crimson Storm, who had never beaten the Tigers, came into the game winless on the season. The loss dropped Ouachita Baptist to No. 9.
In total, there were seven top 25 upsets this past weekend with six of them coming against unranked opponents. The next biggest upset after Ouachita Baptist was then-No. 5 Pittsburg State (Kan.), who lost to Central Missouri, 37-13. The Mules were the preseason No. 2 team until a couple of early losses dropped them out of the AFCA Top 25 in September. Pittsburg State dropped to No. 13.
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Week 9 Next Game
1 Valdosta St. (Ga.) (24) 8-0 743 1 D. Chowan (N.C.), 52-0 Nov. 9 at Delta St. (Miss.)
2 Ferris St. (Mich.) (6) 8-1 723 2 D. Northern Michigan, 55-9 Nov. 9 vs. Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.)
3 Kutztown (Pa.) 9-0 678 4 D. Millersville (Pa.), 49-17 Nov. 9 vs. West Chester (Pa.)
4 Harding (Ark.) 8-1 648 6 D. Southeastern Oklahoma St., 56-14 Nov. 9 at East Central (Okla.)
5 Grand Valley St. (Mich.) 8-1 638 7 D. Wayne St. (Mich.), 51-28 Nov. 9 at Michigan Tech
6 Charleston (W.Va.) 9-0 580 9 D. West Liberty (W.Va.), 38-0 Nov. 9 at West Virginia Wesleyan
7 Colorado St.-Pueblo 8-1 574 10 D. No. 8 Western Colorado, 44-34 Nov. 9 vs. No. 14 Colorado School of Mines
8 Central Oklahoma 8-1 532 13 D. Missouri Western St., 37-34 OT Nov. 9 at Washburn (Kan.)
9 Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) 8-1 433 3 Lost to Southern Nazarene (Okla.), 18-17 Nov. 9 at Oklahoma Baptist
10 Slippery Rock (Pa.) 7-1 432 14 D. Clarion (Pa.), 38-22 Nov. 9 vs. Seton Hill (Pa.)
11 Western Colorado 8-1 415 8 Lost to No. 10 Colorado St.-Pueblo, 44-34 Nov. 9 vs. Chadron St. (Neb.)
12 West Alabama 7-1 411 15 D. North Greenville (S.C.), 17-14 Nov. 9 at Shorter (Ga.)
13 Pittsburg St. (Kan.) 7-2 408 5 Lost to Central Missouri, 37-13 Nov. 16 at Northwest Missouri St.
14 Colorado School of Mines 7-2 327 18 D. New Mexico Highlands, 56-21 Nov. 9 at No. 7 Colorado St.-Pueblo
15 Indianapolis (Ind.) 8-1 315 19 D. Southwest Baptist (Mo.), 58-3 Nov. 9 vs. Missouri S&T
16 Augustana (S.D.) 7-2 279 20 D. Concordia (Minn.), 28-7 Nov. 9 vs. Sioux Falls (S.D.)
17 West Florida 6-2 229 21 D. Erskine (S.C.), 70-0 Nov. 9 vs. North Greenville (S.C.)
18t. California (Pa.) 7-1 178 23 Idle Nov. 9 vs. Edinboro (Pa.)
18t. Minnesota St. 7-2 178 22 D. Northern St. (S.D.), 24-14 Nov. 9 vs. UMary (N.D.)
20 Emporia St. (Kan.) 7-2 164 11 Lost to Fort Hays St. (Kan.), 36-7 Nov. 9 vs. Central Missouri
21t. Carson-Newman (Tenn.) 8-1 143 24 D. Anderson (S.C.), 28-7 Nov. 9 at Tusculum (Tenn.)
21t. Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) 7-2 143 12 Lost to Wingate (N.C.), 14-10 Nov. 9 at Catawba (N.C.)
23 Angelo St. (Tex.) 7-2 112 NR D. No. 17 Central Washington, 17-16 Nov. 9 at Western Oregon
24t. Findlay (Ohio) 8-1 100 25 D. Walsh (Ohio), 28-17 Nov. 9 vs. Northwood (Mich.)
24t. Wingate (N.C.) 7-1 100 NR D. No. 12 Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.), 14-10 Nov. 9 vs. Newberry (S.C.)
Dropped Out: Johnson C. Smith (N.C.) (16), Central Washington (17)
Others Receiving Votes: Johnson C. Smith (N.C.), 74; Central Washington, 41; Virginia Union, 40; Sioux Falls (S.D.), 24; Fort Hays St. (Kan.), 23; Ashland (Ohio), 18; Colorado Mesa, 15; Central Missouri, 13; Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.), 7; Southern Arkansas, 7; New Haven (Conn.), 4; Miles (Ala.), 1.
For more information about the AFCA, visit www.AFCA.com. For more interesting articles, check out The Insider and subscribe to our weekly email.
If you are interested in more in-depth articles and videos, please become an AFCA member. You can find out more information about membership and specific member benefits on the AFCA Membership Overview page. If you are ready to join, please fill out the AFCA Membership Application.
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Colorado State-Pueblo went into their game against Western Colorado knowing the Mountaineers had one of the best defenses in Division II, but the ThunderWolves offense didn’t get the message. CSU-Pueblo took an early 10-0 lead and never looked back, leading the entire way for a 44-34 victory. The ThunderWolves’ offense racked up 593 total yards of offense with 435 of it coming through the air. The win moves CSU-Pueblo to No. 7 in this week’s AFCA Division II Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl, while Western Colorado drops to No. 11.
Valdosta State (Ga.) and Ferris State (Mich.) remain in the top two spots, but Kutztown (Pa.) moves up to No. 3 thanks to Southern Nazarene’s (Okla.) 18-17 shocking upset of then-No. 3 Ouachita Baptist (Ark.). The Crimson Storm, who had never beaten the Tigers, came into the game winless on the season. The loss dropped Ouachita Baptist to No. 9.
In total, there were seven top 25 upsets this past weekend with six of them coming against unranked opponents. The next biggest upset after Ouachita Baptist was then-No. 5 Pittsburg State (Kan.), who lost to Central Missouri, 37-13. The Mules were the preseason No. 2 team until a couple of early losses dropped them out of the AFCA Top 25 in September. Pittsburg State dropped to No. 13.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week 9 | Next Game | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Valdosta St. (Ga.) (24) | 8-0 | 743 | 1 | D. Chowan (N.C.), 52-0 | Nov. 9 at Delta St. (Miss.) | |
| 2 | Ferris St. (Mich.) (6) | 8-1 | 723 | 2 | D. Northern Michigan, 55-9 | Nov. 9 vs. Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.) | |
| 3 | Kutztown (Pa.) | 9-0 | 678 | 4 | D. Millersville (Pa.), 49-17 | Nov. 9 vs. West Chester (Pa.) | |
| 4 | Harding (Ark.) | 8-1 | 648 | 6 | D. Southeastern Oklahoma St., 56-14 | Nov. 9 at East Central (Okla.) | |
| 5 | Grand Valley St. (Mich.) | 8-1 | 638 | 7 | D. Wayne St. (Mich.), 51-28 | Nov. 9 at Michigan Tech | |
| 6 | Charleston (W.Va.) | 9-0 | 580 | 9 | D. West Liberty (W.Va.), 38-0 | Nov. 9 at West Virginia Wesleyan | |
| 7 | Colorado St.-Pueblo | 8-1 | 574 | 10 | D. No. 8 Western Colorado, 44-34 | Nov. 9 vs. No. 14 Colorado School of Mines | |
| 8 | Central Oklahoma | 8-1 | 532 | 13 | D. Missouri Western St., 37-34 OT | Nov. 9 at Washburn (Kan.) | |
| 9 | Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) | 8-1 | 433 | 3 | Lost to Southern Nazarene (Okla.), 18-17 | Nov. 9 at Oklahoma Baptist | |
| 10 | Slippery Rock (Pa.) | 7-1 | 432 | 14 | D. Clarion (Pa.), 38-22 | Nov. 9 vs. Seton Hill (Pa.) | |
| 11 | Western Colorado | 8-1 | 415 | 8 | Lost to No. 10 Colorado St.-Pueblo, 44-34 | Nov. 9 vs. Chadron St. (Neb.) | |
| 12 | West Alabama | 7-1 | 411 | 15 | D. North Greenville (S.C.), 17-14 | Nov. 9 at Shorter (Ga.) | |
| 13 | Pittsburg St. (Kan.) | 7-2 | 408 | 5 | Lost to Central Missouri, 37-13 | Nov. 16 at Northwest Missouri St. | |
| 14 | Colorado School of Mines | 7-2 | 327 | 18 | D. New Mexico Highlands, 56-21 | Nov. 9 at No. 7 Colorado St.-Pueblo | |
| 15 | Indianapolis (Ind.) | 8-1 | 315 | 19 | D. Southwest Baptist (Mo.), 58-3 | Nov. 9 vs. Missouri S&T | |
| 16 | Augustana (S.D.) | 7-2 | 279 | 20 | D. Concordia (Minn.), 28-7 | Nov. 9 vs. Sioux Falls (S.D.) | |
| 17 | West Florida | 6-2 | 229 | 21 | D. Erskine (S.C.), 70-0 | Nov. 9 vs. North Greenville (S.C.) | |
| 18t. | California (Pa.) | 7-1 | 178 | 23 | Idle | Nov. 9 vs. Edinboro (Pa.) | |
| 18t. | Minnesota St. | 7-2 | 178 | 22 | D. Northern St. (S.D.), 24-14 | Nov. 9 vs. UMary (N.D.) | |
| 20 | Emporia St. (Kan.) | 7-2 | 164 | 11 | Lost to Fort Hays St. (Kan.), 36-7 | Nov. 9 vs. Central Missouri | |
| 21t. | Carson-Newman (Tenn.) | 8-1 | 143 | 24 | D. Anderson (S.C.), 28-7 | Nov. 9 at Tusculum (Tenn.) | |
| 21t. | Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) | 7-2 | 143 | 12 | Lost to Wingate (N.C.), 14-10 | Nov. 9 at Catawba (N.C.) | |
| 23 | Angelo St. (Tex.) | 7-2 | 112 | NR | D. No. 17 Central Washington, 17-16 | Nov. 9 at Western Oregon | |
| 24t. | Findlay (Ohio) | 8-1 | 100 | 25 | D. Walsh (Ohio), 28-17 | Nov. 9 vs. Northwood (Mich.) | |
| 24t. | Wingate (N.C.) | 7-1 | 100 | NR | D. No. 12 Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.), 14-10 | Nov. 9 vs. Newberry (S.C.) |
Dropped Out: Johnson C. Smith (N.C.) (16), Central Washington (17)
Others Receiving Votes: Johnson C. Smith (N.C.), 74; Central Washington, 41; Virginia Union, 40; Sioux Falls (S.D.), 24; Fort Hays St. (Kan.), 23; Ashland (Ohio), 18; Colorado Mesa, 15; Central Missouri, 13; Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.), 7; Southern Arkansas, 7; New Haven (Conn.), 4; Miles (Ala.), 1.
For more information about the AFCA, visit www.AFCA.com. For more interesting articles, check out The Insider and subscribe to our weekly email.
If you are interested in more in-depth articles and videos, please become an AFCA member. You can find out more information about membership and specific member benefits on the AFCA Membership Overview page. If you are ready to join, please fill out the AFCA Membership Application.
