ACU Gets Signature Win Over Central Arkansas
October 7, 2024
ACU got off to a hot start against then-No. 7 Central Arkansas, scoring on its first five drives of the game, building a 31-17 halftime lead. The Wildcats made it 41-24 in the second half before the Bears rolled off 10 straight points to pull within a touchdown. UCA had the ball with a minute left to go in the game, but ACU linebacker Will Shaffer recorded a game-clinching interception, sealing the 41-34 victory. ACU moves up to No. 12 in this week’s AFCA FCS Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl, while Central Arkansas drops one spot below to No. 13.
South Dakota State beat then-No. 18 Northern Iowa, 41-3, solidifying their No. 1 spot and knocking the Panthers out of the rankings. Likewise, No. 2 North Dakota State handled in-state rival North Dakota with ease, winning 41-17 and causing the Fighting Hawks to drop to No. 10. Montana State remains at No. 3 after a 55-17 victory over Northern Colorado and will host No. 8 Idaho this coming Saturday. South Dakota blanked Murray State, 59-0 and remains No. 4 while No. 5 Villanova handed Stony Brook a 42-24 loss. The only other top 25 matchup this coming weekend besides Montana State vs. Idaho has No. 16 Illinois State hosting new-No. 25 Missouri State.
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Week 6 Next Game
1 South Dakota St. (21) 4-1 644 1 D. No. 18 Northern Iowa, 41-3 Oct. 12 vs. Youngstown St.
2 North Dakota St. (3) 5-1 624 2 D. No. 6 North Dakota, 41-17 Oct. 12 at Southern Illinois
3 Montana St. (2) 6-0 600 3 D. Northern Colorado, 55-17 Oct. 12 vs. No. 8 Idaho
4 South Dakota 4-1 552 4 D. Murray St., 59-0 Oct. 12 vs. Northern Iowa
5 Villanova 5-1 541 5 D. Stony Brook, 42-24 Oct. 19 at Maine
6 UC Davis 5-1 504 8 D. Portland St., 27-26 Oct. 12 vs. Cal Poly
7 Mercer 5-0 464 11 Idle Oct. 12 vs. Princeton
8 Idaho 4-2 419 12 D. Northern Arizona, 23-17 Oct. 12 at No. 3 Montana St.
9 Southeast Missouri St. 5-1 404 13 D. Eastern Illinois, 38-27 Oct. 12 vs. Tennessee Tech
10 North Dakota 4-2 401 6 Lost to No. 2 North Dakota St., 41-17 Oct. 19 vs. Northern Iowa
11 Tarleton St. 5-1 383 14 D. Southern Utah, 38-37 OT Oct. 12 vs. Utah Tech
12 ACU 4-2 332 17 D. No. 7 Central Arkansas, 41-34 Oct. 12 at North Alabama
13 Central Arkansas 4-2 291 7 Lost to No. 17 ACU, 41-34 Oct. 12 vs. West Georgia
14 Montana 4-2 290 9 Lost to Weber St., 55-48 OT Oct. 12 vs. Northern Arizona
15 UIW 3-2 288 15 D. Prairie View A&M, 56-28 Oct. 12 vs. Nicholls
16 Illinois St. 4-2 276 19 D. No. 23 Southern Illinois, 45-10 Oct. 12 vs. No. 25 Missouri St.
17 Richmond 4-2 214 21 D. North Carolina A&T, 20-17 Oct. 19 vs. Delaware
18 William & Mary 4-2 197 10 Lost to Towson, 34-27 Oct. 19 vs. Campbell
19 Florida A&M 3-2 167 22 D. Alabama St., 28-13 Oct. 19 at Jackson St.
20 Sacramento St. 2-3 157 20 Idle Oct. 12 vs. Eastern Washington
21 Rhode Island 4-1 139 25 D. Hampton, 46-44 2OT Oct. 12 vs. Brown
22 New Hampshire 3-2 63 16 Lost to Harvard, 28-23 Oct. 12 at Elon
23 Weber St. 3-3 57 NR D. No. 9 Montana, 55-48 OT Oct. 12 vs. Northern Colorado
24 North Carolina Central 4-2 52 NR D. Campbell, 45-14 Oct. 12 vs. Virginia-Lynchburg
25 Missouri St. 3-2 50 NR Idle Oct. 12 at No. 16 Illinois St.
Dropped Out: Northern Iowa (18), Southern Illinois (23), McNeese (24)
Others Receiving Votes: Lafayette, 49; Northern Iowa, 47; Dartmouth, 32; McNeese, 31; Butler, 27; Jackson St., 27; Duquesne, 24; Stony Brook, 21; Harvard, 15; Chattanooga, 14; Lamar, 10; Monmouth (N.J.), 10; Southern Illinois, 9; Western Carolina, 6; East Tennessee St., 5; Columbia, 4; Nicholls, 4; Northern Arizona, 4; Davidson, 1; Drake, 1.
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ACU got off to a hot start against then-No. 7 Central Arkansas, scoring on its first five drives of the game, building a 31-17 halftime lead. The Wildcats made it 41-24 in the second half before the Bears rolled off 10 straight points to pull within a touchdown. UCA had the ball with a minute left to go in the game, but ACU linebacker Will Shaffer recorded a game-clinching interception, sealing the 41-34 victory. ACU moves up to No. 12 in this week’s AFCA FCS Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl, while Central Arkansas drops one spot below to No. 13.
South Dakota State beat then-No. 18 Northern Iowa, 41-3, solidifying their No. 1 spot and knocking the Panthers out of the rankings. Likewise, No. 2 North Dakota State handled in-state rival North Dakota with ease, winning 41-17 and causing the Fighting Hawks to drop to No. 10. Montana State remains at No. 3 after a 55-17 victory over Northern Colorado and will host No. 8 Idaho this coming Saturday. South Dakota blanked Murray State, 59-0 and remains No. 4 while No. 5 Villanova handed Stony Brook a 42-24 loss. The only other top 25 matchup this coming weekend besides Montana State vs. Idaho has No. 16 Illinois State hosting new-No. 25 Missouri State.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week 6 | Next Game | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Dakota St. (21) | 4-1 | 644 | 1 | D. No. 18 Northern Iowa, 41-3 | Oct. 12 vs. Youngstown St. | |
| 2 | North Dakota St. (3) | 5-1 | 624 | 2 | D. No. 6 North Dakota, 41-17 | Oct. 12 at Southern Illinois | |
| 3 | Montana St. (2) | 6-0 | 600 | 3 | D. Northern Colorado, 55-17 | Oct. 12 vs. No. 8 Idaho | |
| 4 | South Dakota | 4-1 | 552 | 4 | D. Murray St., 59-0 | Oct. 12 vs. Northern Iowa | |
| 5 | Villanova | 5-1 | 541 | 5 | D. Stony Brook, 42-24 | Oct. 19 at Maine | |
| 6 | UC Davis | 5-1 | 504 | 8 | D. Portland St., 27-26 | Oct. 12 vs. Cal Poly | |
| 7 | Mercer | 5-0 | 464 | 11 | Idle | Oct. 12 vs. Princeton | |
| 8 | Idaho | 4-2 | 419 | 12 | D. Northern Arizona, 23-17 | Oct. 12 at No. 3 Montana St. | |
| 9 | Southeast Missouri St. | 5-1 | 404 | 13 | D. Eastern Illinois, 38-27 | Oct. 12 vs. Tennessee Tech | |
| 10 | North Dakota | 4-2 | 401 | 6 | Lost to No. 2 North Dakota St., 41-17 | Oct. 19 vs. Northern Iowa | |
| 11 | Tarleton St. | 5-1 | 383 | 14 | D. Southern Utah, 38-37 OT | Oct. 12 vs. Utah Tech | |
| 12 | ACU | 4-2 | 332 | 17 | D. No. 7 Central Arkansas, 41-34 | Oct. 12 at North Alabama | |
| 13 | Central Arkansas | 4-2 | 291 | 7 | Lost to No. 17 ACU, 41-34 | Oct. 12 vs. West Georgia | |
| 14 | Montana | 4-2 | 290 | 9 | Lost to Weber St., 55-48 OT | Oct. 12 vs. Northern Arizona | |
| 15 | UIW | 3-2 | 288 | 15 | D. Prairie View A&M, 56-28 | Oct. 12 vs. Nicholls | |
| 16 | Illinois St. | 4-2 | 276 | 19 | D. No. 23 Southern Illinois, 45-10 | Oct. 12 vs. No. 25 Missouri St. | |
| 17 | Richmond | 4-2 | 214 | 21 | D. North Carolina A&T, 20-17 | Oct. 19 vs. Delaware | |
| 18 | William & Mary | 4-2 | 197 | 10 | Lost to Towson, 34-27 | Oct. 19 vs. Campbell | |
| 19 | Florida A&M | 3-2 | 167 | 22 | D. Alabama St., 28-13 | Oct. 19 at Jackson St. | |
| 20 | Sacramento St. | 2-3 | 157 | 20 | Idle | Oct. 12 vs. Eastern Washington | |
| 21 | Rhode Island | 4-1 | 139 | 25 | D. Hampton, 46-44 2OT | Oct. 12 vs. Brown | |
| 22 | New Hampshire | 3-2 | 63 | 16 | Lost to Harvard, 28-23 | Oct. 12 at Elon | |
| 23 | Weber St. | 3-3 | 57 | NR | D. No. 9 Montana, 55-48 OT | Oct. 12 vs. Northern Colorado | |
| 24 | North Carolina Central | 4-2 | 52 | NR | D. Campbell, 45-14 | Oct. 12 vs. Virginia-Lynchburg | |
| 25 | Missouri St. | 3-2 | 50 | NR | Idle | Oct. 12 at No. 16 Illinois St. |
Dropped Out: Northern Iowa (18), Southern Illinois (23), McNeese (24)
Others Receiving Votes: Lafayette, 49; Northern Iowa, 47; Dartmouth, 32; McNeese, 31; Butler, 27; Jackson St., 27; Duquesne, 24; Stony Brook, 21; Harvard, 15; Chattanooga, 14; Lamar, 10; Monmouth (N.J.), 10; Southern Illinois, 9; Western Carolina, 6; East Tennessee St., 5; Columbia, 4; Nicholls, 4; Northern Arizona, 4; Davidson, 1; Drake, 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.
