Delta State Wins Big to Move up in the Rankings
October 3, 2022
Delta State (Miss.) spent the month of September on the road and returned home in grand fashion, upsetting then-No. 13 Valdosta State (Ga.), 70-31. It was the first time in 21 years that a team from the Gulf South Conference scored 70 points in a game. Ironically, it was Valdosta State beating Delta State on October 6, 2001, by a score of 70-12. With the win, the Statesmen jumped to No. 13 in this week’s AFCA Division II Coaches’ Top 25 Poll. The loss dropped the Blazers out of the poll.
The Top 4 teams remained the same but there is a new No. 5 team in Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) thanks to West Georgia’s loss to Mississippi College, 39-38. The upset dropped West Georgia 10 spots to No. 15. Ferris State (Mich.) is still No. 1 and will travel to No. 25 Saginaw Valley State this coming weekend.
There were six Top 25 upsets this past Saturday, which made room for three new teams to enter the poll. One of those is No. 22t Texas A&M-Kingsville. The Javelinas last appeared in the AFCA Top 25 on September 10, 2012. Texas A&M-Kingsville is 5-0 on the season and will host Western New Mexico on Saturday.
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Week 5 Next Game
1 Ferris St. (Mich.) (29) 4-0 749 1 D. Findlay (Ohio), 38-7 Oct. 8 at No. 25 Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.)
2 Grand Valley St. (Mich.) (1) 5-0 719 2 D. No. 17 Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.), 29-10 Oct. 8 at American International (Mass.)
3 Angelo St. (Tex.) 5-0 687 3 D. Western Oregon, 30-7 Oct. 8 vs. Eastern New Mexico
4 Shepherd (W.Va.) 5-0 655 4 D. Shippensburg (Pa.), 30-13 Oct. 8 vs. Lock Haven (Pa.)
5 Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) 5-0 631 6 D. Northwestern Oklahoma St., 48-7 Oct. 8 vs. Southwestern Oklahoma St.
6 Ashland (Ohio) 4-0 591 9 D. Northwood (Mich.), 56-17 Oct. 8 at Walsh (Ohio)
7 Pittsburg St. (Kan.) 5-0 570 10 D. Missouri Southern St., 38-9 Oct. 8 vs. No. 9 Northwest Missouri St.
8 Indianapolis (Ind.) 4-0 492 14t D. Southwest Baptist (Mo.), 44-17 Oct. 8 at McKendree (Ill.)
9 Northwest Missouri St. 4-1 491 12 D. Missouri Western St., 16-3 Oct. 8 at No. 7 Pittsburg St. (Kan.)
10 West Florida 3-1 387 14t D. North Greenville (S.C.), 34-31 Oct. 8 at No. 15 West Georgia
11 Harding (Ark.) 4-1 383 16 D. Oklahoma Baptist, 38-23 Oct. 8 at Southern Nazarene (Okla.)
12 Virginia Union 5-0 354 20 D. St. Augustine’s (N.C.), 69-0 Oct. 8 vs. Elizabeth City St. (N.C.)
13 Delta St. (Miss.) 5-0 315 25 D. No. 13 Valdosta St. (Ga.), 70-31 Oct. 8 at North Greenville (S.C.)
14 Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) 4-1 283 19 D. Virginia-Wise, 42-10 Oct. 8 vs. Limestone (S.C.)
15 West Georgia 3-1 258 5 Lost to Mississippi College, 39-38 Oct. 8 vs. No. 10 West Florida
16 Notre Dame (Ohio) 4-1 255 18 D. Charleston (W.Va.), 49-24 Oct. 8 at Frostburg St. (Md.)
17 Sioux Falls (S.D.) 5-0 230 NR D. No. 11 Augustana (S.D.), 31-24 Oct. 8 vs. Southwest Minnesota St.
18 Indiana (Pa.) 4-0 220 NR D. No. 8 Slippery Rock (Pa.), 20-12 Oct. 8 at California (Pa.)
19 Newberry (S.C.) 4-1 190 7 Lost to Carson-Newman (Tenn.), 24-14 Oct. 8 vs. Barton (N.C.)
20 Slippery Rock (Pa.) 4-1 188 8 Lost to Indiana (Pa.), 20-12 Oct. 8 vs. Mercyhurst (Pa.)
21 Colorado School of Mines 3-2 159 22 D. Chadron St. (Neb.), 45-9 Oct. 8 vs. Colorado Mesa
22t. Albany St. (Ga.) 4-1 158 21 D. Miles (Ala.), 20-3 Oct. 8 at Edward Waters (Fla.)
22t. Texas A&M-Kingsville 5-0 158 NR D. Simon Fraser (B.C.), 35-7 Oct. 8 vs. Western New Mexico
24 Nebraska-Kearney 4-1 145 23 D. Fort Hays St. (Kan.), 38-20 Oct. 8 at Missouri Western St.
25 Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.) 4-1 132 17 Lost to No. 2 Grand Valley St. (Mich.), 29-10 Oct. 8 vs. No. 1 Ferris St. (Mich.)
Dropped Out: Augustana (S.D.) (11), Valdosta St. (Ga.) (13), New Haven (Conn.) (24)
Others Receiving Votes: Augustana (S.D.), 117; New Haven (Conn.), 98; Benedict (S.C.), 57; Henderson St. (Ark.), 17; Limestone (S.C.), 14; Western Colorado, 14; Valdosta St. (Ga.), 10; Assumption (Mass.), 5; Davenport (Mich.), 5; Truman St. (Mo.), 4; Carson-Newman (Tenn.), 3; Emporia St. (Kan.), 3; Minnesota St., 3.
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Delta State (Miss.) spent the month of September on the road and returned home in grand fashion, upsetting then-No. 13 Valdosta State (Ga.), 70-31. It was the first time in 21 years that a team from the Gulf South Conference scored 70 points in a game. Ironically, it was Valdosta State beating Delta State on October 6, 2001, by a score of 70-12. With the win, the Statesmen jumped to No. 13 in this week’s AFCA Division II Coaches’ Top 25 Poll. The loss dropped the Blazers out of the poll.
The Top 4 teams remained the same but there is a new No. 5 team in Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) thanks to West Georgia’s loss to Mississippi College, 39-38. The upset dropped West Georgia 10 spots to No. 15. Ferris State (Mich.) is still No. 1 and will travel to No. 25 Saginaw Valley State this coming weekend.
There were six Top 25 upsets this past Saturday, which made room for three new teams to enter the poll. One of those is No. 22t Texas A&M-Kingsville. The Javelinas last appeared in the AFCA Top 25 on September 10, 2012. Texas A&M-Kingsville is 5-0 on the season and will host Western New Mexico on Saturday.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week 5 | Next Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ferris St. (Mich.) (29) | 4-0 | 749 | 1 | D. Findlay (Ohio), 38-7 | Oct. 8 at No. 25 Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.) |
| 2 | Grand Valley St. (Mich.) (1) | 5-0 | 719 | 2 | D. No. 17 Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.), 29-10 | Oct. 8 at American International (Mass.) |
| 3 | Angelo St. (Tex.) | 5-0 | 687 | 3 | D. Western Oregon, 30-7 | Oct. 8 vs. Eastern New Mexico |
| 4 | Shepherd (W.Va.) | 5-0 | 655 | 4 | D. Shippensburg (Pa.), 30-13 | Oct. 8 vs. Lock Haven (Pa.) |
| 5 | Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) | 5-0 | 631 | 6 | D. Northwestern Oklahoma St., 48-7 | Oct. 8 vs. Southwestern Oklahoma St. |
| 6 | Ashland (Ohio) | 4-0 | 591 | 9 | D. Northwood (Mich.), 56-17 | Oct. 8 at Walsh (Ohio) |
| 7 | Pittsburg St. (Kan.) | 5-0 | 570 | 10 | D. Missouri Southern St., 38-9 | Oct. 8 vs. No. 9 Northwest Missouri St. |
| 8 | Indianapolis (Ind.) | 4-0 | 492 | 14t | D. Southwest Baptist (Mo.), 44-17 | Oct. 8 at McKendree (Ill.) |
| 9 | Northwest Missouri St. | 4-1 | 491 | 12 | D. Missouri Western St., 16-3 | Oct. 8 at No. 7 Pittsburg St. (Kan.) |
| 10 | West Florida | 3-1 | 387 | 14t | D. North Greenville (S.C.), 34-31 | Oct. 8 at No. 15 West Georgia |
| 11 | Harding (Ark.) | 4-1 | 383 | 16 | D. Oklahoma Baptist, 38-23 | Oct. 8 at Southern Nazarene (Okla.) |
| 12 | Virginia Union | 5-0 | 354 | 20 | D. St. Augustine’s (N.C.), 69-0 | Oct. 8 vs. Elizabeth City St. (N.C.) |
| 13 | Delta St. (Miss.) | 5-0 | 315 | 25 | D. No. 13 Valdosta St. (Ga.), 70-31 | Oct. 8 at North Greenville (S.C.) |
| 14 | Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) | 4-1 | 283 | 19 | D. Virginia-Wise, 42-10 | Oct. 8 vs. Limestone (S.C.) |
| 15 | West Georgia | 3-1 | 258 | 5 | Lost to Mississippi College, 39-38 | Oct. 8 vs. No. 10 West Florida |
| 16 | Notre Dame (Ohio) | 4-1 | 255 | 18 | D. Charleston (W.Va.), 49-24 | Oct. 8 at Frostburg St. (Md.) |
| 17 | Sioux Falls (S.D.) | 5-0 | 230 | NR | D. No. 11 Augustana (S.D.), 31-24 | Oct. 8 vs. Southwest Minnesota St. |
| 18 | Indiana (Pa.) | 4-0 | 220 | NR | D. No. 8 Slippery Rock (Pa.), 20-12 | Oct. 8 at California (Pa.) |
| 19 | Newberry (S.C.) | 4-1 | 190 | 7 | Lost to Carson-Newman (Tenn.), 24-14 | Oct. 8 vs. Barton (N.C.) |
| 20 | Slippery Rock (Pa.) | 4-1 | 188 | 8 | Lost to Indiana (Pa.), 20-12 | Oct. 8 vs. Mercyhurst (Pa.) |
| 21 | Colorado School of Mines | 3-2 | 159 | 22 | D. Chadron St. (Neb.), 45-9 | Oct. 8 vs. Colorado Mesa |
| 22t. | Albany St. (Ga.) | 4-1 | 158 | 21 | D. Miles (Ala.), 20-3 | Oct. 8 at Edward Waters (Fla.) |
| 22t. | Texas A&M-Kingsville | 5-0 | 158 | NR | D. Simon Fraser (B.C.), 35-7 | Oct. 8 vs. Western New Mexico |
| 24 | Nebraska-Kearney | 4-1 | 145 | 23 | D. Fort Hays St. (Kan.), 38-20 | Oct. 8 at Missouri Western St. |
| 25 | Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.) | 4-1 | 132 | 17 | Lost to No. 2 Grand Valley St. (Mich.), 29-10 | Oct. 8 vs. No. 1 Ferris St. (Mich.) |
Dropped Out: Augustana (S.D.) (11), Valdosta St. (Ga.) (13), New Haven (Conn.) (24)
Others Receiving Votes: Augustana (S.D.), 117; New Haven (Conn.), 98; Benedict (S.C.), 57; Henderson St. (Ark.), 17; Limestone (S.C.), 14; Western Colorado, 14; Valdosta St. (Ga.), 10; Assumption (Mass.), 5; Davenport (Mich.), 5; Truman St. (Mo.), 4; Carson-Newman (Tenn.), 3; Emporia St. (Kan.), 3; Minnesota St., 3.
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.
