Ferris State Wins Third National Championship
December 23, 2024
The Ferris State (Mich.) Bulldogs showed why they were in their third NCAA Division II national championship game in the last four years. The Bulldogs built an early 14-0 lead against then-No. 1 Valdosta State (Ga.) and never looked back, winning their third national title in dominant fashion, 49-14. This was Ferris State’s fourth national title game appearance in the last six years and regained the title after back-to-back championships in 2021 and 2022. The Bulldogs end the 2024 season ranked No. 1 in the AFCA Division II Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl. Valdosta State drops to No. 2 with a stellar 13-1 record.
The Blazers are followed by Slippery Rock (Pa.), who rose eight spots to No. 3 after their run to the semifinals. Harding (Ark.) stays in the No. 4 spot after making it to the quarterfinals with Kutztown (Pa.) rounding out the top five. The Bears lost a close overtime game against conference rival Slippery Rock in the second round.
Minnesota State made an incredible run in the playoffs, winning two rounds on the road to reach the semifinals and went from unranked to finishing the season at No. 7.
Four other teams were unranked in the final regular season poll and finish the season in the top 25. Virginia Union and Bemidji State (Minn.) were both quarterfinal participants and see their selves ranked No. 11 and No. 13, respectively. Miles (Ala.) and Ashland (Ohio) were never ranked in 2024, both made it to the second round of the playoffs and finish at No. 22 and No. 23, respectively.
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Post-season Head Coach
1 Ferris St. (Mich.) (27) 14-1 675 2 D. No. 1 Valdosta St. (Ga.), 49-14, in national championship Tony Annese
2 Valdosta St. (Ga.) 13-1 643 1 Lost to No. 2 Ferris St. (Mich.), 49-14, in national championship Tremaine Jackson
3 Slippery Rock (Pa.) 12-2 583 11 Lost to No. 2 Ferris St. (Mich.), 48-38, in semifinals Shawn Lutz
4 Harding (Ark.) 12-2 579 4 Lost to No. 2 Ferris St. (Mich.), 41-7, in quarterfinals Paul Simmons
5 Kutztown (Pa.) 11-1 482 3 Lost to No. 11 Slippery Rock (Pa.), 25-24 OT, in second round Jim Clements
6 Grand Valley St. (Mich.) 11-2 479 5 Lost to No. 4 Harding (Ark.), 44-26, in second round Scott Wooster
7 Minnesota St. 11-4 462 NR Lost to No. 1 Valdosta St. (Ga.), 35-21, in semifinals Todd Hoffner
8 Colorado St.-Pueblo 10-2 460 7 Lost to Minnesota St., 26-23, in second round Philip Vigil
9 Central Oklahoma 11-2 405 8 Lost to No. 2 Ferris St. (Mich.), 78-17, in second round Adam Dorrel
10 Western Colorado 11-2 360 10 Lost to Bemidji St. (Minn.), 20-19, in second round Jas Bains
11 Virginia Union 10-4 343 NR Lost to No. 1 Valdosta St. (Ga.), 49-14, in quarterfinals Alvin Parker
12 California (Pa.) 10-3 338 20 Lost to No. 11 Slippery Rock (Pa.), 31-13, in quarterfinals Gary Dunn
13 Bemidji St. (Minn.) 10-4 333 NR Lost to Minnesota St., 27-23, in quarterfinals Brent Bolte
14 Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) 10-2 316 9 Lost to No. 8 Central Oklahoma, 38-31 OT, in first round Todd Knight
15 Charleston (W.Va.) 11-1 293 6 Lost to Ashland (Ohio), 40-38, in first round Quinn Sanders
16 Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) 10-3 275 15 Lost to Virginia Union, 44-12, in second round Doug Socha
17 Pittsburg St. (Kan.) 8-3 273 13 Lost to No. 4 Harding (Ark.), 48-3, in first round Tom Anthony
18 West Alabama 9-2 229 12 Lost to No. 15 Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.), 37-34, in first round Brett Gilliland
19 Indianapolis (Ind.) 10-2 224 14 Lost to No. 5 Grand Valley St. (Mich.), 24-7, in first round Chris Keevers
20 Angelo St. (Tex.) 9-3 170 16 Lost to Bemidji St. (Minn.), 24-14, in first round Jeff Girsch
21 Wingate (N.C.) 9-2 164 17 Lost to Virginia Union, 34-31 OT, in first round Rashaan Jordan
22 Miles (Ala.) 10-3 138 NR Lost to No. 1 Valdosta St. (Ga.), 33-17, in second round Sam Shade
23 Ashland (Ohio) 9-4 125 NR Lost to No. 20 California (Pa.), 34-33, in second round Doug Geiser
24 Central Washington 8-4 111 19 Lost to No. 10 Western Colorado, 28-21, in first round Chris Fisk
25 Augustana (S.D.) 8-4 87 22 Lost to Minnesota St., 20-19, in first round Jerry Olszewski
Dropped Out: Colorado School of Mines (18), West Florida (21), Southern Arkansas (23), Carson-Newman (Tenn.) (24), Central Missouri (25)
Others Receiving Votes: Colorado School of Mines, 56; Carson-Newman (Tenn.), 47; East Stroudsburg (Pa.), 38; Central Missouri, 35; West Florida, 20; Southern Arkansas, 16; Fort Hays St. (Kan.), 14; New Haven (Conn.), 1; Truman St. (Mo.), 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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The Ferris State (Mich.) Bulldogs showed why they were in their third NCAA Division II national championship game in the last four years. The Bulldogs built an early 14-0 lead against then-No. 1 Valdosta State (Ga.) and never looked back, winning their third national title in dominant fashion, 49-14. This was Ferris State’s fourth national title game appearance in the last six years and regained the title after back-to-back championships in 2021 and 2022. The Bulldogs end the 2024 season ranked No. 1 in the AFCA Division II Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl. Valdosta State drops to No. 2 with a stellar 13-1 record.
The Blazers are followed by Slippery Rock (Pa.), who rose eight spots to No. 3 after their run to the semifinals. Harding (Ark.) stays in the No. 4 spot after making it to the quarterfinals with Kutztown (Pa.) rounding out the top five. The Bears lost a close overtime game against conference rival Slippery Rock in the second round.
Minnesota State made an incredible run in the playoffs, winning two rounds on the road to reach the semifinals and went from unranked to finishing the season at No. 7.
Four other teams were unranked in the final regular season poll and finish the season in the top 25. Virginia Union and Bemidji State (Minn.) were both quarterfinal participants and see their selves ranked No. 11 and No. 13, respectively. Miles (Ala.) and Ashland (Ohio) were never ranked in 2024, both made it to the second round of the playoffs and finish at No. 22 and No. 23, respectively.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Post-season | Head Coach | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ferris St. (Mich.) (27) | 14-1 | 675 | 2 | D. No. 1 Valdosta St. (Ga.), 49-14, in national championship | Tony Annese | |
| 2 | Valdosta St. (Ga.) | 13-1 | 643 | 1 | Lost to No. 2 Ferris St. (Mich.), 49-14, in national championship | Tremaine Jackson | |
| 3 | Slippery Rock (Pa.) | 12-2 | 583 | 11 | Lost to No. 2 Ferris St. (Mich.), 48-38, in semifinals | Shawn Lutz | |
| 4 | Harding (Ark.) | 12-2 | 579 | 4 | Lost to No. 2 Ferris St. (Mich.), 41-7, in quarterfinals | Paul Simmons | |
| 5 | Kutztown (Pa.) | 11-1 | 482 | 3 | Lost to No. 11 Slippery Rock (Pa.), 25-24 OT, in second round | Jim Clements | |
| 6 | Grand Valley St. (Mich.) | 11-2 | 479 | 5 | Lost to No. 4 Harding (Ark.), 44-26, in second round | Scott Wooster | |
| 7 | Minnesota St. | 11-4 | 462 | NR | Lost to No. 1 Valdosta St. (Ga.), 35-21, in semifinals | Todd Hoffner | |
| 8 | Colorado St.-Pueblo | 10-2 | 460 | 7 | Lost to Minnesota St., 26-23, in second round | Philip Vigil | |
| 9 | Central Oklahoma | 11-2 | 405 | 8 | Lost to No. 2 Ferris St. (Mich.), 78-17, in second round | Adam Dorrel | |
| 10 | Western Colorado | 11-2 | 360 | 10 | Lost to Bemidji St. (Minn.), 20-19, in second round | Jas Bains | |
| 11 | Virginia Union | 10-4 | 343 | NR | Lost to No. 1 Valdosta St. (Ga.), 49-14, in quarterfinals | Alvin Parker | |
| 12 | California (Pa.) | 10-3 | 338 | 20 | Lost to No. 11 Slippery Rock (Pa.), 31-13, in quarterfinals | Gary Dunn | |
| 13 | Bemidji St. (Minn.) | 10-4 | 333 | NR | Lost to Minnesota St., 27-23, in quarterfinals | Brent Bolte | |
| 14 | Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) | 10-2 | 316 | 9 | Lost to No. 8 Central Oklahoma, 38-31 OT, in first round | Todd Knight | |
| 15 | Charleston (W.Va.) | 11-1 | 293 | 6 | Lost to Ashland (Ohio), 40-38, in first round | Quinn Sanders | |
| 16 | Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) | 10-3 | 275 | 15 | Lost to Virginia Union, 44-12, in second round | Doug Socha | |
| 17 | Pittsburg St. (Kan.) | 8-3 | 273 | 13 | Lost to No. 4 Harding (Ark.), 48-3, in first round | Tom Anthony | |
| 18 | West Alabama | 9-2 | 229 | 12 | Lost to No. 15 Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.), 37-34, in first round | Brett Gilliland | |
| 19 | Indianapolis (Ind.) | 10-2 | 224 | 14 | Lost to No. 5 Grand Valley St. (Mich.), 24-7, in first round | Chris Keevers | |
| 20 | Angelo St. (Tex.) | 9-3 | 170 | 16 | Lost to Bemidji St. (Minn.), 24-14, in first round | Jeff Girsch | |
| 21 | Wingate (N.C.) | 9-2 | 164 | 17 | Lost to Virginia Union, 34-31 OT, in first round | Rashaan Jordan | |
| 22 | Miles (Ala.) | 10-3 | 138 | NR | Lost to No. 1 Valdosta St. (Ga.), 33-17, in second round | Sam Shade | |
| 23 | Ashland (Ohio) | 9-4 | 125 | NR | Lost to No. 20 California (Pa.), 34-33, in second round | Doug Geiser | |
| 24 | Central Washington | 8-4 | 111 | 19 | Lost to No. 10 Western Colorado, 28-21, in first round | Chris Fisk | |
| 25 | Augustana (S.D.) | 8-4 | 87 | 22 | Lost to Minnesota St., 20-19, in first round | Jerry Olszewski |
Dropped Out: Colorado School of Mines (18), West Florida (21), Southern Arkansas (23), Carson-Newman (Tenn.) (24), Central Missouri (25)
Others Receiving Votes: Colorado School of Mines, 56; Carson-Newman (Tenn.), 47; East Stroudsburg (Pa.), 38; Central Missouri, 35; West Florida, 20; Southern Arkansas, 16; Fort Hays St. (Kan.), 14; New Haven (Conn.), 1; Truman St. (Mo.), 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.
