Grand Valley State Ends Regular Season At No. 1
November 14, 2022
Grand Valley State (Mich.) put an exclamation point at the end of the 2022 regular season as the Lakers dominated then-No. 18 Davenport (Mich.), 49-7, to claim the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title and finish the regular season at 11-0. Grand Valley State still sits No. 1 in the AFCA Division II Coaches’ Top 25 Poll with 27 first-place votes and has a first-round bye in the NCAA Division II playoffs. The Lakers will face the winner of No. 3 Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) and No. 8 Northwest Missouri State on November 26.
No. 2 Angelo State (Tex.) also finished their season 11-0 and won the Lone Star Conference with a 37-19 victory over Midwestern State (Tex.). The Rams also received a bye in the playoffs, as did No. 7 Benedict (S.C.) and No. 15 Indiana (Pa.). Benedict is making their first-ever appearance in the Division II playoffs after capturing the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title with a victory over Tuskegee (Ala.), 58-21. Indiana (Pa.) won the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference title with a win over then-No. 3 Shepherd (W.Va.), 24-21.
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Week 11 Next Game
1 Grand Valley St. (Mich.) (27) 11-0 747 1 D. No. 18 Davenport (Mich.), 49-7 Nov. 26 TBD
2 Angelo St. (Tex.) (3) 11-0 719 2 D. Midwestern St. (Tex.), 37-19 Nov. 26 TBD
3 Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) 11-0 683 4 D. No. 24 Henderson St. (Ark.), 40-37 OT Nov. 19 vs. No. 8 Northwest Missouri St.
4 Pittsburg St. (Kan.) 11-0 666 5 D. Fort Hays St. (Kan.), 35-14 Nov. 19 vs. No. 13 Indianapolis (Ind.)
5 Ferris St. (Mich.) 9-1 621 6 D. Wayne St. (Mich.), 40-14 Nov. 19 vs. No. 21 Davenport (Mich.)
6 West Florida 9-1 584 7 D. Mississippi College, 56-21 Nov. 19 vs. Limestone (S.C.)
7 Benedict (S.C.) 11-0 566 8 D. Tuskegee (Ala.), 58-21 Nov. 26 TBD
8 Northwest Missouri St. 9-2 491 10 D. No. 22 Emporia St. (Kan.), 27-21 Nov. 19 at No. 3 Ouachita Baptist (Ark.)
9 Delta St. (Miss.) 10-1 484 12 D. West Alabama, 17-7 Nov. 19 vs. Fayetteville St. (N.C.)
10 Colorado School of Mines 9-2 480 11 D. Fort Lewis (Colo.), 80-0 Nov. 19 vs. Colorado St.-Pueblo
11 Shepherd (W.Va.) 10-1 449 3 Lost to No. 19 Indiana (Pa.), 24-21 Nov. 19 vs. New Haven (Conn.)
12 Ashland (Ohio) 9-1 415 13 D. Kentucky Wesleyan, 41-10 Nov. 19 vs. No. 25 Notre Dame (Ohio)
13 Indianapolis (Ind.) 9-1 384 14 D. No. 20 Truman St. (Mo.), 28-14 Nov. 19 at No. 4 Pittsburg St. (Kan.)
14 Virginia Union 9-1 366 15 Regular Season Complete Nov. 19 vs. No. 22 Wingate (N.C.)
15 Indiana (Pa.) 9-1 335 19 D. No. 3 Shepherd (W.Va.), 24-21 Nov. 26 TBD
16 West Georgia 8-2 310 16 D. North Greenville (S.C.), 43-36 Season Complete
17 Harding (Ark.) 9-2 298 17 D. Arkansas Tech, 55-10 Season Complete
18 Newberry (S.C.) 9-2 208 21 D. Mars Hill (N.C.), 27-24 Season Complete
19 Minnesota St. 9-2 203 23 D. No. 25 Winona St. (Minn.), 40-13 Nov. 19 vs. Wayne St. (Neb.)
20 Slippery Rock (Pa.) 9-2 189 9 Lost to Kutztown (Pa.), 23-21 Nov. 19 at Assumption (Mass.)
21 Davenport (Mich.) 8-2 123 18 Lost to No. 1 Grand Valley St. (Mich.), 49-7 Nov. 19 at No. 5 Ferris St. (Mich.)
22 Wingate (N.C.) 9-2 88 NR D. Virginia-Wise, 45-7 Nov. 19 at No. 14 Virginia Union
23 Truman St. (Mo.) 8-2 66 20 Lost to No. 14 Indianapolis (Ind.), 28-14 Regular Season Complete
24t. Emporia St. (Kan.) 8-3 40 22 Lost to No. 10 Northwest Missouri St., 27-21 Dec. 3 TBA
24t. Notre Dame (Ohio) 9-2 40 NR D. Alderson Broaddus (W.Va.), 27-3 Nov. 19 at No. 12 Ashland (Ohio)
Dropped Out: Henderson St. (Ark.) (24), Winona St. (Minn.) (25)
Others Receiving Votes: Wayne St. (Neb.), 38; Henderson St. (Ark.), 37; Colorado St.-Pueblo, 31; Assumption (Mass.), 30; Bemidji St. (Minn.), 20; Fayetteville St. (N.C.), 11; Fort Valley St. (Ga.), 9; New Haven (Conn.), 6; Winona St. (Minn.), 5; Nebraska-Kearney, 4; Concord (W.Va.), 1; Kutztown (Pa.), 1; Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.), 1; Washburn (Kan.), 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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Grand Valley State (Mich.) put an exclamation point at the end of the 2022 regular season as the Lakers dominated then-No. 18 Davenport (Mich.), 49-7, to claim the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title and finish the regular season at 11-0. Grand Valley State still sits No. 1 in the AFCA Division II Coaches’ Top 25 Poll with 27 first-place votes and has a first-round bye in the NCAA Division II playoffs. The Lakers will face the winner of No. 3 Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) and No. 8 Northwest Missouri State on November 26.
No. 2 Angelo State (Tex.) also finished their season 11-0 and won the Lone Star Conference with a 37-19 victory over Midwestern State (Tex.). The Rams also received a bye in the playoffs, as did No. 7 Benedict (S.C.) and No. 15 Indiana (Pa.). Benedict is making their first-ever appearance in the Division II playoffs after capturing the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title with a victory over Tuskegee (Ala.), 58-21. Indiana (Pa.) won the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference title with a win over then-No. 3 Shepherd (W.Va.), 24-21.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week 11 | Next Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grand Valley St. (Mich.) (27) | 11-0 | 747 | 1 | D. No. 18 Davenport (Mich.), 49-7 | Nov. 26 TBD |
| 2 | Angelo St. (Tex.) (3) | 11-0 | 719 | 2 | D. Midwestern St. (Tex.), 37-19 | Nov. 26 TBD |
| 3 | Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) | 11-0 | 683 | 4 | D. No. 24 Henderson St. (Ark.), 40-37 OT | Nov. 19 vs. No. 8 Northwest Missouri St. |
| 4 | Pittsburg St. (Kan.) | 11-0 | 666 | 5 | D. Fort Hays St. (Kan.), 35-14 | Nov. 19 vs. No. 13 Indianapolis (Ind.) |
| 5 | Ferris St. (Mich.) | 9-1 | 621 | 6 | D. Wayne St. (Mich.), 40-14 | Nov. 19 vs. No. 21 Davenport (Mich.) |
| 6 | West Florida | 9-1 | 584 | 7 | D. Mississippi College, 56-21 | Nov. 19 vs. Limestone (S.C.) |
| 7 | Benedict (S.C.) | 11-0 | 566 | 8 | D. Tuskegee (Ala.), 58-21 | Nov. 26 TBD |
| 8 | Northwest Missouri St. | 9-2 | 491 | 10 | D. No. 22 Emporia St. (Kan.), 27-21 | Nov. 19 at No. 3 Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) |
| 9 | Delta St. (Miss.) | 10-1 | 484 | 12 | D. West Alabama, 17-7 | Nov. 19 vs. Fayetteville St. (N.C.) |
| 10 | Colorado School of Mines | 9-2 | 480 | 11 | D. Fort Lewis (Colo.), 80-0 | Nov. 19 vs. Colorado St.-Pueblo |
| 11 | Shepherd (W.Va.) | 10-1 | 449 | 3 | Lost to No. 19 Indiana (Pa.), 24-21 | Nov. 19 vs. New Haven (Conn.) |
| 12 | Ashland (Ohio) | 9-1 | 415 | 13 | D. Kentucky Wesleyan, 41-10 | Nov. 19 vs. No. 25 Notre Dame (Ohio) |
| 13 | Indianapolis (Ind.) | 9-1 | 384 | 14 | D. No. 20 Truman St. (Mo.), 28-14 | Nov. 19 at No. 4 Pittsburg St. (Kan.) |
| 14 | Virginia Union | 9-1 | 366 | 15 | Regular Season Complete | Nov. 19 vs. No. 22 Wingate (N.C.) |
| 15 | Indiana (Pa.) | 9-1 | 335 | 19 | D. No. 3 Shepherd (W.Va.), 24-21 | Nov. 26 TBD |
| 16 | West Georgia | 8-2 | 310 | 16 | D. North Greenville (S.C.), 43-36 | Season Complete |
| 17 | Harding (Ark.) | 9-2 | 298 | 17 | D. Arkansas Tech, 55-10 | Season Complete |
| 18 | Newberry (S.C.) | 9-2 | 208 | 21 | D. Mars Hill (N.C.), 27-24 | Season Complete |
| 19 | Minnesota St. | 9-2 | 203 | 23 | D. No. 25 Winona St. (Minn.), 40-13 | Nov. 19 vs. Wayne St. (Neb.) |
| 20 | Slippery Rock (Pa.) | 9-2 | 189 | 9 | Lost to Kutztown (Pa.), 23-21 | Nov. 19 at Assumption (Mass.) |
| 21 | Davenport (Mich.) | 8-2 | 123 | 18 | Lost to No. 1 Grand Valley St. (Mich.), 49-7 | Nov. 19 at No. 5 Ferris St. (Mich.) |
| 22 | Wingate (N.C.) | 9-2 | 88 | NR | D. Virginia-Wise, 45-7 | Nov. 19 at No. 14 Virginia Union |
| 23 | Truman St. (Mo.) | 8-2 | 66 | 20 | Lost to No. 14 Indianapolis (Ind.), 28-14 | Regular Season Complete |
| 24t. | Emporia St. (Kan.) | 8-3 | 40 | 22 | Lost to No. 10 Northwest Missouri St., 27-21 | Dec. 3 TBA |
| 24t. | Notre Dame (Ohio) | 9-2 | 40 | NR | D. Alderson Broaddus (W.Va.), 27-3 | Nov. 19 at No. 12 Ashland (Ohio) |
Dropped Out: Henderson St. (Ark.) (24), Winona St. (Minn.) (25)
Others Receiving Votes: Wayne St. (Neb.), 38; Henderson St. (Ark.), 37; Colorado St.-Pueblo, 31; Assumption (Mass.), 30; Bemidji St. (Minn.), 20; Fayetteville St. (N.C.), 11; Fort Valley St. (Ga.), 9; New Haven (Conn.), 6; Winona St. (Minn.), 5; Nebraska-Kearney, 4; Concord (W.Va.), 1; Kutztown (Pa.), 1; Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.), 1; Washburn (Kan.), 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.
