Grand Valley State Has Dominant Win Over West Florida
September 30, 2024
Facing their second straight ranked opponent, West Florida was limited to 121 yards of total offense while Grand Valley State’s (Mich.) offense rolled up 436 yards, easily beating the visiting Argonauts, 31-7. The Laker defense stifled West Florida’s offense with eight quarterback sacks and 15 tackles for loss. Despite the win, Grand Valley State remains No. 2 in this week’s AFCA Division II Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl, while the loss dropped the Argonauts out of the rankings.
Harding (Ark.) solidified their No. 1 ranking thanks to a 66-0 shutout victory over then-No. 20 Henderson State (Ark.), dropping the Reddies out of the top 25. Valdosta State (Ga.), Colorado School of Mines and Ferris State (Mich.) round out the top 5. The fifth ranked Bulldogs broke the school record for most points in a game after their 84-7 victory over American International (Mass.).
Augustana (S.D.) joined West Florida and Henderson State by falling out of the top 25, making room for No. 23 Findlay (Ohio), No. 24 Johnson C. Smith (N.C.) and No. 25 Carson-Newman (Tenn.). This is the first time Johnson C. Smith has ever been ranked in the AFCA Top 25. The last time Findlay was in the poll was on September 3, 2018, while Carson-Newman was last seen in the preseason poll of 2021.
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Week 4 Next Game
1 Harding (Ark.) (29) 4-0 725 1 D. No. 20 Henderson St. (Ark.), 66-0 Oct. 5 at Southwestern Oklahoma
2 Grand Valley St. (Mich.) 4-0 695 2 D. No. 21 West Florida, 31-7 Oct. 5 at Davenport (Mich.)
3 Valdosta St. (Ga.) 4-0 656 3 Idle Oct. 5 at Shorter (Ga.)
4 Colorado School of Mines 4-0 641 4 D. Black Hills St. (S.D.), 52-24 Oct. 5 at Colorado Mesa
5 Ferris St. (Mich.) 3-1 586 5 D. American International (Mass.), 84-7 Oct. 5 vs. Roosevelt (Ill.)
6 Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) 4-0 570 6 D. Tusculum (Tenn.), 37-23 Oct. 5 at Emory & Henry (Va.)
7 Minnesota St. 5-0 545 7 D. Concordia (Minn.), 33-20 Oct. 5 vs. Sioux Falls (S.D.)
8 Kutztown (Pa.) 4 506 8 D. East Stroudsburg (Pa.), 27-21 Oct. 5 vs. Bloomsburg (Pa.)
9 Slippery Rock (Pa.) 4-0 489 9 D. Edinboro (Pa.), 28-23 Oct. 5 at No. 21 Indiana (Pa.)
10 Pittsburg St. (Kan.) 3-1 470 10 Idle Oct. 5 vs. Missouri Western St.
11 Central Washington 3-1 401 13 D. Western New Mexico, 36-0 Oct. 5 at Eastern New Mexico
12 Central Missouri 3-1 399 12 D. Nebraska-Kearney, 36-35 Oct. 5 at Fort Hays St. (Kan.)
13 Western Colorado 4-0 376 14 D. New Mexico Highlands, 53-12 Oct. 5 vs. Fort Lewis (Colo.)
14 Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) 4-0 350 16 D. Arkansas-Monticello, 49-14 Oct. 5 at Southeastern Oklahoma
15 West Alabama 4-0 319 17 Idle Oct. 5 vs. Erskine (S.C.)
16 Charleston (W.Va.) 4-0 265 19 D. Concord (W.Va.), 42-7 Oct. 5 vs. Glenville St. (W.Va.)
17 Central Oklahoma 4-0 246 23 D. Fort Hays St. (Kan.), 49-24 Oct. 5 at Missouri Southern St.
18t. Colorado St.-Pueblo 4-1 238 22 D. Adams St. (Colo.), 66-10 Oct. 5 vs. New Mexico Highlands
18t. Emporia St. (Kan.) 4-1 238 11 Lost to Northwest Missouri St., 14-9 Oct. 5 vs. Northeastern St. (Okla.)
20 Delta St. (Miss.) 3-1 150 24 Idle Oct. 5 vs. Chowan (N.C.)
21 Indiana (Pa.) 4-0 132 25 D. Clarion (Pa.), 31-0 Oct. 5 vs. No. 9 Slippery Rock (Pa.)
22 Indianapolis (Ind.) 3-1 117 15 Lost to Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.), 28-24 Oct. 5 at William Jewell (Mo.)
23 Findlay (Ohio) 4-0 73 NR D. Hillsdale (Mich.), 28-21 Oct. 5 at Kentucky Wesleyan
24 Johnson C. Smith (N.C.) 5-0 51 NR D. Bluefield St. (W.Va.), 42-3 Oct. 5 vs. Virginia St.
25 Carson-Newman (Tenn.) 4-0 43 NR D. Catawba (N.C.), 35-34 Oct. 5 vs. Barton (N.C.)
Dropped Out: Augustana (S.D.) (18), Henderson St. (Ark.) (20), West Florida (21)
Others Receiving Votes: Bemidji St. (Minn.), 30; Frostburg St. (Md.), 22; West Florida, 20; Henderson St. (Ark.), 18; Davenport (Mich.), 14; Augustana (S.D.), 12; Clark Atlanta (Ga.), 11; Virginia Union, 6; Southern Arkansas, 5; Texas A&M-Kingsville, 3; Angelo St. (Tex.), 1; Assumption (Mass.), 1; New Haven (Conn.), 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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Facing their second straight ranked opponent, West Florida was limited to 121 yards of total offense while Grand Valley State’s (Mich.) offense rolled up 436 yards, easily beating the visiting Argonauts, 31-7. The Laker defense stifled West Florida’s offense with eight quarterback sacks and 15 tackles for loss. Despite the win, Grand Valley State remains No. 2 in this week’s AFCA Division II Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl, while the loss dropped the Argonauts out of the rankings.
Harding (Ark.) solidified their No. 1 ranking thanks to a 66-0 shutout victory over then-No. 20 Henderson State (Ark.), dropping the Reddies out of the top 25. Valdosta State (Ga.), Colorado School of Mines and Ferris State (Mich.) round out the top 5. The fifth ranked Bulldogs broke the school record for most points in a game after their 84-7 victory over American International (Mass.).
Augustana (S.D.) joined West Florida and Henderson State by falling out of the top 25, making room for No. 23 Findlay (Ohio), No. 24 Johnson C. Smith (N.C.) and No. 25 Carson-Newman (Tenn.). This is the first time Johnson C. Smith has ever been ranked in the AFCA Top 25. The last time Findlay was in the poll was on September 3, 2018, while Carson-Newman was last seen in the preseason poll of 2021.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week 4 | Next Game | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harding (Ark.) (29) | 4-0 | 725 | 1 | D. No. 20 Henderson St. (Ark.), 66-0 | Oct. 5 at Southwestern Oklahoma | |
| 2 | Grand Valley St. (Mich.) | 4-0 | 695 | 2 | D. No. 21 West Florida, 31-7 | Oct. 5 at Davenport (Mich.) | |
| 3 | Valdosta St. (Ga.) | 4-0 | 656 | 3 | Idle | Oct. 5 at Shorter (Ga.) | |
| 4 | Colorado School of Mines | 4-0 | 641 | 4 | D. Black Hills St. (S.D.), 52-24 | Oct. 5 at Colorado Mesa | |
| 5 | Ferris St. (Mich.) | 3-1 | 586 | 5 | D. American International (Mass.), 84-7 | Oct. 5 vs. Roosevelt (Ill.) | |
| 6 | Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) | 4-0 | 570 | 6 | D. Tusculum (Tenn.), 37-23 | Oct. 5 at Emory & Henry (Va.) | |
| 7 | Minnesota St. | 5-0 | 545 | 7 | D. Concordia (Minn.), 33-20 | Oct. 5 vs. Sioux Falls (S.D.) | |
| 8 | Kutztown (Pa.) | 4 | 506 | 8 | D. East Stroudsburg (Pa.), 27-21 | Oct. 5 vs. Bloomsburg (Pa.) | |
| 9 | Slippery Rock (Pa.) | 4-0 | 489 | 9 | D. Edinboro (Pa.), 28-23 | Oct. 5 at No. 21 Indiana (Pa.) | |
| 10 | Pittsburg St. (Kan.) | 3-1 | 470 | 10 | Idle | Oct. 5 vs. Missouri Western St. | |
| 11 | Central Washington | 3-1 | 401 | 13 | D. Western New Mexico, 36-0 | Oct. 5 at Eastern New Mexico | |
| 12 | Central Missouri | 3-1 | 399 | 12 | D. Nebraska-Kearney, 36-35 | Oct. 5 at Fort Hays St. (Kan.) | |
| 13 | Western Colorado | 4-0 | 376 | 14 | D. New Mexico Highlands, 53-12 | Oct. 5 vs. Fort Lewis (Colo.) | |
| 14 | Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) | 4-0 | 350 | 16 | D. Arkansas-Monticello, 49-14 | Oct. 5 at Southeastern Oklahoma | |
| 15 | West Alabama | 4-0 | 319 | 17 | Idle | Oct. 5 vs. Erskine (S.C.) | |
| 16 | Charleston (W.Va.) | 4-0 | 265 | 19 | D. Concord (W.Va.), 42-7 | Oct. 5 vs. Glenville St. (W.Va.) | |
| 17 | Central Oklahoma | 4-0 | 246 | 23 | D. Fort Hays St. (Kan.), 49-24 | Oct. 5 at Missouri Southern St. | |
| 18t. | Colorado St.-Pueblo | 4-1 | 238 | 22 | D. Adams St. (Colo.), 66-10 | Oct. 5 vs. New Mexico Highlands | |
| 18t. | Emporia St. (Kan.) | 4-1 | 238 | 11 | Lost to Northwest Missouri St., 14-9 | Oct. 5 vs. Northeastern St. (Okla.) | |
| 20 | Delta St. (Miss.) | 3-1 | 150 | 24 | Idle | Oct. 5 vs. Chowan (N.C.) | |
| 21 | Indiana (Pa.) | 4-0 | 132 | 25 | D. Clarion (Pa.), 31-0 | Oct. 5 vs. No. 9 Slippery Rock (Pa.) | |
| 22 | Indianapolis (Ind.) | 3-1 | 117 | 15 | Lost to Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.), 28-24 | Oct. 5 at William Jewell (Mo.) | |
| 23 | Findlay (Ohio) | 4-0 | 73 | NR | D. Hillsdale (Mich.), 28-21 | Oct. 5 at Kentucky Wesleyan | |
| 24 | Johnson C. Smith (N.C.) | 5-0 | 51 | NR | D. Bluefield St. (W.Va.), 42-3 | Oct. 5 vs. Virginia St. | |
| 25 | Carson-Newman (Tenn.) | 4-0 | 43 | NR | D. Catawba (N.C.), 35-34 | Oct. 5 vs. Barton (N.C.) |
Dropped Out: Augustana (S.D.) (18), Henderson St. (Ark.) (20), West Florida (21)
Others Receiving Votes: Bemidji St. (Minn.), 30; Frostburg St. (Md.), 22; West Florida, 20; Henderson St. (Ark.), 18; Davenport (Mich.), 14; Augustana (S.D.), 12; Clark Atlanta (Ga.), 11; Virginia Union, 6; Southern Arkansas, 5; Texas A&M-Kingsville, 3; Angelo St. (Tex.), 1; Assumption (Mass.), 1; New Haven (Conn.), 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.
