It’s Not Good To Be No. 1
October 28, 2024
For the second straight week, the No. 1 team in the AFCA Division II Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl, has lost. Last week, it was Harding (Ark.). This week, it is Grand Valley State (Mich.). In the annual Anchor-Bone Classic rivalry game, Ferris State (Mich.) dominated on both sides of the ball to beat the Lakers, 34-7. The Bulldog defense limited the nation’s top ranked offense to just 229 total yards and recorded two interceptions and one fumble recovery. Ferris State moves up to No. 2 while GVSU drops to No. 7.
The new No. 1 this week is Valdosta State (Ga.). The last time the Blazers were ranked No. 1 was on November 18, 2019. VSU will face Chowan (N.C.) this coming Saturday and hopes to break the No. 1 curse. Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) remained undefeated and moved up to No. 3 after a 38-7 win over Arkansas Tech. Kutztown (Pa.) blanked Shepherd (W.Va.) but remained in the fourth spot. Pittsburg State (Kan.) beat previously unbeaten Central Oklahoma, 35-21 and jumped to No. 5. The loss dropped the Bronchos four spots to No. 13.
For the second straight week, No. 8 Western Colorado will face the No. 10 team in the country. This past Saturday, it was then-No. 10 Colorado School of Mines, who the Mountaineers beat 38-28 and dropped to No. 18. This coming Saturday they will face No. 10 Colorado State-Pueblo, a team the Mountaineers have beaten three straight years.
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Week 8 Next Game
1 Valdosta St. (Ga.) (18) 7-0 712 2 Idle Nov. 2 vs. Chowan (N.C.)
2 Ferris St. (Mich.) (8) 7-1 689 3 D. No. 1 Grand Valley St. (Mich.), 34-7 Nov. 2 at Northern Michigan
3 Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) (2) 8-0 649 5 D. Arkansas Tech, 38-7 Oct. 31 vs. Southern Nazarene (Okla.)
4 Kutztown (Pa.) 8-0 629 4 D. Shepherd (W.Va.), 24-0 Nov. 2 at Millersville (Pa.)
5 Pittsburg St. (Kan.) (1) 7-1 615 6 D. No. 9 Central Oklahoma, 35-21 Nov. 2 vs. Central Missouri
6 Harding (Ark.) 7-1 571 7 D. No. 22 Southern Arkansas, 49-17 Oct. 31 vs. Southeastern Oklahoma St.
7 Grand Valley St. (Mich.) 7-1 530 1 Lost to No. 3 Ferris St. (Mich.), 34-7 Nov. 2 vs. Wayne St. (Mich.)
8 Western Colorado 8-0 524 8 D. No. 10 Colorado School of Mines, 38-28 Nov. 2 vs. No. 10 Colorado St.-Pueblo
9 Charleston (W.Va.) 8-0 460 11 D. Fairmont St. (W.Va.), 50-30 Nov. 2 at West Liberty (W.Va.)
10 Colorado St.-Pueblo 7-1 457 12 Idle Nov. 2 at No. 8 Western Colorado
11 Emporia St. (Kan.) 7-1 415 14 D. Nebraska-Kearney, 42-35 Nov. 2 vs. Fort Hays St. (Kan.)
12 Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) 7-1 354 16 D. Limestone (S.C.), 21-19 Nov. 2 vs. Wingate (N.C.)
13 Central Oklahoma 7-1 353 9 Lost to No. 6 Pittsburg St. (Kan.), 35-21 Nov. 2 at Missouri Western St.
14 Slippery Rock (Pa.) 6-1 351 15 Idle Oct. 31 at Clarion (Pa.)
15 West Alabama 6-1 290 18 D. Chowan (N.C.), 38-0 Nov. 2 vs. North Greenville (S.C.)
16 Johnson C. Smith (N.C.) 8-0 281 19 D. Winston-Salem St. (N.C.), 24-15 Nov. 2 vs. Fayetteville St. (N.C.)
17 Central Washington 6-2 249 20 D. Midwestern St. (Tex.), 42-21 Nov. 2 at Angelo St. (Tex.)
18 Colorado School of Mines 6-2 220 10 Lost to No. 8 Western Colorado, 38-28 Nov. 2 at New Mexico Highlands
19 Indianapolis (Ind.) 7-1 202 21 D. Upper Iowa, 40-13 Nov. 2 vs. Southwest Baptist (Mo.)
20 Augustana (S.D.) 6-2 174 25 D. No. 13 Minnesota St., 34-16 Nov. 2 vs. Concordia (Minn.)
21 West Florida 5-2 142 23 D. Shorter (Ga.), 35-16 Nov. 2 at Erskine (S.C.)
22 Minnesota St. 6-2 103 13 Lost to No. 25 Augustana (S.D.), 34-16 Nov. 2 at Northern St. (S.D.)
23 California (Pa.) 7-1 85 NR D. Indiana (Pa.), 16-13 OT Nov. 9 vs. Edinboro (Pa.)
24 Carson-Newman (Tenn.) 7-1 78 17 Lost to Emory & Henry (Va.), 17-10 Nov. 2 vs. Anderson (S.C.)
25 Findlay (Ohio) 7-1 59 NR D. Thomas More (Ky.), 34-17 Nov. 2 vs. Walsh (Ohio)
Dropped Out: Southern Arkansas (22), Delta St. (Miss.) (24)
Others Receiving Votes: Angelo St. (Tex.), 46; Emory & Henry (Va.), 45; Wingate (N.C.), 35; Virginia Union, 31; Sioux Falls (S.D.), 28; Southern Arkansas, 20; Ashland (Ohio), 7; Davenport (Mich.), 7; Assumption (Mass.), 3; Colorado Mesa, 3; Fort Hays St. (Kan.), 3; Delta St. (Miss.), 2; Miles (Ala.), 1; New Haven (Conn.), 1; Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.), 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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For the second straight week, the No. 1 team in the AFCA Division II Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl, has lost. Last week, it was Harding (Ark.). This week, it is Grand Valley State (Mich.). In the annual Anchor-Bone Classic rivalry game, Ferris State (Mich.) dominated on both sides of the ball to beat the Lakers, 34-7. The Bulldog defense limited the nation’s top ranked offense to just 229 total yards and recorded two interceptions and one fumble recovery. Ferris State moves up to No. 2 while GVSU drops to No. 7.
The new No. 1 this week is Valdosta State (Ga.). The last time the Blazers were ranked No. 1 was on November 18, 2019. VSU will face Chowan (N.C.) this coming Saturday and hopes to break the No. 1 curse. Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) remained undefeated and moved up to No. 3 after a 38-7 win over Arkansas Tech. Kutztown (Pa.) blanked Shepherd (W.Va.) but remained in the fourth spot. Pittsburg State (Kan.) beat previously unbeaten Central Oklahoma, 35-21 and jumped to No. 5. The loss dropped the Bronchos four spots to No. 13.
For the second straight week, No. 8 Western Colorado will face the No. 10 team in the country. This past Saturday, it was then-No. 10 Colorado School of Mines, who the Mountaineers beat 38-28 and dropped to No. 18. This coming Saturday they will face No. 10 Colorado State-Pueblo, a team the Mountaineers have beaten three straight years.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week 8 | Next Game | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Valdosta St. (Ga.) (18) | 7-0 | 712 | 2 | Idle | Nov. 2 vs. Chowan (N.C.) | |
| 2 | Ferris St. (Mich.) (8) | 7-1 | 689 | 3 | D. No. 1 Grand Valley St. (Mich.), 34-7 | Nov. 2 at Northern Michigan | |
| 3 | Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) (2) | 8-0 | 649 | 5 | D. Arkansas Tech, 38-7 | Oct. 31 vs. Southern Nazarene (Okla.) | |
| 4 | Kutztown (Pa.) | 8-0 | 629 | 4 | D. Shepherd (W.Va.), 24-0 | Nov. 2 at Millersville (Pa.) | |
| 5 | Pittsburg St. (Kan.) (1) | 7-1 | 615 | 6 | D. No. 9 Central Oklahoma, 35-21 | Nov. 2 vs. Central Missouri | |
| 6 | Harding (Ark.) | 7-1 | 571 | 7 | D. No. 22 Southern Arkansas, 49-17 | Oct. 31 vs. Southeastern Oklahoma St. | |
| 7 | Grand Valley St. (Mich.) | 7-1 | 530 | 1 | Lost to No. 3 Ferris St. (Mich.), 34-7 | Nov. 2 vs. Wayne St. (Mich.) | |
| 8 | Western Colorado | 8-0 | 524 | 8 | D. No. 10 Colorado School of Mines, 38-28 | Nov. 2 vs. No. 10 Colorado St.-Pueblo | |
| 9 | Charleston (W.Va.) | 8-0 | 460 | 11 | D. Fairmont St. (W.Va.), 50-30 | Nov. 2 at West Liberty (W.Va.) | |
| 10 | Colorado St.-Pueblo | 7-1 | 457 | 12 | Idle | Nov. 2 at No. 8 Western Colorado | |
| 11 | Emporia St. (Kan.) | 7-1 | 415 | 14 | D. Nebraska-Kearney, 42-35 | Nov. 2 vs. Fort Hays St. (Kan.) | |
| 12 | Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) | 7-1 | 354 | 16 | D. Limestone (S.C.), 21-19 | Nov. 2 vs. Wingate (N.C.) | |
| 13 | Central Oklahoma | 7-1 | 353 | 9 | Lost to No. 6 Pittsburg St. (Kan.), 35-21 | Nov. 2 at Missouri Western St. | |
| 14 | Slippery Rock (Pa.) | 6-1 | 351 | 15 | Idle | Oct. 31 at Clarion (Pa.) | |
| 15 | West Alabama | 6-1 | 290 | 18 | D. Chowan (N.C.), 38-0 | Nov. 2 vs. North Greenville (S.C.) | |
| 16 | Johnson C. Smith (N.C.) | 8-0 | 281 | 19 | D. Winston-Salem St. (N.C.), 24-15 | Nov. 2 vs. Fayetteville St. (N.C.) | |
| 17 | Central Washington | 6-2 | 249 | 20 | D. Midwestern St. (Tex.), 42-21 | Nov. 2 at Angelo St. (Tex.) | |
| 18 | Colorado School of Mines | 6-2 | 220 | 10 | Lost to No. 8 Western Colorado, 38-28 | Nov. 2 at New Mexico Highlands | |
| 19 | Indianapolis (Ind.) | 7-1 | 202 | 21 | D. Upper Iowa, 40-13 | Nov. 2 vs. Southwest Baptist (Mo.) | |
| 20 | Augustana (S.D.) | 6-2 | 174 | 25 | D. No. 13 Minnesota St., 34-16 | Nov. 2 vs. Concordia (Minn.) | |
| 21 | West Florida | 5-2 | 142 | 23 | D. Shorter (Ga.), 35-16 | Nov. 2 at Erskine (S.C.) | |
| 22 | Minnesota St. | 6-2 | 103 | 13 | Lost to No. 25 Augustana (S.D.), 34-16 | Nov. 2 at Northern St. (S.D.) | |
| 23 | California (Pa.) | 7-1 | 85 | NR | D. Indiana (Pa.), 16-13 OT | Nov. 9 vs. Edinboro (Pa.) | |
| 24 | Carson-Newman (Tenn.) | 7-1 | 78 | 17 | Lost to Emory & Henry (Va.), 17-10 | Nov. 2 vs. Anderson (S.C.) | |
| 25 | Findlay (Ohio) | 7-1 | 59 | NR | D. Thomas More (Ky.), 34-17 | Nov. 2 vs. Walsh (Ohio) |
Dropped Out: Southern Arkansas (22), Delta St. (Miss.) (24)
Others Receiving Votes: Angelo St. (Tex.), 46; Emory & Henry (Va.), 45; Wingate (N.C.), 35; Virginia Union, 31; Sioux Falls (S.D.), 28; Southern Arkansas, 20; Ashland (Ohio), 7; Davenport (Mich.), 7; Assumption (Mass.), 3; Colorado Mesa, 3; Fort Hays St. (Kan.), 3; Delta St. (Miss.), 2; Miles (Ala.), 1; New Haven (Conn.), 1; Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.), 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.
