Kutztown Goes Back-To-Back In The PSAC
November 18, 2024
Kutztown (Pa.) completed their first undefeated regular season in the modern era by beating then-No. 17 California (Pa.), 21-14, in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) title game. The Golden Bears are 11-0 on the season and received a first-round bye in the NCAA Division II playoffs. They become just the second PSAC team to win back-to-back conference titles since the championship game was reborn in 2008 (Slippery Rock (Pa.), 2014-15). Kutztown ends the regular season at No. 3 in the AFCA Division II Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl.
No. 1 Valdosta State (Ga.), No. 2 Ferris State (Mich.) and No. 7 Colorado State-Pueblo received the other three first-round byes as being the top seed in their respective regions. In all, 21 of the top 25 teams made the NCAA playoffs with five first-round games being ranked matchups. No. 4 Harding (Ark.) starts defense of their 2023 national title at No. 13 Pittsburg State (Kan.) while No. 5 Grand Valley State (Mich.) will play host to Great Lakes Valley Conference champion and No. 14 Indianapolis (Ind.).
In other action, No. 8 Central Oklahoma, who won the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association title, will host a playoff game for the first time since 1998 when No. 9 Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) comes to town. The final two top 25 matchups have No. 10 Western Colorado hosting No. 19 Central Washington while No. 12 West Alabama will host No. 15 Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.).
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Week 11 Post-season
1 Valdosta St. (Ga.) (27) 10-0 747 1 D. No. 16 West Florida, 28-7 Nov. 30 TBA
2 Ferris St. (Mich.) (3) 10-1 715 2 D. Davenport (Mich.), 24-9 Nov. 30 TBA
3 Kutztown (Pa.) 11-0 681 3 D. No. 17 California (Pa.), 21-14 Nov. 30 TBA
4 Harding (Ark.) 10-1 657 4 D. Arkansas Tech, 57-27 Nov. 23 at No. 13 Pittsburg St. (Kan.)
5 Grand Valley St. (Mich.) 10-1 636 5 D. Roosevelt (Ill.), 34-21 Nov. 23 vs. No. 14 Indianapolis (Ind.)
6 Charleston (W.Va.) 11-0 582 6 D. West Virginia St., 52-17 Nov. 23 vs. Ashland (Ohio)
7 Colorado St.-Pueblo 10-1 577 7 D. Chadron St. (Neb.), 38-21 Nov. 30 TBA
8 Central Oklahoma 10-1 546 8 D. Emporia St. (Kan.), 55-38 Nov. 23 vs. No. 9 Ouachita Baptist (Ark.)
9 Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) 10-1 508 9 D. Henderson St. (Ark.), 27-20 Nov. 23 at No. 8 Central Oklahoma
10 Western Colorado 10-1 475 10 D. Colorado Mesa, 37-7 Nov. 23 vs. No. 19 Central Washington
11 Slippery Rock (Pa.) 9-1 421 11 D. Bloomsburg (Pa.), 27-7 Nov. 23 vs. New Haven (Conn.)
12 West Alabama 9-1 410 12 D. Erskine (S.C.), 63-0 Nov. 23 vs. No. 15 Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.)
13 Pittsburg St. (Kan.) 8-2 387 13 D. Northwest Missouri St., 23-7 Nov. 23 vs. No. 4 Harding (Ark.)
14 Indianapolis (Ind.) 10-1 352 14 D. Lincoln (Mo.), 52-0 Nov. 23 at No. 5 Grand Valley St. (Mich.)
15 Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) 9-2 294 20 D. Anderson (S.C.), 27-24 Nov. 23 at No. 12 West Alabama
16 Angelo St. (Tex.) 9-2 281 21 D. West Texas A&M, 56-19 Nov. 23 vs. Bemidji St. (Minn.)
17 Wingate (N.C.) 9-1 273 23 D. No. 19 Carson-Newman (Tenn.), 28-13 Nov. 23 vs. Virginia Union
18 Colorado School of Mines 8-3 198 24 D. Fort Lewis (Colo.), 67-9 Regular Season Complete
19 Central Washington 8-3 166 25 D. Western Oregon, 13-3 Nov. 23 at No. 10 Western Colorado
20 California (Pa.) 8-2 144 17 Lost to No. 3 Kutztown (Pa.), 21-14 Nov. 23 vs. East Stroudsburg (Pa.)
21 West Florida 7-3 95 16 Lost to No. 1 Valdosta St. (Ga.), 28-7 Regular Season Complete
22 Augustana (S.D.) 8-3 90 15 Lost to Bemidji St. (Minn.), 17-10 Nov. 23 vs. Minnesota St.
23 Southern Arkansas 9-2 89 NR D. Arkansas-Monticello, 54-22 Regular Season Complete
24 Carson-Newman (Tenn.) 9-2 80 19 Lost to No. 23 Wingate (N.C.), 28-13 Nov. 23 at Miles (Ala.)
25 Central Missouri 8-3 70 NR D. Missouri Southern St., 62-47 Regular Season Complete
Dropped Out: Minnesota St. (18), Findlay (Ohio) (22)
Others Receiving Votes: Fort Hays St. (Kan.), 65; East Stroudsburg (Pa.), 45; Virginia Union, 38; Miles (Ala.), 36; Minnesota St., 34; New Haven (Conn.), 21; Findlay (Ohio), 18; Bemidji St. (Minn.), 9; Sioux Falls (S.D.), 4; Davenport (Mich.), 3; Ashland (Ohio), 2; Glenville St. (W.Va.), 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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Kutztown (Pa.) completed their first undefeated regular season in the modern era by beating then-No. 17 California (Pa.), 21-14, in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) title game. The Golden Bears are 11-0 on the season and received a first-round bye in the NCAA Division II playoffs. They become just the second PSAC team to win back-to-back conference titles since the championship game was reborn in 2008 (Slippery Rock (Pa.), 2014-15). Kutztown ends the regular season at No. 3 in the AFCA Division II Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl.
No. 1 Valdosta State (Ga.), No. 2 Ferris State (Mich.) and No. 7 Colorado State-Pueblo received the other three first-round byes as being the top seed in their respective regions. In all, 21 of the top 25 teams made the NCAA playoffs with five first-round games being ranked matchups. No. 4 Harding (Ark.) starts defense of their 2023 national title at No. 13 Pittsburg State (Kan.) while No. 5 Grand Valley State (Mich.) will play host to Great Lakes Valley Conference champion and No. 14 Indianapolis (Ind.).
In other action, No. 8 Central Oklahoma, who won the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association title, will host a playoff game for the first time since 1998 when No. 9 Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) comes to town. The final two top 25 matchups have No. 10 Western Colorado hosting No. 19 Central Washington while No. 12 West Alabama will host No. 15 Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.).
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week 11 | Post-season | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Valdosta St. (Ga.) (27) | 10-0 | 747 | 1 | D. No. 16 West Florida, 28-7 | Nov. 30 TBA | |
| 2 | Ferris St. (Mich.) (3) | 10-1 | 715 | 2 | D. Davenport (Mich.), 24-9 | Nov. 30 TBA | |
| 3 | Kutztown (Pa.) | 11-0 | 681 | 3 | D. No. 17 California (Pa.), 21-14 | Nov. 30 TBA | |
| 4 | Harding (Ark.) | 10-1 | 657 | 4 | D. Arkansas Tech, 57-27 | Nov. 23 at No. 13 Pittsburg St. (Kan.) | |
| 5 | Grand Valley St. (Mich.) | 10-1 | 636 | 5 | D. Roosevelt (Ill.), 34-21 | Nov. 23 vs. No. 14 Indianapolis (Ind.) | |
| 6 | Charleston (W.Va.) | 11-0 | 582 | 6 | D. West Virginia St., 52-17 | Nov. 23 vs. Ashland (Ohio) | |
| 7 | Colorado St.-Pueblo | 10-1 | 577 | 7 | D. Chadron St. (Neb.), 38-21 | Nov. 30 TBA | |
| 8 | Central Oklahoma | 10-1 | 546 | 8 | D. Emporia St. (Kan.), 55-38 | Nov. 23 vs. No. 9 Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) | |
| 9 | Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) | 10-1 | 508 | 9 | D. Henderson St. (Ark.), 27-20 | Nov. 23 at No. 8 Central Oklahoma | |
| 10 | Western Colorado | 10-1 | 475 | 10 | D. Colorado Mesa, 37-7 | Nov. 23 vs. No. 19 Central Washington | |
| 11 | Slippery Rock (Pa.) | 9-1 | 421 | 11 | D. Bloomsburg (Pa.), 27-7 | Nov. 23 vs. New Haven (Conn.) | |
| 12 | West Alabama | 9-1 | 410 | 12 | D. Erskine (S.C.), 63-0 | Nov. 23 vs. No. 15 Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) | |
| 13 | Pittsburg St. (Kan.) | 8-2 | 387 | 13 | D. Northwest Missouri St., 23-7 | Nov. 23 vs. No. 4 Harding (Ark.) | |
| 14 | Indianapolis (Ind.) | 10-1 | 352 | 14 | D. Lincoln (Mo.), 52-0 | Nov. 23 at No. 5 Grand Valley St. (Mich.) | |
| 15 | Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) | 9-2 | 294 | 20 | D. Anderson (S.C.), 27-24 | Nov. 23 at No. 12 West Alabama | |
| 16 | Angelo St. (Tex.) | 9-2 | 281 | 21 | D. West Texas A&M, 56-19 | Nov. 23 vs. Bemidji St. (Minn.) | |
| 17 | Wingate (N.C.) | 9-1 | 273 | 23 | D. No. 19 Carson-Newman (Tenn.), 28-13 | Nov. 23 vs. Virginia Union | |
| 18 | Colorado School of Mines | 8-3 | 198 | 24 | D. Fort Lewis (Colo.), 67-9 | Regular Season Complete | |
| 19 | Central Washington | 8-3 | 166 | 25 | D. Western Oregon, 13-3 | Nov. 23 at No. 10 Western Colorado | |
| 20 | California (Pa.) | 8-2 | 144 | 17 | Lost to No. 3 Kutztown (Pa.), 21-14 | Nov. 23 vs. East Stroudsburg (Pa.) | |
| 21 | West Florida | 7-3 | 95 | 16 | Lost to No. 1 Valdosta St. (Ga.), 28-7 | Regular Season Complete | |
| 22 | Augustana (S.D.) | 8-3 | 90 | 15 | Lost to Bemidji St. (Minn.), 17-10 | Nov. 23 vs. Minnesota St. | |
| 23 | Southern Arkansas | 9-2 | 89 | NR | D. Arkansas-Monticello, 54-22 | Regular Season Complete | |
| 24 | Carson-Newman (Tenn.) | 9-2 | 80 | 19 | Lost to No. 23 Wingate (N.C.), 28-13 | Nov. 23 at Miles (Ala.) | |
| 25 | Central Missouri | 8-3 | 70 | NR | D. Missouri Southern St., 62-47 | Regular Season Complete |
Dropped Out: Minnesota St. (18), Findlay (Ohio) (22)
Others Receiving Votes: Fort Hays St. (Kan.), 65; East Stroudsburg (Pa.), 45; Virginia Union, 38; Miles (Ala.), 36; Minnesota St., 34; New Haven (Conn.), 21; Findlay (Ohio), 18; Bemidji St. (Minn.), 9; Sioux Falls (S.D.), 4; Davenport (Mich.), 3; Ashland (Ohio), 2; Glenville St. (W.Va.), 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.
