Ouachita Baptist Takes Down No. 1 Harding
October 21, 2024
Harding’s (Ark.) offense came into their game against Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) averaging 61 points and 554 yards of total offense per game, but the Tiger’s defense wasn’t having any of it. Ouachita Baptist held the Bisons to just 13 points and 288 yards of offense, good enough to knock Harding off the No. 1 spot to No. 7 with a 17-13 victory. The Tigers rose to No. 5 in this week’s AFCA Division II Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl.
Harding’s loss is Grand Valley State’s (Mich.) gain as the Lakers are the new No. 1 team for a record 94th time in the AFCA poll. GVSU doesn’t have long to enjoy their new ranking as it will be put to the test on Saturday against No. 3 Ferris State (Mich.). The Bulldogs will be looking for some revenge after losing to Grand Valley State twice in 2023.
There are two other top 10 showdowns this coming weekend. One is for the top spot in the MIAA as No. 6 Pittsburg State (Kan.) travels to No. 9 and undefeated Central Oklahoma. UCO hasn’t beaten the Gorillas since November 14, 2015. The third top 10 battle is a big one in the RMAC as undefeated and No. 8 Western Colorado travels to No. 10 Colorado School of Mines. The Mountaineers are looking for their first win over Colorado Mines since 2016.
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Week 7 Next Game
1 Grand Valley St. (Mich.) (27) 7-0 747 2 D. Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.), 16-9 Oct. 26 vs. No. 3 Ferris St. (Mich.)
2 Valdosta St. (Ga.) (3) 7-0 720 3 D. Mississippi College, 35-10 Nov. 2 vs. Chowan (N.C.)
3 Ferris St. (Mich.) 6-1 657 4 D. Michigan Tech, 51-13 Oct. 26 at No. 1 Grand Valley St. (Mich.)
4 Kutztown (Pa.) 7-0 634 5 D. Shippensburg (Pa.), 31-2 Oct. 26 vs. Shepherd (W.Va.)
5 Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) 7-0 627 9 D. No. 1 Harding (Ark.), 17-13 Oct. 26 at Arkansas Tech
6 Pittsburg St. (Kan.) 6-1 590 7 D. Fort Hays St. (Kan.), 18-17 Oct. 26 at No. 9 Central Oklahoma
7 Harding (Ark.) 6-1 579 1 Lost to No. 9 Ouachita Baptist (Ark.), 17-13 Oct. 26 vs. No. 22 Southern Arkansas
8 Western Colorado 7-0 554 8 D. South Dakota Mines, 35-24 Oct. 26 at No. 10 Colorado School of Mines
9 Central Oklahoma 7-0 513 11 D. Northeastern St. (Okla.), 64-57 Oct. 26 vs. No. 6 Pittsburg St. (Kan.)
10 Colorado School of Mines 6-1 460 12 D. Adams St. (Colo.), 56-14 Oct. 26 vs. No. 8 Western Colorado
11 Charleston (W.Va.) 7-0 439 13 D. No. 22 Frostburg St. (Md.), 48-7 Oct. 25 vs. Fairmont St. (W.Va.)
12 Colorado St.-Pueblo 7-1 419 14 D. Black Hills St. (S.D.), 24-21 Nov. 2 at No. 8 Western Colorado
13 Minnesota St. 6-1 341 15 Idle Oct. 26 vs. No. 25 Augustana (S.D.)
14 Emporia St. (Kan.) 6-1 333 16 Idle Oct. 26 at Nebraska-Kearney
15 Slippery Rock (Pa.) 6-1 300 6 Lost to California (Pa.), 28-7 Oct. 31 at Clarion (Pa.)
16 Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) 6-1 290 17 D. Barton (N.C.), 20-0 Oct. 26 vs. Limestone (S.C.)
17 Carson-Newman (Tenn.) 7-0 287 18 D. Virginia-Wise, 35-23 Oct. 26 at Emory & Henry (Va.)
18 West Alabama 5-1 220 10 Lost to Delta St. (Miss.), 21-6 Oct. 26 vs. Chowan (N.C.)
19 Johnson C. Smith (N.C.) 7-0 200 20 D. Shaw (N.C.), 21-14 Oct. 26 at Winston-Salem St. (N.C.)
20 Central Washington 5-2 181 21 D. Texas A&M-Kingsville, 31-0 Oct. 26 vs. Midwestern St. (Tex.)
21 Indianapolis (Ind.) 6-1 177 19 D. McKendree (Ill.), 42-34 Oct. 26 at Upper Iowa
22 Southern Arkansas 6-1 117 24 D. No. 25 Henderson St. (Ark.), 42-19 Oct. 26 at No. 7 Harding (Ark.)
23 West Florida 4-2 115 23 D. Chowan (N.C.), 35-6 Oct. 26 vs. Shorter (Ga.)
24 Delta St. (Miss.) 5-2 58 NR D. No. 10 West Alabama, 21-6 Oct. 26 at North Greenville (S.C.)
25 Augustana (S.D.) 5-2 29 NR D. Winona St. (Minn.), 31-0 Oct. 26 at No. 13 Minnesota St.
Dropped Out: Frostburg St. (Md.) (22), Henderson St. (Ark.) (25)
Others Receiving Votes: Angelo St. (Tex.), 22; Findlay (Ohio), 22; California (Pa.), 21; Virginia Union, 20; Wayne St. (Neb.), 16; Wingate (N.C.), 10; Sioux Falls (S.D.), 8; Colorado Mesa, 7; Indiana (Pa.), 7; New Haven (Conn.), 7; Davenport (Mich.), 6; Frostburg St. (Md.), 6; Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.), 4; Fort Hays St. (Kan.), 3; Ashland (Ohio), 2; Emory & Henry (Va.), 1; Western Oregon, 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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Harding’s (Ark.) offense came into their game against Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) averaging 61 points and 554 yards of total offense per game, but the Tiger’s defense wasn’t having any of it. Ouachita Baptist held the Bisons to just 13 points and 288 yards of offense, good enough to knock Harding off the No. 1 spot to No. 7 with a 17-13 victory. The Tigers rose to No. 5 in this week’s AFCA Division II Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl.
Harding’s loss is Grand Valley State’s (Mich.) gain as the Lakers are the new No. 1 team for a record 94th time in the AFCA poll. GVSU doesn’t have long to enjoy their new ranking as it will be put to the test on Saturday against No. 3 Ferris State (Mich.). The Bulldogs will be looking for some revenge after losing to Grand Valley State twice in 2023.
There are two other top 10 showdowns this coming weekend. One is for the top spot in the MIAA as No. 6 Pittsburg State (Kan.) travels to No. 9 and undefeated Central Oklahoma. UCO hasn’t beaten the Gorillas since November 14, 2015. The third top 10 battle is a big one in the RMAC as undefeated and No. 8 Western Colorado travels to No. 10 Colorado School of Mines. The Mountaineers are looking for their first win over Colorado Mines since 2016.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week 7 | Next Game | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grand Valley St. (Mich.) (27) | 7-0 | 747 | 2 | D. Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.), 16-9 | Oct. 26 vs. No. 3 Ferris St. (Mich.) | |
| 2 | Valdosta St. (Ga.) (3) | 7-0 | 720 | 3 | D. Mississippi College, 35-10 | Nov. 2 vs. Chowan (N.C.) | |
| 3 | Ferris St. (Mich.) | 6-1 | 657 | 4 | D. Michigan Tech, 51-13 | Oct. 26 at No. 1 Grand Valley St. (Mich.) | |
| 4 | Kutztown (Pa.) | 7-0 | 634 | 5 | D. Shippensburg (Pa.), 31-2 | Oct. 26 vs. Shepherd (W.Va.) | |
| 5 | Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) | 7-0 | 627 | 9 | D. No. 1 Harding (Ark.), 17-13 | Oct. 26 at Arkansas Tech | |
| 6 | Pittsburg St. (Kan.) | 6-1 | 590 | 7 | D. Fort Hays St. (Kan.), 18-17 | Oct. 26 at No. 9 Central Oklahoma | |
| 7 | Harding (Ark.) | 6-1 | 579 | 1 | Lost to No. 9 Ouachita Baptist (Ark.), 17-13 | Oct. 26 vs. No. 22 Southern Arkansas | |
| 8 | Western Colorado | 7-0 | 554 | 8 | D. South Dakota Mines, 35-24 | Oct. 26 at No. 10 Colorado School of Mines | |
| 9 | Central Oklahoma | 7-0 | 513 | 11 | D. Northeastern St. (Okla.), 64-57 | Oct. 26 vs. No. 6 Pittsburg St. (Kan.) | |
| 10 | Colorado School of Mines | 6-1 | 460 | 12 | D. Adams St. (Colo.), 56-14 | Oct. 26 vs. No. 8 Western Colorado | |
| 11 | Charleston (W.Va.) | 7-0 | 439 | 13 | D. No. 22 Frostburg St. (Md.), 48-7 | Oct. 25 vs. Fairmont St. (W.Va.) | |
| 12 | Colorado St.-Pueblo | 7-1 | 419 | 14 | D. Black Hills St. (S.D.), 24-21 | Nov. 2 at No. 8 Western Colorado | |
| 13 | Minnesota St. | 6-1 | 341 | 15 | Idle | Oct. 26 vs. No. 25 Augustana (S.D.) | |
| 14 | Emporia St. (Kan.) | 6-1 | 333 | 16 | Idle | Oct. 26 at Nebraska-Kearney | |
| 15 | Slippery Rock (Pa.) | 6-1 | 300 | 6 | Lost to California (Pa.), 28-7 | Oct. 31 at Clarion (Pa.) | |
| 16 | Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) | 6-1 | 290 | 17 | D. Barton (N.C.), 20-0 | Oct. 26 vs. Limestone (S.C.) | |
| 17 | Carson-Newman (Tenn.) | 7-0 | 287 | 18 | D. Virginia-Wise, 35-23 | Oct. 26 at Emory & Henry (Va.) | |
| 18 | West Alabama | 5-1 | 220 | 10 | Lost to Delta St. (Miss.), 21-6 | Oct. 26 vs. Chowan (N.C.) | |
| 19 | Johnson C. Smith (N.C.) | 7-0 | 200 | 20 | D. Shaw (N.C.), 21-14 | Oct. 26 at Winston-Salem St. (N.C.) | |
| 20 | Central Washington | 5-2 | 181 | 21 | D. Texas A&M-Kingsville, 31-0 | Oct. 26 vs. Midwestern St. (Tex.) | |
| 21 | Indianapolis (Ind.) | 6-1 | 177 | 19 | D. McKendree (Ill.), 42-34 | Oct. 26 at Upper Iowa | |
| 22 | Southern Arkansas | 6-1 | 117 | 24 | D. No. 25 Henderson St. (Ark.), 42-19 | Oct. 26 at No. 7 Harding (Ark.) | |
| 23 | West Florida | 4-2 | 115 | 23 | D. Chowan (N.C.), 35-6 | Oct. 26 vs. Shorter (Ga.) | |
| 24 | Delta St. (Miss.) | 5-2 | 58 | NR | D. No. 10 West Alabama, 21-6 | Oct. 26 at North Greenville (S.C.) | |
| 25 | Augustana (S.D.) | 5-2 | 29 | NR | D. Winona St. (Minn.), 31-0 | Oct. 26 at No. 13 Minnesota St. |
Dropped Out: Frostburg St. (Md.) (22), Henderson St. (Ark.) (25)
Others Receiving Votes: Angelo St. (Tex.), 22; Findlay (Ohio), 22; California (Pa.), 21; Virginia Union, 20; Wayne St. (Neb.), 16; Wingate (N.C.), 10; Sioux Falls (S.D.), 8; Colorado Mesa, 7; Indiana (Pa.), 7; New Haven (Conn.), 7; Davenport (Mich.), 6; Frostburg St. (Md.), 6; Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.), 4; Fort Hays St. (Kan.), 3; Ashland (Ohio), 2; Emory & Henry (Va.), 1; Western Oregon, 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.
