Valdosta State Begins 2019 Season At No. 1 In AFCA Division II Coaches Top 25 Poll
August 26, 2019
Fresh off of their fourth national championship in the last 14 years, Valdosta State (Ga.) is the preseason No. 1-ranked team in the AFCA Division II Coaches’ Top 25 Poll. The Blazers, who went 14-0 in 2018, start their season off at Albany State (Ga.) on September 7. This is the fourth time Valdosta State has begun the season at No. 1 in the AFCA Division II Coaches’ Poll since it began in 2000. National runner-up from a year ago, Ferris State (Mich.), sits in the No. 2 spot. The Bulldogs are followed by No. 3 Minnesota State, No. 4 Notre Dame (Ohio) and No. 5 Ouachita Baptist (Ark.).
RELATED ARTICLE: North Dakota State Starts 2019 at No. 1 In AFCA FCS Coaches Poll
RELATED ARTICLE: Morningside Begins 2019 At No. 1 In The AFCA NAIA Coaches Top 25 Poll
There are two Top 25 matchups in the first week of action, with the first being a big game in the Great American Conference. No. 5 Ouachita Baptist plays host to No. 18 Harding (Ark.) on Thursday, September 5. The second game is a good regional matchup as No. 16 Indianapolis (Ind.) travels to No. 23 Ashland (Ohio).
2019 American Football Coaches Association Preseason Division II Coaches’ Poll – August 26, 2019
Rank School (1st votes) 2018 Rec. Pts. 2018 Rank Season Opener Head Coach
1 Valdosta St. (Ga.) (29) 14-0 792 1 Sept. 7 at Albany St. (Ga.) Gary Goff
2 Ferris St. (Mich.) (3) 15-1 768 2 Sept. 5 vs. Findlay (Ohio) Tony Annese
3 Minnesota St. 13-1 686 3 Sept. 7 at Southwest Minnesota St. Todd Hoffner
4 Notre Dame (Ohio) 13-1 623 4 Sept. 7 vs. Concord (W.Va.) Mike Jacobs
5 Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) 12-1 585 6 Sept. 5 vs. No. 18 Harding (Ark.) Todd Knight
6 Northwest Missouri St. 10-3 580 10 Sept. 5 at Missouri Western St. Rich Wright
7 Tarleton St. (Texas) 12-1 549 5 Sept. 7 at Stephen F. Austin (Texas) Todd Whitten
8 Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) 12-2 524 8 Sept. 7 vs. St. Augustine’s (N.C.) Drew Cronic
9 Colorado St.-Pueblo 11-2 463 7 Sept. 7 at Dixie St. (Utah) John Wristen
10 Slippery Rock (Pa.) 11-3 446 12 Sept. 5 at Wayne St. (Mich.) Shawn Lutz
11 Fort Hays St. (Kan.) 9-3 419 22 Sept. 5 at Central Missouri Chris Brown
12 Grand Valley St. (Mich.) 10-2 418 14 Sept. 7 vs. Edinboro (Pa.) Matt Mitchell
13 Texas A&M-Commerce 10-3 385 9 Sept. 7 vs. Seleccion Nuevo Leon (Mexico) David Bailiff
14 Minnesota-Duluth 11-1 342 13 Sept. 5 vs. Minot St. (N.D.) Curt Wiese
15 West Georgia 10-2 330 16 Sept. 7 at Catawba (N.C.) David Dean
16 Indianapolis (Ind.) 10-2 319 11 Sept. 5 at No. 23 Ashland (Ohio) Chris Keevers
17 Colorado School of Mines 10-2 288 18 Sept. 7 at Adams St. (Colo.) Gregg Brandon
18 Harding (Ark.) 9-3 223 20 Sept. 5 at No. 5 Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) Paul Simmons
19 Hillsdale (Mich.) 10-3 220 15 Sept. 7 vs. Michigan Tech Keith Otterbein
20 Midwestern St. (Texas) 8-2 214 25 Sept. 7 at Northwestern St. (La.) Bill Maskill
21 Wingate (N.C.) 9-4 175 24 Sept. 5 at Johnson C. Smith (N.C.) Joe Reich
22 West Chester (Pa.) 10-1 134 17 Sept. 7 vs. Bentley (Mass.) Bill Zwaan
23 Ashland (Ohio) 6-4 129 NR Sept. 5 vs. No. 16 Indianapolis (Ind.) Lee Owens
24 West Alabama 8-4 116 NR Sept. 7 vs. Limestone (S.C.) Brett Gilliland
25 Fairmont St. (W.Va.) 9-2 78 NR Sept. 5 at Charleston (W.Va.) Jason Woodman
Others Receiving Votes: Azusa Pacific (Calif.), 71; Indiana (Pa.), 68; Bowie St. (Md.), 66; New Haven (Conn.), 65; Pittsburg St. (Kan.), 65; West Florida, 42; Sioux Falls (S.D.), 25; Virginia Union, 21; California (Pa.), 19; Fayetteville St. (N.C.), 19; Central Missouri, 15; Albany St. (Ga.), 14; Southern Arkansas, 14; Augustana (S.D.), 12; Emporia St. (Kan.), 11; Florida Tech, 10; Central Oklahoma, 9; Chadron St. (Neb.), 8; Central Washington, 7; Ohio Dominican, 7; Winona St. (Minn.), 6; Assumption (Mass.), 5; Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.), 5; Angelo St. (Texas), 2; Kutztown (Pa.), 2; Shepherd (W.Va.), 2; Colorado Mesa, 1; Findlay (Ohio), 1; Lindenwood (Mo.), 1; Missouri S&T, 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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Fresh off of their fourth national championship in the last 14 years, Valdosta State (Ga.) is the preseason No. 1-ranked team in the AFCA Division II Coaches’ Top 25 Poll. The Blazers, who went 14-0 in 2018, start their season off at Albany State (Ga.) on September 7. This is the fourth time Valdosta State has begun the season at No. 1 in the AFCA Division II Coaches’ Poll since it began in 2000. National runner-up from a year ago, Ferris State (Mich.), sits in the No. 2 spot. The Bulldogs are followed by No. 3 Minnesota State, No. 4 Notre Dame (Ohio) and No. 5 Ouachita Baptist (Ark.).
RELATED ARTICLE: North Dakota State Starts 2019 at No. 1 In AFCA FCS Coaches Poll
RELATED ARTICLE: Morningside Begins 2019 At No. 1 In The AFCA NAIA Coaches Top 25 Poll
There are two Top 25 matchups in the first week of action, with the first being a big game in the Great American Conference. No. 5 Ouachita Baptist plays host to No. 18 Harding (Ark.) on Thursday, September 5. The second game is a good regional matchup as No. 16 Indianapolis (Ind.) travels to No. 23 Ashland (Ohio).
2019 American Football Coaches Association Preseason Division II Coaches’ Poll – August 26, 2019
| Rank | School (1st votes) | 2018 Rec. | Pts. | 2018 Rank | Season Opener | Head Coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Valdosta St. (Ga.) (29) | 14-0 | 792 | 1 | Sept. 7 at Albany St. (Ga.) | Gary Goff |
| 2 | Ferris St. (Mich.) (3) | 15-1 | 768 | 2 | Sept. 5 vs. Findlay (Ohio) | Tony Annese |
| 3 | Minnesota St. | 13-1 | 686 | 3 | Sept. 7 at Southwest Minnesota St. | Todd Hoffner |
| 4 | Notre Dame (Ohio) | 13-1 | 623 | 4 | Sept. 7 vs. Concord (W.Va.) | Mike Jacobs |
| 5 | Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) | 12-1 | 585 | 6 | Sept. 5 vs. No. 18 Harding (Ark.) | Todd Knight |
| 6 | Northwest Missouri St. | 10-3 | 580 | 10 | Sept. 5 at Missouri Western St. | Rich Wright |
| 7 | Tarleton St. (Texas) | 12-1 | 549 | 5 | Sept. 7 at Stephen F. Austin (Texas) | Todd Whitten |
| 8 | Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) | 12-2 | 524 | 8 | Sept. 7 vs. St. Augustine’s (N.C.) | Drew Cronic |
| 9 | Colorado St.-Pueblo | 11-2 | 463 | 7 | Sept. 7 at Dixie St. (Utah) | John Wristen |
| 10 | Slippery Rock (Pa.) | 11-3 | 446 | 12 | Sept. 5 at Wayne St. (Mich.) | Shawn Lutz |
| 11 | Fort Hays St. (Kan.) | 9-3 | 419 | 22 | Sept. 5 at Central Missouri | Chris Brown |
| 12 | Grand Valley St. (Mich.) | 10-2 | 418 | 14 | Sept. 7 vs. Edinboro (Pa.) | Matt Mitchell |
| 13 | Texas A&M-Commerce | 10-3 | 385 | 9 | Sept. 7 vs. Seleccion Nuevo Leon (Mexico) | David Bailiff |
| 14 | Minnesota-Duluth | 11-1 | 342 | 13 | Sept. 5 vs. Minot St. (N.D.) | Curt Wiese |
| 15 | West Georgia | 10-2 | 330 | 16 | Sept. 7 at Catawba (N.C.) | David Dean |
| 16 | Indianapolis (Ind.) | 10-2 | 319 | 11 | Sept. 5 at No. 23 Ashland (Ohio) | Chris Keevers |
| 17 | Colorado School of Mines | 10-2 | 288 | 18 | Sept. 7 at Adams St. (Colo.) | Gregg Brandon |
| 18 | Harding (Ark.) | 9-3 | 223 | 20 | Sept. 5 at No. 5 Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) | Paul Simmons |
| 19 | Hillsdale (Mich.) | 10-3 | 220 | 15 | Sept. 7 vs. Michigan Tech | Keith Otterbein |
| 20 | Midwestern St. (Texas) | 8-2 | 214 | 25 | Sept. 7 at Northwestern St. (La.) | Bill Maskill |
| 21 | Wingate (N.C.) | 9-4 | 175 | 24 | Sept. 5 at Johnson C. Smith (N.C.) | Joe Reich |
| 22 | West Chester (Pa.) | 10-1 | 134 | 17 | Sept. 7 vs. Bentley (Mass.) | Bill Zwaan |
| 23 | Ashland (Ohio) | 6-4 | 129 | NR | Sept. 5 vs. No. 16 Indianapolis (Ind.) | Lee Owens |
| 24 | West Alabama | 8-4 | 116 | NR | Sept. 7 vs. Limestone (S.C.) | Brett Gilliland |
| 25 | Fairmont St. (W.Va.) | 9-2 | 78 | NR | Sept. 5 at Charleston (W.Va.) | Jason Woodman |
Others Receiving Votes: Azusa Pacific (Calif.), 71; Indiana (Pa.), 68; Bowie St. (Md.), 66; New Haven (Conn.), 65; Pittsburg St. (Kan.), 65; West Florida, 42; Sioux Falls (S.D.), 25; Virginia Union, 21; California (Pa.), 19; Fayetteville St. (N.C.), 19; Central Missouri, 15; Albany St. (Ga.), 14; Southern Arkansas, 14; Augustana (S.D.), 12; Emporia St. (Kan.), 11; Florida Tech, 10; Central Oklahoma, 9; Chadron St. (Neb.), 8; Central Washington, 7; Ohio Dominican, 7; Winona St. (Minn.), 6; Assumption (Mass.), 5; Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.), 5; Angelo St. (Texas), 2; Kutztown (Pa.), 2; Shepherd (W.Va.), 2; Colorado Mesa, 1; Findlay (Ohio), 1; Lindenwood (Mo.), 1; Missouri S&T, 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.
