Valdosta State Still Holding Down No. 1
November 11, 2024
Valdosta State looked like the No. 1 team in the country on Saturday as they dominated conference foe Delta State (Miss.), 49-20. The Blazers forced three fumbles and blocked a punt, returning it for a touchdown as the offense racked up 356 yards in the victory. Valdosta State, who is 9-0 on the season, will host No. 16 West Florida for a chance to win the Gulf South Conference title outright in the final game of the regular season.
There was very little movement in the top 25 this week as there were only two upsets. No. 7 Colorado State-Pueblo beat then-No. 14 Colorado School of Mines, 28-13, dropping the Orediggers to No. 24. Then-No. 20 Emporia State (Kan.) lost to Central Missouri, 45-36, causing the Hornets to drop out of the AFCA Division II Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl.
There are two conference championship games featuring top 25 matchups in the final week of the season. In the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference title game, No. 3 Kutztown (Pa.) travels to No. 17 California (Pa.). Kutztown will be trying to repeat while the Vulcans will be looking for their first title since 2016. In the South Atlantic Conference championship game, No. 23 Wingate (N.C.) will host No. 19 Carson-Newman (Tenn.). The Eagles will be looking to end a long dry spell as the last time Carson-Newman took home the SAC title was in 2009.
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Week 10 Next Game
1 Valdosta St. (Ga.) (25) 9-0 745 1 D. Delta St. (Miss.), 49-20 Nov. 16 vs. No. 16 West Florida
2 Ferris St. (Mich.) (5) 9-1 720 2 D. Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.), 27-24 Nov. 16 vs. Davenport (Mich.)
3 Kutztown (Pa.) 10-0 680 3 D. West Chester (Pa.), 31-13 Nov. 16 at No. 17 California (Pa.)
4 Harding (Ark.) 9-1 663 4 D. East Central (Okla.), 34-7 Nov. 16 vs. Arkansas Tech
5 Grand Valley St. (Mich.) 9-1 636 5 D. Michigan Tech, 20-0 Nov. 16 at Roosevelt (Ill.)
6 Charleston (W.Va.) 10-0 585 6 D. West Virginia Wesleyan, 69-21 Nov. 16 vs. West Virginia St.
7 Colorado St.-Pueblo 9-1 580 7 D. No. 14 Colorado School of Mines, 28-13 Nov. 16 at Chadron St. (Neb.)
8 Central Oklahoma 9-1 539 8 D. Washburn (Kan.), 28-27 Nov. 16 vs. Emporia St. (Kan.)
9 Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) 9-1 505 9 D. Oklahoma Baptist, 55-0 Nov. 16 at Henderson St. (Ark.)
10 Western Colorado 9-1 445 11 D. Chadron St. (Neb.), 21-17 Nov. 16 at Colorado Mesa
11 Slippery Rock (Pa.) 8-1 436 10 D. Seton Hill (Pa.), 38-20 Nov. 16 vs. Bloomsburg (Pa.)
12 West Alabama 8-1 400 12 D. Shorter (Ga.), 31-6 Nov. 16 vs. Erskine (S.C.)
13 Pittsburg St. (Kan.) 7-2 399 13 Idle Nov. 16 at Northwest Missouri St.
14 Indianapolis (Ind.) 9-1 336 15 D. Missouri S&T, 55-10 Nov. 16 at Lincoln (Mo.)
15 Augustana (S.D.) 8-2 333 16 D. Sioux Falls (S.D.), 27-21 Nov. 16 at Bemidji St. (Minn.)
16 West Florida 7-2 280 17 D. North Greenville (S.C.), 35-14 Nov. 16 at No. 1 Valdosta St. (Ga.)
17 California (Pa.) 8-1 259 18t D. Edinboro (Pa.), 28-14 Nov. 16 vs. No. 3 Kutztown (Pa.)
18 Minnesota St. 8-2 234 18t D. UMary (N.D.), 49-21 Nov. 16 at Minnesota-Duluth
19 Carson-Newman (Tenn.) 9-1 185 21t D. Tusculum (Tenn.), 56-14 Nov. 16 at No. 23 Wingate (N.C.)
20 Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) 8-2 170 21t D. Catawba (N.C.), 33-14 Nov. 16 vs. Anderson (S.C.)
21 Angelo St. (Tex.) 8-2 147 23 D. Western Oregon, 38-16 Nov. 16 vs. West Texas A&M
22 Findlay (Ohio) 9-1 130 24t D. Northwood (Mich.), 27-17 Nov. 16 at Tiffin (Ohio)
23 Wingate (N.C.) 8-1 121 24t D. Newberry (S.C.), 38-0 Nov. 16 vs. No. 19 Carson-Newman (Tenn.)
24 Colorado School of Mines 7-3 95 14 Lost to No. 7 Colorado St.-Pueblo, 28-13 Nov. 16 vs. Fort Lewis (Colo.)
25 Central Washington 7-3 38 NR D. Sul Ross St. (Tex.), 66-0 Nov. 16 vs. Western Oregon
Dropped Out: Emporia St. (Kan.) (20)
Others Receiving Votes: Central Missouri, 25; Fort Hays St. (Kan.), 18; Southern Arkansas, 14; Emporia St. (Kan.), 9; New Haven (Conn.), 9; Miles (Ala.), 4; Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.), 4; Virginia Union, 2; Davenport (Mich.), 1; East Stroudsburg (Pa.), 1; Sioux Falls (S.D.), 1; Virginia St., 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.
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Valdosta State looked like the No. 1 team in the country on Saturday as they dominated conference foe Delta State (Miss.), 49-20. The Blazers forced three fumbles and blocked a punt, returning it for a touchdown as the offense racked up 356 yards in the victory. Valdosta State, who is 9-0 on the season, will host No. 16 West Florida for a chance to win the Gulf South Conference title outright in the final game of the regular season.
There was very little movement in the top 25 this week as there were only two upsets. No. 7 Colorado State-Pueblo beat then-No. 14 Colorado School of Mines, 28-13, dropping the Orediggers to No. 24. Then-No. 20 Emporia State (Kan.) lost to Central Missouri, 45-36, causing the Hornets to drop out of the AFCA Division II Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl.
There are two conference championship games featuring top 25 matchups in the final week of the season. In the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference title game, No. 3 Kutztown (Pa.) travels to No. 17 California (Pa.). Kutztown will be trying to repeat while the Vulcans will be looking for their first title since 2016. In the South Atlantic Conference championship game, No. 23 Wingate (N.C.) will host No. 19 Carson-Newman (Tenn.). The Eagles will be looking to end a long dry spell as the last time Carson-Newman took home the SAC title was in 2009.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week 10 | Next Game | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Valdosta St. (Ga.) (25) | 9-0 | 745 | 1 | D. Delta St. (Miss.), 49-20 | Nov. 16 vs. No. 16 West Florida | |
| 2 | Ferris St. (Mich.) (5) | 9-1 | 720 | 2 | D. Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.), 27-24 | Nov. 16 vs. Davenport (Mich.) | |
| 3 | Kutztown (Pa.) | 10-0 | 680 | 3 | D. West Chester (Pa.), 31-13 | Nov. 16 at No. 17 California (Pa.) | |
| 4 | Harding (Ark.) | 9-1 | 663 | 4 | D. East Central (Okla.), 34-7 | Nov. 16 vs. Arkansas Tech | |
| 5 | Grand Valley St. (Mich.) | 9-1 | 636 | 5 | D. Michigan Tech, 20-0 | Nov. 16 at Roosevelt (Ill.) | |
| 6 | Charleston (W.Va.) | 10-0 | 585 | 6 | D. West Virginia Wesleyan, 69-21 | Nov. 16 vs. West Virginia St. | |
| 7 | Colorado St.-Pueblo | 9-1 | 580 | 7 | D. No. 14 Colorado School of Mines, 28-13 | Nov. 16 at Chadron St. (Neb.) | |
| 8 | Central Oklahoma | 9-1 | 539 | 8 | D. Washburn (Kan.), 28-27 | Nov. 16 vs. Emporia St. (Kan.) | |
| 9 | Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) | 9-1 | 505 | 9 | D. Oklahoma Baptist, 55-0 | Nov. 16 at Henderson St. (Ark.) | |
| 10 | Western Colorado | 9-1 | 445 | 11 | D. Chadron St. (Neb.), 21-17 | Nov. 16 at Colorado Mesa | |
| 11 | Slippery Rock (Pa.) | 8-1 | 436 | 10 | D. Seton Hill (Pa.), 38-20 | Nov. 16 vs. Bloomsburg (Pa.) | |
| 12 | West Alabama | 8-1 | 400 | 12 | D. Shorter (Ga.), 31-6 | Nov. 16 vs. Erskine (S.C.) | |
| 13 | Pittsburg St. (Kan.) | 7-2 | 399 | 13 | Idle | Nov. 16 at Northwest Missouri St. | |
| 14 | Indianapolis (Ind.) | 9-1 | 336 | 15 | D. Missouri S&T, 55-10 | Nov. 16 at Lincoln (Mo.) | |
| 15 | Augustana (S.D.) | 8-2 | 333 | 16 | D. Sioux Falls (S.D.), 27-21 | Nov. 16 at Bemidji St. (Minn.) | |
| 16 | West Florida | 7-2 | 280 | 17 | D. North Greenville (S.C.), 35-14 | Nov. 16 at No. 1 Valdosta St. (Ga.) | |
| 17 | California (Pa.) | 8-1 | 259 | 18t | D. Edinboro (Pa.), 28-14 | Nov. 16 vs. No. 3 Kutztown (Pa.) | |
| 18 | Minnesota St. | 8-2 | 234 | 18t | D. UMary (N.D.), 49-21 | Nov. 16 at Minnesota-Duluth | |
| 19 | Carson-Newman (Tenn.) | 9-1 | 185 | 21t | D. Tusculum (Tenn.), 56-14 | Nov. 16 at No. 23 Wingate (N.C.) | |
| 20 | Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) | 8-2 | 170 | 21t | D. Catawba (N.C.), 33-14 | Nov. 16 vs. Anderson (S.C.) | |
| 21 | Angelo St. (Tex.) | 8-2 | 147 | 23 | D. Western Oregon, 38-16 | Nov. 16 vs. West Texas A&M | |
| 22 | Findlay (Ohio) | 9-1 | 130 | 24t | D. Northwood (Mich.), 27-17 | Nov. 16 at Tiffin (Ohio) | |
| 23 | Wingate (N.C.) | 8-1 | 121 | 24t | D. Newberry (S.C.), 38-0 | Nov. 16 vs. No. 19 Carson-Newman (Tenn.) | |
| 24 | Colorado School of Mines | 7-3 | 95 | 14 | Lost to No. 7 Colorado St.-Pueblo, 28-13 | Nov. 16 vs. Fort Lewis (Colo.) | |
| 25 | Central Washington | 7-3 | 38 | NR | D. Sul Ross St. (Tex.), 66-0 | Nov. 16 vs. Western Oregon |
Dropped Out: Emporia St. (Kan.) (20)
Others Receiving Votes: Central Missouri, 25; Fort Hays St. (Kan.), 18; Southern Arkansas, 14; Emporia St. (Kan.), 9; New Haven (Conn.), 9; Miles (Ala.), 4; Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.), 4; Virginia Union, 2; Davenport (Mich.), 1; East Stroudsburg (Pa.), 1; Sioux Falls (S.D.), 1; Virginia St., 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.
