West Alabama Moves Up After Overtime Thriller
September 23, 2024
West Florida scored 10 points in the fourth quarter of their top 25 matchup against West Alabama to force the game into overtime. Both teams scored touchdowns in the first and second overtimes, but West Alabama’s Ishmael Naylor batted the Argonauts’ two-point conversion attempt down allowing the Tigers to escape with a 35-33 victory. The win moved West Alabama up to No. 17 in this week’s AFCA Division II Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl, while West Florida fell to No. 21.
West Alabama doesn’t have long to savor their victory as they travel to No. 3 Valdosta State (Ga.) in a big Gulf South Conference matchup. Likewise, West Florida needs to rebound quickly as they have a long road trip at No. 2 Grand Valley State (Mich.). It’s not just the No. 2 and No. 3 teams that have a top 25 matchup in the final weekend of September as No. 1 Harding (Ark.) will play host to No. 20 Henderson State (Ark.).
Virginia Union and Wingate (N.C.) fell out of the top 25, making room for No. 23 Central Oklahoma and No. 25 Indiana (Pa.). This is UCO’s first appearance in the AFCA top 25 since September 7, 2009.
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Week 3 Next Game
1 Harding (Ark.) (29) 3-0 725 1 D. Arkansas-Monticello, 63-3 Sept. 28 vs. No. 20 Henderson St. (Ark.)
2 Grand Valley St. (Mich.) 3-0 687 2 D Wisconsin-La Crosse, 20-13 Sept. 28 vs. No. 21 West Florida
3 Valdosta St. (Ga.) 4-0 661 3 D. Erskine (S.C.), 73-0 Sept. 28 vs. No. 17 West Alabama
4 Colorado School of Mines 3-0 632 4 D. Chadron St. (Neb.), 13-12 Sept. 28 vs. Black Hills St. (S.D.)
5 Ferris St. (Mich.) 2-1 594 5 Idle Sept. 28 at American International (Mass.)
6 Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) 3-0 562 6 D. Mars Hill (N.C.), 29-21 Sept. 28 vs. Tusculum (Tenn.)
7 Minnesota St. 4-0 523 8 D. Minot St. (N.D.), 40-6 Sept. 28 at Concordia (Minn.)
8 Kutztown (Pa.) 3-0 508 7 D. Gannon (Pa.), 37-7 Sept. 28 at East Stroudsburg (Pa.)
9 Slippery Rock (Pa.) 3-0 481 9 D. Shippensburg (Pa.), 33-7 Sept. 28 vs. Edinboro (Pa.)
10 Pittsburg St. (Kan.) 3-1 474 10 D. Washburn (Kan.), 39-31 Oct. 5 vs. Missouri Western St.
11 Emporia St. (Kan.) 4-0 418 13 D. Missouri Western St., 30-27 OT Sept. 28 at Northwest Missouri St.
12 Central Missouri 2-1 400 11 D. Davenport (Mich.), 32-31 Sept. 28 vs. Nebraska-Kearney
13 Central Washington 2-1 346 14 D. West Texas A&M, 45-3 Sept. 28 vs. Western New Mexico
14 Western Colorado 3-0 336 15 D. Adams St. (Colo.), 38-0 Sept. 28 at New Mexico Highlands
15 Indianapolis (Ind.) 3-0 292 16 D. Wayne St. (Mich.), 30-6 Sept. 28 vs. Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.)
16 Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) 3-0 282 17 D. Southern Arkansas, 25-20 Sept. 28 vs. Arkansas-Monticello
17 West Alabama 4-0 272 23 D. No. 12 West Florida, 35-33 2OT Sept. 28 at No. 3 Valdosta St. (Ga.)
18 Augustana (S.D.) 2-1 241 18 D. Northern St. (S.D.), 41-7 Sept. 28 at Minnesota St.-Moorhead
19 Charleston (W.Va.) 3-0 200 19 D. North Carolina-Pembroke, 58-36 Sept. 28 at Concord (W.Va.)
20 Henderson St. (Ark.) 3-0 170 20 D. Arkansas Tech, 27-12 Sept. 28 at No. 1 Harding (Ark.)
21 West Florida 1-1 169 12 Lost to No. 23 West Alabama, 35-33 2OT Sept. 28 at No. 2 Grand Valley St. (Mich.)
22 Colorado St.-Pueblo 3-1 160 22 D. Colorado Mesa, 38-14 Sept. 28 at Adams St. (Colo.)
23 Central Oklahoma 3-0 107 NR D. Nebraska-Kearney, 32-17 Sept. 28 vs. Fort Hays St. (Kan.)
24 Delta St. (Miss.) 3-1 96 24t D. Fort Valley St. (Ga.), 27-24 Sept. 28 at Erskine (S.C.)
25 Indiana (Pa.) 3-0 23 NR D. Millersville (Pa.), 42-14 Sept. 28 vs. Clarion (Pa.)
Dropped Out: Virginia Union (21), Wingate (N.C.) (24t)
Others Receiving Votes: Johnson C. Smith (N.C.), 17; Findlay (Ohio), 12; Bemidji St. (Minn.), 8; Carson-Newman (Tenn.), 7; Davenport (Mich.), 7; Southern Arkansas, 3; Clark Atlanta (Ga.), 2; East Stroudsburg (Pa.), 2; Fort Hays St. (Kan.), 2; Frostburg St. (Md.), 2; Virginia Union, 2; Angelo St. (Tex.), 1; New Haven (Conn.), 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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West Florida scored 10 points in the fourth quarter of their top 25 matchup against West Alabama to force the game into overtime. Both teams scored touchdowns in the first and second overtimes, but West Alabama’s Ishmael Naylor batted the Argonauts’ two-point conversion attempt down allowing the Tigers to escape with a 35-33 victory. The win moved West Alabama up to No. 17 in this week’s AFCA Division II Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl, while West Florida fell to No. 21.
West Alabama doesn’t have long to savor their victory as they travel to No. 3 Valdosta State (Ga.) in a big Gulf South Conference matchup. Likewise, West Florida needs to rebound quickly as they have a long road trip at No. 2 Grand Valley State (Mich.). It’s not just the No. 2 and No. 3 teams that have a top 25 matchup in the final weekend of September as No. 1 Harding (Ark.) will play host to No. 20 Henderson State (Ark.).
Virginia Union and Wingate (N.C.) fell out of the top 25, making room for No. 23 Central Oklahoma and No. 25 Indiana (Pa.). This is UCO’s first appearance in the AFCA top 25 since September 7, 2009.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week 3 | Next Game | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harding (Ark.) (29) | 3-0 | 725 | 1 | D. Arkansas-Monticello, 63-3 | Sept. 28 vs. No. 20 Henderson St. (Ark.) | |
| 2 | Grand Valley St. (Mich.) | 3-0 | 687 | 2 | D Wisconsin-La Crosse, 20-13 | Sept. 28 vs. No. 21 West Florida | |
| 3 | Valdosta St. (Ga.) | 4-0 | 661 | 3 | D. Erskine (S.C.), 73-0 | Sept. 28 vs. No. 17 West Alabama | |
| 4 | Colorado School of Mines | 3-0 | 632 | 4 | D. Chadron St. (Neb.), 13-12 | Sept. 28 vs. Black Hills St. (S.D.) | |
| 5 | Ferris St. (Mich.) | 2-1 | 594 | 5 | Idle | Sept. 28 at American International (Mass.) | |
| 6 | Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) | 3-0 | 562 | 6 | D. Mars Hill (N.C.), 29-21 | Sept. 28 vs. Tusculum (Tenn.) | |
| 7 | Minnesota St. | 4-0 | 523 | 8 | D. Minot St. (N.D.), 40-6 | Sept. 28 at Concordia (Minn.) | |
| 8 | Kutztown (Pa.) | 3-0 | 508 | 7 | D. Gannon (Pa.), 37-7 | Sept. 28 at East Stroudsburg (Pa.) | |
| 9 | Slippery Rock (Pa.) | 3-0 | 481 | 9 | D. Shippensburg (Pa.), 33-7 | Sept. 28 vs. Edinboro (Pa.) | |
| 10 | Pittsburg St. (Kan.) | 3-1 | 474 | 10 | D. Washburn (Kan.), 39-31 | Oct. 5 vs. Missouri Western St. | |
| 11 | Emporia St. (Kan.) | 4-0 | 418 | 13 | D. Missouri Western St., 30-27 OT | Sept. 28 at Northwest Missouri St. | |
| 12 | Central Missouri | 2-1 | 400 | 11 | D. Davenport (Mich.), 32-31 | Sept. 28 vs. Nebraska-Kearney | |
| 13 | Central Washington | 2-1 | 346 | 14 | D. West Texas A&M, 45-3 | Sept. 28 vs. Western New Mexico | |
| 14 | Western Colorado | 3-0 | 336 | 15 | D. Adams St. (Colo.), 38-0 | Sept. 28 at New Mexico Highlands | |
| 15 | Indianapolis (Ind.) | 3-0 | 292 | 16 | D. Wayne St. (Mich.), 30-6 | Sept. 28 vs. Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.) | |
| 16 | Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) | 3-0 | 282 | 17 | D. Southern Arkansas, 25-20 | Sept. 28 vs. Arkansas-Monticello | |
| 17 | West Alabama | 4-0 | 272 | 23 | D. No. 12 West Florida, 35-33 2OT | Sept. 28 at No. 3 Valdosta St. (Ga.) | |
| 18 | Augustana (S.D.) | 2-1 | 241 | 18 | D. Northern St. (S.D.), 41-7 | Sept. 28 at Minnesota St.-Moorhead | |
| 19 | Charleston (W.Va.) | 3-0 | 200 | 19 | D. North Carolina-Pembroke, 58-36 | Sept. 28 at Concord (W.Va.) | |
| 20 | Henderson St. (Ark.) | 3-0 | 170 | 20 | D. Arkansas Tech, 27-12 | Sept. 28 at No. 1 Harding (Ark.) | |
| 21 | West Florida | 1-1 | 169 | 12 | Lost to No. 23 West Alabama, 35-33 2OT | Sept. 28 at No. 2 Grand Valley St. (Mich.) | |
| 22 | Colorado St.-Pueblo | 3-1 | 160 | 22 | D. Colorado Mesa, 38-14 | Sept. 28 at Adams St. (Colo.) | |
| 23 | Central Oklahoma | 3-0 | 107 | NR | D. Nebraska-Kearney, 32-17 | Sept. 28 vs. Fort Hays St. (Kan.) | |
| 24 | Delta St. (Miss.) | 3-1 | 96 | 24t | D. Fort Valley St. (Ga.), 27-24 | Sept. 28 at Erskine (S.C.) | |
| 25 | Indiana (Pa.) | 3-0 | 23 | NR | D. Millersville (Pa.), 42-14 | Sept. 28 vs. Clarion (Pa.) |
Dropped Out: Virginia Union (21), Wingate (N.C.) (24t)
Others Receiving Votes: Johnson C. Smith (N.C.), 17; Findlay (Ohio), 12; Bemidji St. (Minn.), 8; Carson-Newman (Tenn.), 7; Davenport (Mich.), 7; Southern Arkansas, 3; Clark Atlanta (Ga.), 2; East Stroudsburg (Pa.), 2; Fort Hays St. (Kan.), 2; Frostburg St. (Md.), 2; Virginia Union, 2; Angelo St. (Tex.), 1; New Haven (Conn.), 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.
