Only Five Undefeated Teams Remain In AFCA Division II Coaches' Poll

Only Five Undefeated Teams Remain In AFCA Division II Coaches' Poll
Posted: Nov 04, 2008

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For Immediate Release: November 4, 2008

WACO, TEX.- With one week left in the regular season, No. 1 Grand Valley State, No. 2 Abilene Christian, No. 6 Minnesota-Duluth, No. 11 Tuskegee and No. 16 American International are the only undefeated teams left in the American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches' Poll.

Grand Valley State still sits solidly at No. 1, garnering 23 first place votes after the Lakers beat Northern Michigan, 45-14. Abilene Christian is still No. 2 following a 42-17 win over Texas A&M-Kingsville. The Wildcats earned the final three first place votes. No. 3 Northwest Missouri State dominated Emporia State, 56-7, and moved its record to 9-1. Delta State and North Alabama both jumped up a spot this week. The Statesmen are No. 4 after beating Arkansas Tech, 48-14, while the Lions are No. 5 following a 45-14 win over then-No. 23 Arkansas-Monticello.

Minnesota-Duluth is 10-0 and moved up two spots to No. 6 after demolishing Minnesota-Crookston, 63-7. California (Pa.) downed Mercyhurst, 17-6, and stayed at No. 7 while Central Washington jumped a spot to No. 8 following a 36-6 win over Azusa Pacific. No. 9 West Texas A&M beat Northeastern State (Okla.), 59-9, and moved its record to 9-1. Pittsburg State handed Washburn a 48-17 loss and jumped two places to No. 10.

Tuskegee still sits at No. 11 despite moving its record to 9-0 after a 42-20 victory over Clark Atlanta. No. 12 Chadron State beat Mesa State, 27-16, and won its third straight RMAC title. Valdosta State handed West Georgia a 41-14 loss and jumped a spot to No. 13 while Bloomsburg tumbled 10 spots to No. 14 following its loss to No. 17 West Chester. No. 15 Carson-Newman beat then-No. 16 Wingate, 35-33, and claimed at least a share of the South Atlantic Conference title.

American International sits No. 16 this week with a 9-0 mark following a 34-29 triumph over Merrimack. West Chester jumped two places to No. 17 after upsetting then-No. 4 Bloomsburg, 24-21. Fellow PSAC member, Indiana (Pa.) stays in the 18th spot despite a 35-10 win over Gannon. No. 19 Tarleton State held on for a 31-24 victory over Angelo State while No. 20 Edinboro handed Clarion a 35-10 defeat.

Seton Hill beat Fairmont State, 41-38, moved up a place to No. 21 while Wingate dropped six spots following its loss to No. 15 Carson-Newman. No. 23 Fayetteville State ended its regular season with a 55-20 win over Livingstone. Ashland rose one position to No. 24 by beating Indianapolis, 44-37, while fellow conference member, Wayne State (Mich.) enters the poll for the first time ever at No. 25. The Warriors are 8-2 after a 42-21 win over Northwood.

Conference Breakdown: Pennsylvania State Athletic-5 (California (Pa.), Bloomsburg, West Chester, Indiana (Pa.), Edinboro); Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic-3 (Grand Valley St., Ashland, Wayne St. {Mich.}); Gulf South-3 (Delta St., North Alabama, Valdosta St.); Lone Star-3 (Abilene Christian, West Texas A&M, Tarleton St.); MIAA-2 (Northwest Missouri St., Pittsburg St.); South Atlantic-2 (Carson-Newman, Wingate); CIAA-1 (Fayetteville St.); Great Northwest Athletic-1 (Central Washington); Northeast 10-1 (American International); Northern Sun Intercollegiate-1 (Minnesota-Duluth); Rocky Mountain Athletic-1 (Chadron St.); Southern Intercollegiate Athletic-1 (Tuskegee); West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic-1 (Seton Hill).

Head-to-Head
Three games featuring teams ranked in the AFCA Division II Coaches' Poll highlight this weekend's action. The first Top 25 match-up has No. 1 Grand Valley State traveling to No. 25 Wayne State (Mich.). The Lakers own the all-time series lead at 26-5, and have won the last 21 in a row. The Warriors last win in the series came in 1984, 30-3.

The second match-up is for the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference championship as No. 7 California (Pa.) hosts No. 17 West Chester. This will be the first PSAC championship game since 1987. West Chester won the PSAC East title with a 7-0 mark while California (Pa.) won the PSAC West with the same record. These two teams met each other in week one with California (Pa.) winning, 44-32.

The final Top 25 match-up is for second place in the Lone Star Conference South Division as No. 9 West Texas A&M hosts No. 19 Tarleton State. The Buffs have beaten Tarleton State three years in a row, including a 39-14 win last year, but trail in the overall series, 8-9.

Poll Points
Tuskegee extended its consecutive wins streak to 25 games with a 42-20 win over Clark Atlanta, who coincidently, is the last team to beat the Golden Tigers, a 10-6 decision in 2006 ... Minnesota-Duluth tied a school record for road wins in a season at six when the Bulldogs beat Minnesota-Crookston, 63-7 ... With its 42-21 victory over Northwood, Wayne State (Mich.) tied the school record for wins in a season with eight.

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American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches' Poll
November 4, 2008

Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Last Week Next Game
1. Grand Valley St. (Mich.) (23) 9-0 646 1 D. Northern Michigan, 45-14 Nov. 8 at No. 25 Wayne St. (Mich.)
2. Abilene Christian (Texas) (3) 9-0 627 2 D. Texas A&M-Kingsville, 42-17 Nov. 8 vs. Midwestern St. (Texas)
3. Northwest Missouri St. 9-1 592 3 D. Emporia St. (Kan.), 56-7 Nov. 8 at Missouri Southern St.
4. Delta St. (Miss.) 8-1 571 5 D. Arkansas Tech, 48-14 Nov. 8 at West Georgia
5. North Alabama 9-1 536 6 D. No. 23 Arkansas-Monticello, 45-14 Nov. 8 at West Alabama
6. Minnesota-Duluth 10-0 489 8 D. Minnesota-Crookston, 63-7 Nov. 8 vs. Winona St. (Minn.)
7. California (Pa.) 9-1 485 7 D. Mercyhurst (Pa.), 17-6 Nov. 8 vs. No. 17 West Chester (Pa.)
8. Central Washington 9-1 473 9 D. Azusa Pacific (Calif.), 36-6 Nov. 8 vs. Western Washington
9. West Texas A&M 9-1 444 10 D. Northeastern St. (Okla.), 59-9 Nov. 8 vs. No. 19 Tarleton St. (Texas)
10. Pittsburg St. (Kan.) 9-1 397 12 D. Washburn (Kan.), 48-17 Nov. 8 at Emporia St. (Kan.)
11. Tuskegee (Ala.) 9-0 395 11 D. Clark Atlanta (Ga.), 42-20 Nov. 8 vs. Lane (Tenn.)
12. Chadron St. (Neb.) 9-1 356 13 D. Mesa St. (Colo.), 27-16 Nov. 8 vs. Western St. (Colo.)
13. Valdosta St. (Ga.) 7-2 330 14 D. West Georgia, 41-14 Nov. 3 at Southern Arkansas
14. Bloomsburg (Pa.) 9-1 325 4 Lost to No. 19 West Chester (Pa.), 24-21 Nov. 8 at Gannon (Pa.)
15. Carson-Newman (Tenn.) 7-2 292 15 D. No. 16 Wingate (N.C.), 35-33 Nov. 8 at Tusculum (Tenn.)
16. American International (Mass.) 9-0 229 17 D. Merrimack (Mass.), 34-29 Nov. 8 vs. Southern Connecticut St.
17. West Chester (Pa.) 8-2 224 19 D. No. 4 Bloomsburg (Pa.), 24-21 Nov. 8 at No. 7 California (Pa.)
18. Indiana (Pa.) 7-2 199 18 D. Gannon (Pa.), 35-10 Nov. 8 vs. Kutztown (Pa.)
19. Tarleton St. (Texas) 8-2 177 20 D. Angelo St. (Texas), 31-24 Nov. 8 at No. 9 West Texas A&M
20. Edinboro (Pa.) 8-2 145 21 D. Clarion (Pa.), 35-10 Nov. 8 vs. Millersville (Pa.)
21. Seton Hill (Pa.) 9-1 118 22 D. Fairmont St. (W.Va.), 41-38 Nov. 8 vs. West Liberty St. (W.Va.)
22. Wingate (N.C.) 8-2 107 16 Lost to No. 15 Carson-Newman (Tenn.), 35-33 Nov. 8 vs. Mars Hill (N.C.)
23. Fayetteville St. (N.C.) 8-2 90 24 D. Livingstone (N.C.), 55-20 Regular Season Complete
24. Ashland (Ohio) 7-3 69 25 D. Indianapolis (Ind.), 44-37 Nov. 8 vs. Findlay (Ohio)
25. Wayne St. (Mich.) 8-2 38 NR D. Northwood (Mich.), 42-21 Nov. 8 vs. No. 1 Grand Valley St. (Mich.)

Dropped Out: Arkansas-Monticello (23).

Others Receiving Votes: Nebraska-Omaha, 27; North Carolina-Pembroke, 13; Wayne St. (Neb.), 13; Minnesota St.-Mankato, 10; East Stroudsburg (Pa.), 9; Midwestern St. (Texas), 6; Arkansas-Monticello, 3; Colorado School of Mines, 3; Tusculum (Tenn.), 3; Winona St. (Minn.), 3; Central Missouri, 2; Elizabeth City St. (N.C.), 2; Ouachita Baptist (Ark.), 1; Shaw (N.C.), 1.
 

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