Release courtesy of Vince Thompson, Director of Media Relations, AFCA
WACO, Texas - Hillsdale (Mich.) pulled a 34-31 upset victory over then-No. 4 Grand Valley State (Mich.), causing the Lakers to slide to No. 15 in this week’s AFCA Division II Coaches’ Top 25 Poll. But that wasn’t the biggest drop as unranked Missouri Western State beat then-No. 12 Central Missouri, 23-6, causing the Mules to fall 12 spots to No. 24.
Minnesota-Duluth still holds down the top spot, followed by No. 2 Northwest Missouri State, No. 3 Abilene Christian (Texas), new No. 4 North Alabama and new No. 5 Texas A&M-Kingsville. Abilene Christian and North Alabama will meet this coming Saturday at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, which highlights three Top 25 matchups this week. In the other two matchups, No. 6 Albany State (Ga.) plays host to No. 12 Valdosta State (Ga.) while No. 22 Michigan Tech travels to No. 14 Wayne State (Mich.).
2011 American Football Coaches Association Division II
Coaches’ Poll – September 12, 2011
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Last Week | Next Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Minnesota-Duluth (27) | 2-0 | 723 | 1 | D. Upper Iowa, 49-22 | Sept. 17 at Wayne St. (Neb.) |
| 2. | Northwest Missouri St. (2) | 2-0 | 696 | 2 | D. Sioux Falls (S.D.), 52-17 | Sept. 17 at Lincoln (Mo.) |
| 3. | Abilene Christian (Texas) | 1-0 | 661 | 3 | Idle | Sept. 17 vs. No. 4 North Alabama |
| 4. | North Alabama | 2-0 | 631 | 5 | D. Glenville St. (W.Va.), 48-21 | Sept. 17 vs. No. 3 Ab. Christian (Tex.) |
| 5. | Texas A&M-Kingsville | 2-0 | 598 | 6 | D. Minot St. (N.D.), 19-7 | Sept. 17 vs. West Texas A&M |
| 6. | Albany St. (Ga.) | 2-0 | 562 | 7 | D. No. 23 Wingate (N.C.), 49-28 | Sept. 17 vs. No. 12 Valdosta St. (Ga.) |
| 7. | Shepherd (W.Va.) | 2-0 | 500 | 8 | D. St. Joseph’s (Ind.), 45-7 | Sept. 17 vs. Seton Hill (Pa.) |
| 8. | Bloomsburg (Pa.) | 2-0 | 499 | 9 | D. Clarion (Pa.), 45-10 | Sept. 15 at Indiana (Pa.) |
| 9. | St. Cloud State (Minn.) | 2-0 | 484 | 10 | D. Concordia-St. Paul (Minn.), 41-13 | Sept. 17 at Winona St. (Minn.) |
| 10. | Delta St. (Miss.) | 2-1 | 475 | 11 | D. Fort Valley St. (Ga.), 27-7 | Sept. 17 at Arkansas Tech |
| 11. | Nebraska-Kearney | 2-0 | 420 | 13 | D. Northeastern St. (Okla.), 65-10 | Sept. 17 at Colorado-Mesa |
| 12. | Valdosta St. (Ga.) | 2-0 | 400 | 14 | D. Newberry (S.C.), 24-17 | Sept. 17 at No. 6 Albany St. (Ga.) |
| 13. | Washburn (Kan.) | 2-0 | 378 | 15 | D. Lincoln (Mo.), 66-26 | Sept. 17 at Missouri Southern St. |
| 14. | Wayne St. (Mich.) | 2-0 | 338 | 17 | D. Tiffin (Ohio), 55-0 | Sept. 17 vs. No. 22 Michigan Tech |
| 15. | Grand Valley St. (Mich.) | 1-1 | 304 | 4 | Lost to Hillsdale (Mich.), 34-31 | Sept. 17 at Indianapolis (Ind.) |
| 16. | Kutztown (Pa.) | 2-0 | 290 | 19 | D. No. 18 Mercyhurst (Pa.), 35-28 | Sept. 17 vs. Lock Haven (Pa.) |
| 17. | Carson-Newman (Tenn.) | 2-0 | 273 | 20 | D. Fayetteville St. (N.C.), 56-7 | Sept. 17 at Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) |
| 18. | Colorado St.-Pueblo | 2-0 | 229 | 21 | D. NW Oklahoma St., 41-0 | Sept. 17 at Adams St. (Colo.) |
| 19. | Pittsburg St. (Kan.) | 2-0 | 174 | 25 | D. Emporia St. (Kan.), 38-14 | Sept. 17 at Truman St. (Mo.) |
| 20. | Colorado School of Mines | 2-0 | 172 | 24 | D. South Dakota Mines, 55-7 | Sept. 17 vs. New Mexico Highlands |
| 21. | California (Pa.) | 1-1 | 109 | 22 | D. C.W. Post (N.Y.), 41-13 | Sept. 17 at East Stroudsburg (Pa.) |
| 22. | Michigan Tech | 2-0 | 91 | NR | D. Lake Erie (Ohio), 41-10 | Sept. 17 at No. 14 Wayne St. (Mich.) |
| 23. | New Haven (Conn.) | 2-0 | 82 | NR | D. St. Augustine’s (N.C.), 50-14 | Sept. 17 at William & Mary (Va.) |
| 24. | Central Missouri | 1-1 | 77 | 12 | Lost to Missouri Western St., 23-6 | Sept. 17 at Emporia St. (Kan.) |
| 25. | Mercyhurst (Pa.) | 1-1 | 50 | 18 | Lost to No. 19 Kutztown (Pa.), 35-28 | Sept. 17 vs. C.W. Post (N.Y.) |
Dropped Out: Augustana (S.D.) (16), Wingate
(N.C.) (23)
Others Receiving Votes: Hillsdale (Mich.), 43;
Edinboro (Pa.), 31; Winston-Salem St. (N.C.), 29; West Texas
A&M, 23; Missouri Western St., 19; Augustana (S.D.), 14;
Ashland (Ohio), 9; Henderson St. (Ark.), 9;
Northern Michigan, 9; Midwestern St. (Texas), 8;
Virginia Union, 4; Adams St. (Colo.), 2; Bemidji St. (Minn.), 2;
Ouachita Baptist (Ark.), 2; West Alabama, 2; Arkansas-Monticello,
1; Humboldt St. (Calif.), 1; Slippery Rock (Pa.), 1.
