Click here for Printer-Friendly (PDF) version of this release
Release courtesy of Vince Thompson, Director of Media Relations, AFCA
WACO, Texas - Three of the top four teams lost this past weekend, causing a shakeup in the AFCA Division II Coaches’ Top 25 Poll. North Alabama moves up to the top spot this week after then-No. 1 Northwest Missouri State lost to new No. 8 Pittsburg State (Kan.), 38-35, in the Fall Classic at Arrowhead Stadium. This is the fourth time North Alabama has been ranked No. 1 in the Division II Coaches’ Top 25 Poll, with their last No. 1 ranking occuring on November 2, 2009. Bloomsburg (Pa.) moves up to No. 2, followed by No. 3 Delta State (Miss.), No. 4 Nebraska-Kearney and No. 5 Washburn (Kan.). Nebraska-Kearney’s No. 4 ranking is their highest ever in the AFCA Coaches’ Poll.
Shepherd (W.Va.) had the biggest fall, dropping 11 spots to No. 14 after its 28-14 loss to Concord (W.Va.). Valdosta State (Ga.) also fell out of the Top 5, falling to No. 13 after losing to Arkansas-Monticello, 23-9. Pittsburg State (Kan.) made the biggest jump in the poll this week, moving up seven spots to No. 8 after its victory over then-No. 1 Northwest Missouri State. The Bearcats don’t have long to recover as they travel to No. 19 Central Missouri this week in the only Top 25 matchup of the AFCA Coaches’ Poll.
2011 American Football Coaches Association Division II
Coaches’ Poll – October 3, 2011
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Last Week | Next Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | North Alabama (26) | 5-0 | 722 | 2 | D. Southern Arkansas, 42-14 | Oct. 8 at Arkansas Tech |
| 2. | Bloomsburg (Pa.) | 5-0 | 647 | 5 | D. East Stroudsburg (Pa.), 32-20 | Oct. 8 vs. Cheyney (Pa.) |
| 3. | Delta St. (Miss.) (1) | 5-1 | 644 | 6 | D. No. 25 Ouachita Baptist (Ark.), 45-14 | Oct. 6 vs. Arkansas-Monticello |
| 4. | Nebraska-Kearney | 5-0 | 631 | 7 | D. Adams St. (Colo.), 37-14 | Oct. 8 vs. Chadron St. (Neb.) |
| 5. | Washburn (Kan.) | 5-0 | 603 | 8 | D. Emporia St. (Kan.), 31-17 | Oct. 8 at Truman St. (Mo.) |
| 6. | Wayne St. (Mich.) | 5-0 | 583 | 9 | D. Northern Michigan, 30-28 | Oct. 8 vs. Lake Erie (Ohio) |
| 7. | Northwest Missouri St. (1) | 4-1 | 521 | 1 | Lost to No. 15 Pittsburg St. (Kan.), 38-35 | Oct. 8 at No. 19 Central Missouri |
| 8. | Pittsburg St. (Kan.) (1) | 5-0 | 509 | 15 | D. No. 1 Northwest Missouri St., 38-35 | Oct. 8 at Fort Hays St. (Kan.) |
| 9. | Minnesota-Duluth | 4-1 | 491 | 10 | D. Minnesota St.-Moorhead, 42-21 | Oct. 8 at Winona St. (Minn.) |
| 10. | Abilene Christian (Texas) | 3-1 | 439 | 11 | D. Western Oregon, 51-35 | Oct. 8 at Eastern New Mexico |
| 11. | Colorado St.-Pueblo | 5-0 | 425 | 14 | D. Chadron St. (Neb.), 38-28 | Oct. 6 vs. Colorado School of Mines |
| 12. | Albany St. (Ga.) | 4-1 | 360 | 13 | D. Kentucky St., 57-31 | Oct. 8 at Lane (Tenn.) |
| 13. | Valdosta St. (Ga.) | 4-1 | 344 | 4 | Lost to Arkansas-Monticello, 23-9 | Oct. 8 at Ouachita Baptist |
| 14. | Shepherd (W.Va.) | 4-1 | 297 | 3 | Lost to Concord (W.Va.), 28-14 | Oct. 8 at West Virginia Wesleyan |
| 15. | California (Pa.) | 4-1 | 278 | 16 | D. Lock Haven (Pa.), 54-13 | Oct. 8 vs. Gannon (Pa.) |
| 16. | Winston-Salem St. (N.C.) | 5-0 | 276 | 21 | D. Johnson C. Smith (N.C.), 28-10 | Oct. 8 at St. Augustine’s (N.C.) |
| 17. | St. Cloud State (Minn.) | 4-1 | 255 | 17 | D. Northern St. (S.D.), 27-14 | Oct. 8 vs. Minnesota St.-Mankato |
| 18. | Midwestern St. (Texas) | 4-0 | 247 | 22 | D. Incarnate Word (Texas), 45-14 | Oct. 8 vs. Tarleton St. (Texas) |
| 19. | Central Missouri | 4-1 | 238 | 19 | D. Arkansas Tech, 42-16 | Oct. 8 vs. No. 7 Northwest Missouri St. |
| 20. | West Texas A&M | 3-1 | 228 | 20 | D. Tarleton St. (Texas), 44-13 | Oct. 8 vs. Angelo St. (Texas) |
| 21. | New Haven (Conn.) | 4-1 | 154 | 23 | D. Stonehill (Mass.), 52-23 | Oct. 7 at Southern Connecticut St. |
| 22. | Hillsdale (Mich.) | 4-1 | 125 | 24 | D. Saginaw Valley State, 38-35 | Oct. 8 vs. Ohio Dominican |
| 23. | Kutztown (Pa.) | 4-1 | 117 | 12 | Lost to Shippensburg (Pa.), 49-7 | Oct. 8 vs. East Stroudsburg (Pa.) |
| 24. | Humboldt St. (Calif.) | 4-0 | 85 | NR | D. Dixie St. (Utah), 56-27 | Oct. 8 at UC-Davis |
| 25. | Edinboro (Pa.) | 4-1 | 33 | 18 | Lost to Indiana (Pa.), 19-0 | Oct. 8 vs. Slippery Rock (Pa.) |
Dropped Out: Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) (25)
Others Receiving Votes: Michigan Tech, 30; West
Alabama, 30; Bemidji St. (Minn.), 28; Wayne St. (Neb.), 22;
Colorado School of Mines, 16; Texas A&M-Kingsville, 11;
Ashland (Ohio), 9; Ferris St. (Mich.),
6; Ouachita Baptist (Ark.), 5; West Virginia Wesleyan, 4;
Mars Hill (N.C.), 3; Morehouse (Ga.), 3; Southern Connecticut St.,
3; Southwest Baptist (Mo.), 2; Southwestern Oklahoma St., 1.
