Release courtesy of Vince Thompson, AFCA Director of Media Relations
WACO, TEX.– Only one Top 10 team lost this week, allowing Bloomsburg (Pa.) to enter the Top 10 for the first time this year, at No. 10 in the AFCA Division II Coaches’ Top 25 Poll. The rest of the Top 10 was unchanged as Pittsburg State (Kan.) still holds onto the top spot with 29 first-place votes. Minnesota-Duluth, Colorado State-Pueblo, Grand Valley State (Mich.) and Winston-Salem State (N.C.) round out the Top 5.
Shippensburg (Pa.) moved into the Top 25, at No. 21, for the first time since the final poll of 2009. The Raiders are 4-0 after a 61-6 win over Millersville (Pa.) last Saturday. Newberry (S.C.) is the second newcomer this week, making its first appearance in the Division II Coaches’ Top 25 poll since October 7, 2008. The Wolves are No. 24 and 4-0 after its 47-22 victory over Carson-Newman (Tenn.). Making its first-ever appearance in the poll is Sioux Falls (S.D.), who comes in ranked No. 25. The Cougars are 4-0 so far in 2012 in just its second season of Division II play since making the jump from NAIA. Valdosta State (Ga.), Colorado School of Mines and Abilene Christian (Texas) all fell out of the poll this week.
2012 American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches’ Poll – September 24, 2012
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week Two | Next Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Pittsburg St. (Kan.) (29) | 4-0 | 749 | 1 | D. Lincoln (Mo.), 59-17 | Oct. 6 vs. Central Missouri |
| 2. | Minnesota-Duluth | 4-0 | 716 | 2 | D. Augustana (S.D.), 42-34 | Sept. 29 at St. Cloud State (Minn.) |
| 3. | Colorado St.-Pueblo | 4-0 | 680 | 3 | D. Adams St. (Colo.), 30-0 | Sept. 29 at Fort Lewis (Colo.) |
| 4. | Grand Valley St. (Mich.) | 4-0 | 649 | 4 | D. Ohio Dominican, 46-41 | Sept. 29 at Michigan Tech |
| 5. | Winston-Salem St. (N.C.) (1) | 4-0 | 627 | 5 | D. Virginia Union, 35-6 | Sept. 29 at Bowie St. (Md.) |
| 6. | California (Pa.) | 4-0 | 600 | 6 | D. No. 14 Indiana (Pa.), 26-24 | Sept. 29 vs. West Chester (Pa.) |
| 7. | Missouri Western St. | 4-0 | 568 | 7 | D. Fort Hays St. (Kan.), 21-3 | Sept. 29 vs. Central Oklahoma |
| 8. | New Haven (Conn.) | 4-0 | 547 | 8 | D. St. Anselm (N.H.), 45-0 | Oct. 6 vs. Assumption (Mass.) |
| 9. | Humboldt St. (Calif.) | 4-0 | 490 | 10 | D. Dixie St. (Utah), 49-13 | Sept. 29 at Central Washington |
| 10. | Bloomsburg (Pa.) | 4-0 | 484 | 11 | D. LIU Post (N.Y.), 42-27 | Sept. 29 vs. Gannon (Pa.) |
| 11. | Northwest Missouri St. | 3-1 | 441 | 12 | D. Nebraska-Kearney, 37-13 | Sept. 29 vs. Northeastern St. (Okla.) |
| 12. | Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) | 3-0 | 392 | 13 | D. Arkansas Tech, 31-24 | Sept. 29 at Southeastern Oklahoma St. |
| 13. | Ashland (Ohio) | 4-0 | 375 | 17 | D. Northern Michigan, 42-13 | Sept. 29 vs. Lake Erie (Ohio) |
| 14. | Midwestern St. (Texas) | 2-1 | 340 | 15 | D. Texas A&M-Kingsville, 45-28 | Sept. 29 vs. Incarnate Word (Texas) |
| 15. | Minnesota St.-Mankato | 4-0 | 297 | 22 | D. Minnesota St.-Moorhead, 24-0 | Sept. 29 vs. Concordia-St. Paul (Minn.) |
| 16. | Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.) | 3-1 | 245 | 20 | D. Lake Erie (Ohio), 51-24 | Sept. 29 vs. Ferris St. (Mich.) |
| 17. | Henderson St. (Ark.) | 4-0 | 232 | 24 | D. Southeastern Oklahoma St., 56-20 | Sept. 29 at Southwestern Oklahoma St. |
| 18. | Wayne St. (Mich.) | 2-1 | 186 | 21 | D. Malone (Ohio), 38-14 | Sept. 29 at Northwood (Mich.) |
| 19. | West Alabama | 3-1 | 181 | 23 | D. No. 16 Valdosta St. (Ga.), 39-28 | Sept. 29 vs. West Georgia |
| 20. | Washburn (Kan.) | 3-1 | 155 | 9 | Lost to Central Oklahoma, 35-20 | Sept. 29 vs. Southwest Baptist (Mo.) |
| 21. | Shippensburg (Pa.) | 4-0 | 150 | NR | D. Millersville (Pa.), 61-6 | Sept. 29 at Lock Haven (Pa.) |
| 22. | Indiana (Pa.) | 3-1 | 147 | 14 | Lost to No. 6 California (Pa.), 26-24 | Sept. 29 at Millersville (Pa.) |
| 23. | West Texas A&M | 3-1 | 106 | 25 | D. Incarnate Word (Texas), 24-0 | Sept. 29 vs. Tarleton St. (Texas) |
| 24. | Newberry (S.C.) | 4-0 | 68 | NR | D. Carson-Newman (Tenn.), 47-22 | Sept. 29 at Mars Hill (N.C.) |
| 25. | Sioux Falls (S.D.) | 4-0 | 57 | NR | D. Bemidji St. (Minn.), 21-5 | Sept. 29 vs. Southwest Minnesota St. |
Dropped Out: Valdosta St. (Ga.) (16), Colorado
School of Mines (18), Abilene Christian (Texas) (19)
Others Receiving Votes: Central Missouri, 47;
Hillsdale (Mich.), 40; Emporia St. (Kan.), 36;
Colorado School of Mines, 30; Harding (Ark.), 28; Michigan
Tech, 28; Central Washington, 11; Shepherd (W.Va.), 11;
St. Augustine’s (N.C.), 8; Miles (Ala.), 6; North
Carolina-Pembroke, 5; Tarleton St. (Texas), 5; Missouri S&T, 4;
New Mexico Highlands, 4; Abilene Christian (Texas), 3; Valdosta St.
(Ga.), 2.
