WACO, TEX. – Thanks to Florida Tech’s upset victory over then-No. 1 West Georgia, Northwest Missouri State moves into the top spot for the first time since October 13, 2014. The Bearcats beat then-No. 14 Emporia State (Kan.), 44-10, to clinch their third straight Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association title. Ferris State (Mich.) and Ashland (Ohio) both move up one spot each to No. 2 and No. 3, respectively, which is each program’s highest ever ranking in the AFCA Division II Coaches’ Top 25 Poll. Colorado State-Pueblo and Shepherd (W.Va.) round out the top five.
Colorado School of Mines and Michigan Tech dropped out of the poll this week, allowing two new teams to enter. Assumption (Mass.) is ranked in the AFCA Division II Coaches’ Top 25 Poll for the first time in school history, coming in at No. 23 with a 9-1 record and facing New Haven (Conn.) next Saturday for the Northeast-10 Conference title. Carson-Newman (Tenn.) jumps into the poll at No. 25 for the first time this season. The Eagles are 8-2 and will host Tusculum (Tenn.) in their final regular season game.
There is only one Top 25 matchup in the final week of the 2015 regular season, and it is for the Lone Star Conference football playoff title as No. 11 Texas A&M-Commerce hosts No. 10 Midwestern State (Texas).
2015 American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches’ Poll — Nov. 9, 2015
TEAM |
PTS. | PREV |
1. NW Missouri State (29) (10-0) | 796 | 2 |
2. Ferris State (2) (9-0) | 768 | 3 |
3. Ashland (1) (10-0) | 712 | 5 |
4. CSU-Pueblo (9-1) | 711 | 4 |
5. Shepherd (9-0) | 672 | 6 |
6. Minnesota State (9-1) | 636 | 7 |
7. West Georgia (9-1) | 568 | 1 |
8. Henderson State (9-1) | 566 | 9 |
9. Slippery Rock (9-1) | 552 | 10 |
10. Midwestern State (9-1) | 520 | 11 |
11. Texas A&M-Commerce (8-2) | 449 | 12 |
12. Humboldt State (8-1) | 444 | 13 |
13. Indianapolis (9-1) | 376 | 18 |
14. Grand Valley State (8-2) | 364 | 17 |
15. North Alabama (7-2) | 319 | 19 |
16. Charleston (9-1) | 312 | 20 |
17. Sioux Falls (8-2) | 274 | 8 |
18. Valdosta State (7-2) | 224 | 23 |
19. Emporia State (8-2) | 212 | 14 |
20. Central Missouri (8-2) | 199 | 24 |
21. Colorado Mesa (8-2) | 157 | 16 |
22. Bowie State (9-1) | 148 | 25 |
23. Assumption (9-1) | 116 | NR |
24. Tuskegee (8-2) | 93 | 15 |
25. Carson-Newman (8-2) | 78 | NR |
() – Denotes first-place votes; () – Denotes current record
Dropped Out: Colorado School of Mines (21), Michigan Tech (22)
Others Receiving Votes: Augustana (S.D.), 44; Catawba (N.C.), 36; Virginia Union, 20; Indiana (Pa.), 18; Florida Tech, 8; Michigan Tech, 4; North Greenville (S.C.), 2; McKendree (Ill.), 1; Western Oregon,