Bulldogs Football Slips to #23 in Latest AFCA Poll

WACO, TEX.– No. 3 Indiana (Pa.) fell behind then-No. 9 Slippery Rock (Pa.) 10-0 in the first quarter, but went on a 34-7 run in the final three quarters to down their conference rival, 34-17. The loss dropped Slippery Rock eight places to No. 17. The Top 5 is almost the same this week other than Midwestern State (Texas) jumps Indianapolis (Ind.) to take over the fifth spot. Northwest Missouri State still sits No. 1 after beating Northeastern State (Okla.), 42-14, and moving its record to 7-0. The Bearcats are followed by Shepherd at No. 2, Indiana at No. 3 and Minnesota State at No. 4. 

Virginia State and Eastern New Mexico enter the AFCA Top 25 this week after Colorado State-Pueblo and West Georgia fell out. The Trojans last ranking was on December 22, 2014, but it has been a while for the Greyhounds. Eastern New Mexico was last ranked on October 14, 2003. That was their final ranking that year after spending three weeks in the Top 25.   

There is only one Top 25 matchup this week, and it is a big rivalry game in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference as No. 7 Grand Valley State (Mich.) travels to No. 12 Ferris State (Mich.). 

2017 American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches’ Poll – October 16, 2017

                               

Rank   School (1st votes)                        Rec.    Pts.     Prev.       Week 7                                                                      Next Game

     1.     Northwest Missouri St. (34)       7-0       850      1                D. Northeastern St. (Okla.), 42-14                      Oct. 21 vs. Lindenwood (Mo.)

     2.     Shepherd (W.Va.)                         6-0       791      2                D. Fairmont St. (W.Va.), 28-23                                     Oct. 21 vs. Urbana (Ohio)

     3.     Indiana (Pa.)                                   7-0       782      3                D. No. 9 Slippery Rock (Pa.), 34-17                                 Oct. 21 at Clarion (Pa.)

     4.     Minnesota St.                                 7-0       754      4                D. Upper Iowa, 52-7                                      Oct. 19 at Southwest Minnesota St.

     5.     Midwestern St. (Texas)               5-0       682      6                D. Angelo St. (Texas), 41-27                                  Oct. 21 vs. West Texas A&M

     6.     Indianapolis (Ind.)                         7-0       678      5                D. Quincy (Ill.), 55-0                                                             Oct. 21 at Lincoln (Mo.)

     7.     Grand Valley St. (Mich.)             6-1       635      7                D. Truman St. (Mo.), 42-7                              Oct. 21 at No. 12 Ferris St. (Mich.)

     8.     Fort Hays St. (Kan.)                     7-0       616      8                D. Washburn (Kan.), 37-20                                Oct. 21 at Missouri Western St.

     9.     Central Washington                      7-0       572      10             D. Western Oregon, 42-0                                              Oct. 21 vs. North Alabama

    10.   Texas A&M-Commerce               5-1       541      11             D. Western New Mexico, 52-3                             Oct. 21 vs. Angelo St. (Texas)

    11.   Winona St. (Minn.)                        7-0       494      13             D. Concordia-St. Paul (Minn.), 28-10                  Oct. 21 vs. Wayne St. (Neb.)

    12.   Ferris St. (Mich.)                            5-1       424      15             D. Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.), 49-17 Oct. 21 vs. No. 7 Grand Valley St. (Mich.)

    13.   Ashland (Ohio)                               6-1       423      16             D. Michigan Tech, 48-0                                                          Oct. 21 at Tiffin (Ohio)

    14.   Assumption (Mass.)                     6-0       406      17             D. St. Anselm (N.H.), 55-10                                Oct. 21 vs. New Haven (Conn.)

    15.   Sioux Falls (S.D.)                          6-1       352      18             D. Wayne St. (Neb.), 31-7                       Oct. 21 at Concordia-St. Paul (Minn.)

    16.   Colorado Mesa                               6-1       307      20             D. Dixie St. (Utah), 35-22                                          Oct. 21 at Adams St. (Colo.)

    17.   Slippery Rock (Pa.)                      6-1       288      9                Lost to No. 3 Indiana (Pa.), 34-17                                Oct. 21 at Edinboro (Pa.)

    18.   West Alabama                                6-1       271      23             D. No. 22 West Georgia, 34-31                                          Oct. 21 at Florida Tech

    19.   Delta St. (Miss.)                             6-1       263      21             D. West Florida, 28-25                                            Oct. 21 vs. Valdosta St. (Ga.)

    20.   Wingate (N.C.)                                6-0       243      24             D. Catawba (N.C.), 27-24                                                Oct. 21 at Mars Hill (N.C.)

    21.   Virginia St.                                       6-0       165      NR            D. No. 14 Bowie St. (Md.), 47-35                                      Oct. 21 at Lincoln (Pa.)

    22.   Humboldt St. (Calif.)                     5-1       154      25             D. Azusa Pacific (Calif.), 52-49                              Oct. 21 vs. Western Oregon

    23.   Bowie St. (Md.)                               6-1       95         14             Lost to Virginia St., 47-35                                               Oct. 21 vs. Virginia Union

    24.   Eastern New Mexico                    6-1       66         NR            D. Tarleton St. (Texas), 24-15                      Oct. 28 vs. Texas A&M-Kingsville

    25.   Southeastern Oklahoma St.     6-1       64         19             Lost to Henderson St. (Ark.), 21-20                  Oct. 21 at Southern Arkansas

Dropped Out: Colorado St.-Pueblo (12), West Georgia (22)

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Others Receiving Votes: Colorado St.-Pueblo, 46; Notre Dame (Ohio), 28; California (Pa.), 16; Findlay (Ohio), 16; Central Missouri, 15; West Georgia, 11; Virginia Union, 1; Washburn (Kan.), 1.

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