[D2 Poll] Colorado Mesa Enters AFCA Poll for First Time Since 2018
October 25, 2021
Trailing 21-16 at halftime, the Colorado Mesa defense pitched a shutout in the second half and the offense scored 10 points to push the Mavericks over then-ranked No. 3 Colorado School of Mines, 26-21. This was Colorado Mesa’s first win over a Top 5 opponent since the Mavericks joined NCAA Division II in 1994. The win pushed their record to 6-1 and has Colorado Mesa ranked No. 22 in the AFCA Division II Coaches’ Top 25 Poll for the first time since September 24, 2018.
RELATED ARTICLE: [D2 Poll] Ferris State Moves to No. 1 in AFCA Top 25
Colorado School of Mines’ loss meant another shakeup in the Top 25 this week. The Orediggers dropped from No. 3 to No. 14, causing a lot of movement up and down the poll. Ferris State (Mich.) and Valdosta State (Ga.) are still 1 and 2, but West Georgia, California (Pa.) and West Florida all move up one spot apiece to round out the Top 5.
There are three Top 25 matchups this coming Saturday, but the biggest is a Top 3 battle as No. 2 Valdosta State host No. 3 West Georgia. The Blazers have the top spot in the Gulf South Conference at 4-0, with West Georgia sitting right behind them at 5-1.
2021 American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches’ Poll – October 25, 2021
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Week 8 Next Game
1 Ferris St. (Mich.) (26) 7-0 744 1 D. Michigan Tech, 38-10 Oct. 30 vs. Northern Michigan
2 Valdosta St. (Ga.) (4) 7-0 724 2 D. Mississippi College, 41-14 Oct. 30 vs. No. 3 West Georgia
3 West Georgia 7-1 659 4 D. North Greenville (S.C.), 34-12 Oct. 30 at No. 2 Valdosta St. (Ga.)
4 California (Pa.) 7-0 649 5 D. No. 23 Indiana (Pa.), 38-34 Oct. 30 vs. Seton Hill (Pa.)
5 West Florida 6-1 575 6 D. Shorter (Ga.), 45-23 Oct. 30 at Mississippi College
6 Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) 7-1 567 7 D. Southern Arkansas, 42-7 Oct. 30 at East Central (Okla.)
7 Grand Valley St. (Mich.) 6-1 531 8 D. Northern Michigan, 28-24 Oct. 30 vs. Michigan Tech
8 Northwest Missouri St. 6-1 511 10 D. Northeastern St. (Okla.), 59-7 Oct. 30 vs. No. 17 Nebraska-Kearney
9 Notre Dame (Ohio) 7-1 508 9 D. Glenville St. (W.Va.), 34-14 Oct. 30 vs. Fairmont St. (W.Va.)
10 Harding (Ark.) 7-1 452 12 D. Arkansas-Monticello, 64-7 Oct. 30 at Northwestern Oklahoma
11 Bentley (Mass.) 7-0 445 13 Idle Oct. 30 vs. Franklin Pierce (N.H.)
12 Shepherd (W.Va.) 7-1 440 11 D. West Chester (Pa.), 42-38 Oct. 30 at Bloomsburg (Pa.)
13 Bowie St. (Md.) 7-1 374 14 D. Virginia Union, 27-7 Oct. 30 at Lincoln (Pa.)
14 Colorado School of Mines 7-1 323 3 Lost to Colorado Mesa, 26-21 Oct. 30 vs. Chadron St. (Neb.)
15 Slippery Rock (Pa.) 7-1 321 17 D. Mercyhurst (Pa.), 20-17 Oct. 30 at Gannon (Pa.)
16 Wingate (N.C.) 6-1 306 18 D. Virginia-Wise, 48-21 Oct. 30 vs. Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.)
17 Nebraska-Kearney 7-1 264 21 D. Lincoln (Mo.), 56-0 Oct. 30 at No. 8 Northwest Missouri St.
18 Henderson St. (Ark.) 7-1 258 20 D. Arkansas Tech, 41-38 OT Oct. 30 vs. Southern Nazarene
19 Augustana (S.D.) 7-1 251 22 D. Minnesota St., 45-35 Oct. 30 vs. Winona St. (Minn.)
20 Western Colorado 7-1 167 24 D. South Dakota Mines, 42-21 Oct. 30 vs. No. 22 Colorado Mesa
21 Kutztown (Pa.) 7-1 145 25 D. Lock Haven (Pa.), 32-15 Oct. 30 vs. Millersville (Pa.)
22 Colorado Mesa 6-1 144 NR D. No. 3 Colorado School of Mines, 26-21 Oct. 30 at No. 20 Western Colorado
23 Frostburg St. (Md.) 7-1 91 NR D. Fairmont St. (W.Va.), 49-14 Oct. 30 at Alderson Broaddus (W.Va.)
24 Midwestern St. (Texas) 5-2 64 19 Lost to Tarleton, 17-14 Oct. 30 vs. Western New Mexico
25 Albany St. (Ga.) 7-1 56 NR D. Savannah St. (Ga.), 30-0 Oct. 30 at Morehouse (Ga.)
Dropped Out: West Alabama (15), Minnesota-Duluth (16), Indiana (Pa.) (23)
Others Receiving Votes: West Alabama, 42; Washburn (Kan.), 28; New Haven (Conn.), 25; Indiana (Pa.), 22; Bemidji St. (Minn.), 20; Minnesota-Duluth, 18; Pittsburg St. (Kan.), 9; Angelo St. (Texas), 7; Lindenwood (Mo.), 5; Wayne St. (Neb.), 3; Charleston (W.Va.), 1; Southeastern Oklahoma, 1.
For more information about the AFCA, visit www.AFCA.com. For more interesting articles, check out insider.afca.com and subscribe to our weekly email.
If you are interested in more in-depth articles and videos, please become an AFCA member. You can find out more information about membership and specific member benefits on the AFCA Membership Overview page. If you are ready to join, please fill out the AFCA Membership Application.
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Trailing 21-16 at halftime, the Colorado Mesa defense pitched a shutout in the second half and the offense scored 10 points to push the Mavericks over then-ranked No. 3 Colorado School of Mines, 26-21. This was Colorado Mesa’s first win over a Top 5 opponent since the Mavericks joined NCAA Division II in 1994. The win pushed their record to 6-1 and has Colorado Mesa ranked No. 22 in the AFCA Division II Coaches’ Top 25 Poll for the first time since September 24, 2018.
RELATED ARTICLE: [D2 Poll] Ferris State Moves to No. 1 in AFCA Top 25
Colorado School of Mines’ loss meant another shakeup in the Top 25 this week. The Orediggers dropped from No. 3 to No. 14, causing a lot of movement up and down the poll. Ferris State (Mich.) and Valdosta State (Ga.) are still 1 and 2, but West Georgia, California (Pa.) and West Florida all move up one spot apiece to round out the Top 5.
There are three Top 25 matchups this coming Saturday, but the biggest is a Top 3 battle as No. 2 Valdosta State host No. 3 West Georgia. The Blazers have the top spot in the Gulf South Conference at 4-0, with West Georgia sitting right behind them at 5-1.
2021 American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches’ Poll – October 25, 2021
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week 8 | Next Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ferris St. (Mich.) (26) | 7-0 | 744 | 1 | D. Michigan Tech, 38-10 | Oct. 30 vs. Northern Michigan |
| 2 | Valdosta St. (Ga.) (4) | 7-0 | 724 | 2 | D. Mississippi College, 41-14 | Oct. 30 vs. No. 3 West Georgia |
| 3 | West Georgia | 7-1 | 659 | 4 | D. North Greenville (S.C.), 34-12 | Oct. 30 at No. 2 Valdosta St. (Ga.) |
| 4 | California (Pa.) | 7-0 | 649 | 5 | D. No. 23 Indiana (Pa.), 38-34 | Oct. 30 vs. Seton Hill (Pa.) |
| 5 | West Florida | 6-1 | 575 | 6 | D. Shorter (Ga.), 45-23 | Oct. 30 at Mississippi College |
| 6 | Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) | 7-1 | 567 | 7 | D. Southern Arkansas, 42-7 | Oct. 30 at East Central (Okla.) |
| 7 | Grand Valley St. (Mich.) | 6-1 | 531 | 8 | D. Northern Michigan, 28-24 | Oct. 30 vs. Michigan Tech |
| 8 | Northwest Missouri St. | 6-1 | 511 | 10 | D. Northeastern St. (Okla.), 59-7 | Oct. 30 vs. No. 17 Nebraska-Kearney |
| 9 | Notre Dame (Ohio) | 7-1 | 508 | 9 | D. Glenville St. (W.Va.), 34-14 | Oct. 30 vs. Fairmont St. (W.Va.) |
| 10 | Harding (Ark.) | 7-1 | 452 | 12 | D. Arkansas-Monticello, 64-7 | Oct. 30 at Northwestern Oklahoma |
| 11 | Bentley (Mass.) | 7-0 | 445 | 13 | Idle | Oct. 30 vs. Franklin Pierce (N.H.) |
| 12 | Shepherd (W.Va.) | 7-1 | 440 | 11 | D. West Chester (Pa.), 42-38 | Oct. 30 at Bloomsburg (Pa.) |
| 13 | Bowie St. (Md.) | 7-1 | 374 | 14 | D. Virginia Union, 27-7 | Oct. 30 at Lincoln (Pa.) |
| 14 | Colorado School of Mines | 7-1 | 323 | 3 | Lost to Colorado Mesa, 26-21 | Oct. 30 vs. Chadron St. (Neb.) |
| 15 | Slippery Rock (Pa.) | 7-1 | 321 | 17 | D. Mercyhurst (Pa.), 20-17 | Oct. 30 at Gannon (Pa.) |
| 16 | Wingate (N.C.) | 6-1 | 306 | 18 | D. Virginia-Wise, 48-21 | Oct. 30 vs. Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) |
| 17 | Nebraska-Kearney | 7-1 | 264 | 21 | D. Lincoln (Mo.), 56-0 | Oct. 30 at No. 8 Northwest Missouri St. |
| 18 | Henderson St. (Ark.) | 7-1 | 258 | 20 | D. Arkansas Tech, 41-38 OT | Oct. 30 vs. Southern Nazarene |
| 19 | Augustana (S.D.) | 7-1 | 251 | 22 | D. Minnesota St., 45-35 | Oct. 30 vs. Winona St. (Minn.) |
| 20 | Western Colorado | 7-1 | 167 | 24 | D. South Dakota Mines, 42-21 | Oct. 30 vs. No. 22 Colorado Mesa |
| 21 | Kutztown (Pa.) | 7-1 | 145 | 25 | D. Lock Haven (Pa.), 32-15 | Oct. 30 vs. Millersville (Pa.) |
| 22 | Colorado Mesa | 6-1 | 144 | NR | D. No. 3 Colorado School of Mines, 26-21 | Oct. 30 at No. 20 Western Colorado |
| 23 | Frostburg St. (Md.) | 7-1 | 91 | NR | D. Fairmont St. (W.Va.), 49-14 | Oct. 30 at Alderson Broaddus (W.Va.) |
| 24 | Midwestern St. (Texas) | 5-2 | 64 | 19 | Lost to Tarleton, 17-14 | Oct. 30 vs. Western New Mexico |
| 25 | Albany St. (Ga.) | 7-1 | 56 | NR | D. Savannah St. (Ga.), 30-0 | Oct. 30 at Morehouse (Ga.) |
Dropped Out: West Alabama (15), Minnesota-Duluth (16), Indiana (Pa.) (23)
Others Receiving Votes: West Alabama, 42; Washburn (Kan.), 28; New Haven (Conn.), 25; Indiana (Pa.), 22; Bemidji St. (Minn.), 20; Minnesota-Duluth, 18; Pittsburg St. (Kan.), 9; Angelo St. (Texas), 7; Lindenwood (Mo.), 5; Wayne St. (Neb.), 3; Charleston (W.Va.), 1; Southeastern Oklahoma, 1.
For more information about the AFCA, visit www.AFCA.com. For more interesting articles, check out insider.afca.com and subscribe to our weekly email.
If you are interested in more in-depth articles and videos, please become an AFCA member. You can find out more information about membership and specific member benefits on the AFCA Membership Overview page. If you are ready to join, please fill out the AFCA Membership Application.
