[D2 Poll] Nebraska-Kearney Jumps into the AFCA D2 Top 25 for the First Time Since 2011
September 13, 2021
Nebraska-Kearney held then-No. 23 Pittsburg State (Kan.) scoreless in the second half, allowing the Lopers to come from behind and upset the Gorillas, 28-17. The win vaulted Nebraska-Kearney to No. 23 in this week’s AFCA Division II Coaches’ Top 25 Poll, their first appearance in the AFCA poll since December 19, 2011, when the Lopers finished that season ranked No. 10.
RELATED ARTICLE: [D2 POLL] West Florida Downs FCS_Member McNeese to Stay No. 1
The Top 5 looks a little different this week thanks to Minnesota State’s loss to Minnesota-Duluth. The 30-10 loss dropped the Mavericks to No. 19 while Minnesota-Duluth rose seven spots to No. 13. West Florida and Ferris State (Mich.) still sit in the top two spots, while Northwest Missouri State, Valdosta State (Ga.) and Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) all moved up one place each to round out the Top 5.
There were three other newcomers to this week’s poll. Midwestern State (Texas) upset then-No. 7 Texas A&M-Commerce, 31-30, and appears at No. 20. The loss dropped the Lions to No. 21. Delta State (Miss.) earns its first ranking in the AFCA poll since 2017. The Statesmen are 2-0 after beating McKendree (Ill.), 45-17, and are ranked at No. 22. Henderson State (Ark.) is the final newcomer. The Reddies crushed Northwestern Oklahoma, 55-7, and come in at No. 25.
2021 American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches’ Poll – September 13, 2021
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Week 2 Next Game
1 West Florida (29) 2-0 748 1 D. Southwest Baptist (Mo.), 63-14 Sept. 18 at No. 21 Texas A&M-Commerce
2 Ferris St. (Mich.) (1) 2-0 720 2 D. Ashland (Ohio), 45-19 Sept. 18 vs. Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.)
3 Northwest Missouri St. 1-0 677 4 Idle Sept. 18 at Central Missouri
4 Valdosta St. (Ga.) 2-0 639 5 D. Virginia Union, 51-7 Sept. 18 vs. Albany St. (Ga.)
5 Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) 1-0 622 6 Idle Sept. 18 at Newberry (S.C.)
6 Slippery Rock (Pa.) 2-0 570 8 D. East Stroudsburg (Pa.), 22-7 Sept. 18 vs. Lock Haven (Pa.)
7 Colorado School of Mines 2-0 551 9 D. New Mexico Highlands, 31-21 Sept. 18 at Fort Lewis (Colo.)
8 Notre Dame (Ohio) 2-0 531 10 D. Wheeling (W.Va.), 31-15 Sept. 18 at West Liberty (W.Va.)
9 Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) 2-0 504 11 D. Southern Nazarene (Okla.), 41-3 Sept. 18 vs. Arkansas Tech
10 Grand Valley St. (Mich.) 1-0 433 14 D. No. 19 Colorado St.-Pueblo, 34-14 Sept. 18 vs. Wisconsin-La Crosse
11 Shepherd (W.Va.) 2-0 429 13 D. Gannon (Pa.), 56-26 Sept. 18 at No. 14 Indiana (Pa.)
12 Indianapolis (Ind.) 2-0 425 12 D. Hillsdale (Mich.), 35-31 Sept. 18 vs. No. 15 Tiffin (Ohio)
13 Minnesota-Duluth 2-0 405 20 D. No. 3 Minnesota St., 30-10 Sept. 18 at Winona St. (Minn.)
14 Indiana (Pa.) 1-0 334 15 D. No. 18 Kutztown (Pa.), 29-26 Sept. 18 vs. No. 11 Shepherd (W.Va.)
15 Tiffin (Ohio) 2-0 285 16 D. Northwood (Mich.), 40-6 Sept. 18 at No. 12 Indianapolis (Ind.)
16 Wingate (N.C.) 2-0 243 21 D. Fayetteville St. (N.C.), 40-21 Sept. 18 at Carson-Newman (Tenn.)
17 Angelo St. (Texas) 2-0 234 22 D. Chadron St. (Neb.), 28-24 Sept. 18 vs. No. 20 Midwestern St. (Texas)
18 West Georgia 2-0 227 24 D. Morehouse (Ga.), 47-0 Sept. 18 vs. No. 22 Delta St. (Miss.)
19 Minnesota St. 1-1 212 3 Lost to No. 20 Minnesota-Duluth, 30-10 Sept. 18 vs. Bemidji St. (Minn.)
20 Midwestern St. (Texas) 2-0 170 NR D. No. 7 Texas A&M-Commerce, 31-30 Sept. 18 at No. 17 Angelo St. (Texas)
21 Texas A&M-Commerce 1-1 151 7 Lost to Midwestern St. (Texas), 31-30 Sept. 18 vs. No. 1 West Florida
22 Delta St. (Miss.) 2-0 113 NR D. McKendree (Ill.), 45-17 Sept. 18 at No. 18 West Georgia
23 Nebraska-Kearney 2-0 93 NR D. No. 23 Pittsburg St. (Kan.), 28-17 Sept. 18 vs. Washburn (Kan.)
24 Bowie St. (Md.) 1-1 90 25 D. Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.), 28-19 Sept. 18 at New Haven (Conn.)
25 Henderson St. (Ark.) 2-0 74 NR D. Northwestern Oklahoma, 55-7 Sept. 18 at Arkansas-Monticello
Dropped Out: Harding (Ark.) (17), Kutztown (Pa.) (18), Colorado St.-Pueblo (19), Pittsburg St. (Kan.) (23)
Others Receiving Votes: Kutztown (Pa.), 48; Augustana (S.D.), 44; West Alabama, 37; Harding (Ark.), 21; Washburn (Kan.), 21; Bentley (Mass.), 19; Truman St. (Mo.), 18; UT-Permian Basin (Texas), 17; Emporia St. (Kan.), 13; Colorado St.-Pueblo, 11; Charleston (W.Va.), 7; California (Pa.), 5; Bemidji St. (Minn.), 4; Stonehill (Mass.), 3; Frostburg St. (Md.), 1; Western Colorado, 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.
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Nebraska-Kearney held then-No. 23 Pittsburg State (Kan.) scoreless in the second half, allowing the Lopers to come from behind and upset the Gorillas, 28-17. The win vaulted Nebraska-Kearney to No. 23 in this week’s AFCA Division II Coaches’ Top 25 Poll, their first appearance in the AFCA poll since December 19, 2011, when the Lopers finished that season ranked No. 10.
RELATED ARTICLE: [D2 POLL] West Florida Downs FCS_Member McNeese to Stay No. 1
The Top 5 looks a little different this week thanks to Minnesota State’s loss to Minnesota-Duluth. The 30-10 loss dropped the Mavericks to No. 19 while Minnesota-Duluth rose seven spots to No. 13. West Florida and Ferris State (Mich.) still sit in the top two spots, while Northwest Missouri State, Valdosta State (Ga.) and Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) all moved up one place each to round out the Top 5.
There were three other newcomers to this week’s poll. Midwestern State (Texas) upset then-No. 7 Texas A&M-Commerce, 31-30, and appears at No. 20. The loss dropped the Lions to No. 21. Delta State (Miss.) earns its first ranking in the AFCA poll since 2017. The Statesmen are 2-0 after beating McKendree (Ill.), 45-17, and are ranked at No. 22. Henderson State (Ark.) is the final newcomer. The Reddies crushed Northwestern Oklahoma, 55-7, and come in at No. 25.
2021 American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches’ Poll – September 13, 2021
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week 2 | Next Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Florida (29) | 2-0 | 748 | 1 | D. Southwest Baptist (Mo.), 63-14 | Sept. 18 at No. 21 Texas A&M-Commerce |
| 2 | Ferris St. (Mich.) (1) | 2-0 | 720 | 2 | D. Ashland (Ohio), 45-19 | Sept. 18 vs. Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.) |
| 3 | Northwest Missouri St. | 1-0 | 677 | 4 | Idle | Sept. 18 at Central Missouri |
| 4 | Valdosta St. (Ga.) | 2-0 | 639 | 5 | D. Virginia Union, 51-7 | Sept. 18 vs. Albany St. (Ga.) |
| 5 | Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) | 1-0 | 622 | 6 | Idle | Sept. 18 at Newberry (S.C.) |
| 6 | Slippery Rock (Pa.) | 2-0 | 570 | 8 | D. East Stroudsburg (Pa.), 22-7 | Sept. 18 vs. Lock Haven (Pa.) |
| 7 | Colorado School of Mines | 2-0 | 551 | 9 | D. New Mexico Highlands, 31-21 | Sept. 18 at Fort Lewis (Colo.) |
| 8 | Notre Dame (Ohio) | 2-0 | 531 | 10 | D. Wheeling (W.Va.), 31-15 | Sept. 18 at West Liberty (W.Va.) |
| 9 | Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) | 2-0 | 504 | 11 | D. Southern Nazarene (Okla.), 41-3 | Sept. 18 vs. Arkansas Tech |
| 10 | Grand Valley St. (Mich.) | 1-0 | 433 | 14 | D. No. 19 Colorado St.-Pueblo, 34-14 | Sept. 18 vs. Wisconsin-La Crosse |
| 11 | Shepherd (W.Va.) | 2-0 | 429 | 13 | D. Gannon (Pa.), 56-26 | Sept. 18 at No. 14 Indiana (Pa.) |
| 12 | Indianapolis (Ind.) | 2-0 | 425 | 12 | D. Hillsdale (Mich.), 35-31 | Sept. 18 vs. No. 15 Tiffin (Ohio) |
| 13 | Minnesota-Duluth | 2-0 | 405 | 20 | D. No. 3 Minnesota St., 30-10 | Sept. 18 at Winona St. (Minn.) |
| 14 | Indiana (Pa.) | 1-0 | 334 | 15 | D. No. 18 Kutztown (Pa.), 29-26 | Sept. 18 vs. No. 11 Shepherd (W.Va.) |
| 15 | Tiffin (Ohio) | 2-0 | 285 | 16 | D. Northwood (Mich.), 40-6 | Sept. 18 at No. 12 Indianapolis (Ind.) |
| 16 | Wingate (N.C.) | 2-0 | 243 | 21 | D. Fayetteville St. (N.C.), 40-21 | Sept. 18 at Carson-Newman (Tenn.) |
| 17 | Angelo St. (Texas) | 2-0 | 234 | 22 | D. Chadron St. (Neb.), 28-24 | Sept. 18 vs. No. 20 Midwestern St. (Texas) |
| 18 | West Georgia | 2-0 | 227 | 24 | D. Morehouse (Ga.), 47-0 | Sept. 18 vs. No. 22 Delta St. (Miss.) |
| 19 | Minnesota St. | 1-1 | 212 | 3 | Lost to No. 20 Minnesota-Duluth, 30-10 | Sept. 18 vs. Bemidji St. (Minn.) |
| 20 | Midwestern St. (Texas) | 2-0 | 170 | NR | D. No. 7 Texas A&M-Commerce, 31-30 | Sept. 18 at No. 17 Angelo St. (Texas) |
| 21 | Texas A&M-Commerce | 1-1 | 151 | 7 | Lost to Midwestern St. (Texas), 31-30 | Sept. 18 vs. No. 1 West Florida |
| 22 | Delta St. (Miss.) | 2-0 | 113 | NR | D. McKendree (Ill.), 45-17 | Sept. 18 at No. 18 West Georgia |
| 23 | Nebraska-Kearney | 2-0 | 93 | NR | D. No. 23 Pittsburg St. (Kan.), 28-17 | Sept. 18 vs. Washburn (Kan.) |
| 24 | Bowie St. (Md.) | 1-1 | 90 | 25 | D. Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.), 28-19 | Sept. 18 at New Haven (Conn.) |
| 25 | Henderson St. (Ark.) | 2-0 | 74 | NR | D. Northwestern Oklahoma, 55-7 | Sept. 18 at Arkansas-Monticello |
Dropped Out: Harding (Ark.) (17), Kutztown (Pa.) (18), Colorado St.-Pueblo (19), Pittsburg St. (Kan.) (23)
Others Receiving Votes: Kutztown (Pa.), 48; Augustana (S.D.), 44; West Alabama, 37; Harding (Ark.), 21; Washburn (Kan.), 21; Bentley (Mass.), 19; Truman St. (Mo.), 18; UT-Permian Basin (Texas), 17; Emporia St. (Kan.), 13; Colorado St.-Pueblo, 11; Charleston (W.Va.), 7; California (Pa.), 5; Bemidji St. (Minn.), 4; Stonehill (Mass.), 3; Frostburg St. (Md.), 1; Western Colorado, 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.
