[D3 Poll] North Central Starts 2021 Playoffs at No. 1
November 15, 2021
North Central (Ill.) put an exclamation point on the 2021 regular season, beating North Park (Ill.) 84-6, to finish at No. 1 in the AFCA Division III Coaches’ Top 25 Poll. In the rout, the Cardinals set a new College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin single-game record with 726 total yards of offense and a single-game school record with 591 rushing yards. North Central will begin defense of their 2019 national title against Carnegie Mellon (Pa.).
RELATED ARTICLE: [D3 Poll] Redlands Enters AFCA Poll at No. 25
No. 2 Mary Hardin-Baylor (Tex.) has arguably the toughest bracket in the NCAA Division III playoffs with seven of the eight teams in their region ranked in the AFCA Top 25. The Cru will host No. 14-ranked and Southern Athletic Association champion Trinity (Tex.). The top seed in that region is No. 5 St. John’s (Minn.). The Johnnies drew newly ranked Lake Forest (Ill.) in the first round. The Foresters earned their first ranking since November 19, 2002 and come in at No. 22 after beating Chicago (Ill.), 28-6, to claim the Midwest Conference crown. No. 3 Wisconsin-Whitewater and No. 4 Mount Union (Ohio) earned the two remaining No. 1 seeds.
2021 American Football Coaches Association Division III Coaches’ Poll – November 15, 2021
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Last Week Next Game
1 North Central (Ill.) (39) 10-0 1158 1 D. North Park (Ill.), 84-6 Nov. 20 vs. Carnegie Mellon (Pa.)
2 Mary Hardin-Baylor (Tex.) (6) 10-0 1117 2 D. McMurry (Tex.), 77-3 Nov. 20 vs. No. 14 Trinity (Tex.)
3 Wisconsin-Whitewater (1) 10-0 1080 3 D. Wisconsin-Stevens Point, 56-10 Nov. 20 vs. Greenville (Ill.)
4 Mount Union (Ohio) (1) 10-0 1047 4 D. Marietta (Ohio), 37-7 Nov. 20 vs. Washington & Lee (Va.)
5 St. John’s (Minn.) 10-0 974 5 D. No. 12 Bethel (Minn.), 29-28 Nov. 20 vs. No. 22 Lake Forest (Ill.)
6 Linfield (Ore.) 9-0 928 6 D. Lewis & Clark (Ore.), 51-17 Nov. 20 vs. No. 21 Redlands (Calif.)
7 Delaware Valley (Pa.) 10-0 847 7 D. Widener (Pa.), 27-0 Nov. 20 vs. Anna Maria (Mass.)
8 Hardin-Simmons (Tex.) 9-1 841 8 D. Texas Lutheran, 65-0 Season Complete
9 Wheaton (Ill.) 9-1 796 9 D. Millikin (Ill.), 49-7 Nov. 20 vs. Aurora (Ill.)
10 Central (Iowa) 10-0 792 10 D. Buena Vista (Iowa), 65-6 Nov. 20 vs. No. 17 Bethel (Minn.)
11 Salisbury (Md.) 8-1 671 11 D. William Paterson (N.J.), 38-7 Nov. 20 vs. No. 16 Johns Hopkins (Md.)
12 Cortland (N.Y.) 10-0 640 13 D. No. 18 Ithaca (N.Y.), 28-27 Nov. 20 vs. Springfield (Mass.)
13 Muhlenberg (Pa.) 9-1 579 14 D. Moravian (Pa.), 55-0 Nov. 20 vs. Framingham St. (Mass.)
14 Trinity (Tex.) 9-0 544 15 D. Rhodes (Tenn.), 55-21 Nov. 20 at No. 2 Mary Hardin-Baylor (Tex.)
15 Wisconsin-La Crosse 8-2 520 16 D. Wisconsin-Eau Claire, 44-20 Nov. 20 at No. 23 Albion (Mich.)
16 Johns Hopkins (Md.) 9-1 436 17 D. McDaniel (Md.), 48-7 Nov. 20 at No. 11 Salisbury (Md.)
17 Bethel (Minn.) 8-2 404 12 Lost to No. 5 St. John’s (Minn.), 29-28 Nov. 20 at No. 10 Central (Iowa)
18 Randolph-Macon (Va.) 9-1 343 19 D. Hampden-Sydney (Va.), 37-14 Season Complete
19 Birmingham-Southern (Ala.) 9-1 330 23 D. Millsaps (Miss.), 49-7 Nov. 20 vs. Huntingdon (Ala.)
20 Rensselaer (N.Y.) 9-1 305 24 D. No. 22 Union (N.Y.), 19-17 Nov. 20 at Endicott (Mass.)
21 Redlands (Calif.) 8-1 225 25 D. California Lutheran, 56-28 Nov. 20 at No. 6 Linfield (Ore.)
22 Lake Forest (Ill.) 10-0 145 NR D. Chicago (Ill.), 28-6 Nov. 20 at No. 5 St. John’s (Minn.)
23 Albion (Mich.) 9-1 134 NR D. Alma (Mich.), 34-7 Nov. 20 vs. No. 15 Wisconsin-La Crosse
24 Ithaca (N.Y.) 8-2 127 18 Lost to No. 13 Cortland (N.Y.), 28-27 Season Complete
25 Wisconsin-River Falls 8-2 109 NR D. No. 20 Wisconsin-Oshkosh, 28-21 Nov. 20 vs. Washington (Mo.)
Dropped Out: Wisconsin-Oshkosh (20), Baldwin Wallace (Ohio) (21), Union (N.Y.) (22)
Others Receiving Votes: Hobart (N.Y.), 27; Union (N.Y.), 26; Wisconsin-Oshkosh, 19; Merchant Marine (N.Y.), 15; Williams (Mass.), 15; Baldwin Wallace (Ohio), 11; Aurora (Ill.), 10; Coe (Iowa), 10; Westminster (Pa.), 10; Gustavus Adolphus (Minn.), 9; Carnegie Mellon (Pa.), 5; George Fox (Ore.), 5; John Carroll (Ohio), 5; Susquehanna (Pa.), 4; DePauw (Ind.), 3; Methodist (N.C.), 3; Ohio Wesleyan, 3; Heidelberg (Pa.), 2; Hope (Mich.), 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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North Central (Ill.) put an exclamation point on the 2021 regular season, beating North Park (Ill.) 84-6, to finish at No. 1 in the AFCA Division III Coaches’ Top 25 Poll. In the rout, the Cardinals set a new College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin single-game record with 726 total yards of offense and a single-game school record with 591 rushing yards. North Central will begin defense of their 2019 national title against Carnegie Mellon (Pa.).
RELATED ARTICLE: [D3 Poll] Redlands Enters AFCA Poll at No. 25
No. 2 Mary Hardin-Baylor (Tex.) has arguably the toughest bracket in the NCAA Division III playoffs with seven of the eight teams in their region ranked in the AFCA Top 25. The Cru will host No. 14-ranked and Southern Athletic Association champion Trinity (Tex.). The top seed in that region is No. 5 St. John’s (Minn.). The Johnnies drew newly ranked Lake Forest (Ill.) in the first round. The Foresters earned their first ranking since November 19, 2002 and come in at No. 22 after beating Chicago (Ill.), 28-6, to claim the Midwest Conference crown. No. 3 Wisconsin-Whitewater and No. 4 Mount Union (Ohio) earned the two remaining No. 1 seeds.
2021 American Football Coaches Association Division III Coaches’ Poll – November 15, 2021
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Last Week | Next Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Central (Ill.) (39) | 10-0 | 1158 | 1 | D. North Park (Ill.), 84-6 | Nov. 20 vs. Carnegie Mellon (Pa.) |
| 2 | Mary Hardin-Baylor (Tex.) (6) | 10-0 | 1117 | 2 | D. McMurry (Tex.), 77-3 | Nov. 20 vs. No. 14 Trinity (Tex.) |
| 3 | Wisconsin-Whitewater (1) | 10-0 | 1080 | 3 | D. Wisconsin-Stevens Point, 56-10 | Nov. 20 vs. Greenville (Ill.) |
| 4 | Mount Union (Ohio) (1) | 10-0 | 1047 | 4 | D. Marietta (Ohio), 37-7 | Nov. 20 vs. Washington & Lee (Va.) |
| 5 | St. John’s (Minn.) | 10-0 | 974 | 5 | D. No. 12 Bethel (Minn.), 29-28 | Nov. 20 vs. No. 22 Lake Forest (Ill.) |
| 6 | Linfield (Ore.) | 9-0 | 928 | 6 | D. Lewis & Clark (Ore.), 51-17 | Nov. 20 vs. No. 21 Redlands (Calif.) |
| 7 | Delaware Valley (Pa.) | 10-0 | 847 | 7 | D. Widener (Pa.), 27-0 | Nov. 20 vs. Anna Maria (Mass.) |
| 8 | Hardin-Simmons (Tex.) | 9-1 | 841 | 8 | D. Texas Lutheran, 65-0 | Season Complete |
| 9 | Wheaton (Ill.) | 9-1 | 796 | 9 | D. Millikin (Ill.), 49-7 | Nov. 20 vs. Aurora (Ill.) |
| 10 | Central (Iowa) | 10-0 | 792 | 10 | D. Buena Vista (Iowa), 65-6 | Nov. 20 vs. No. 17 Bethel (Minn.) |
| 11 | Salisbury (Md.) | 8-1 | 671 | 11 | D. William Paterson (N.J.), 38-7 | Nov. 20 vs. No. 16 Johns Hopkins (Md.) |
| 12 | Cortland (N.Y.) | 10-0 | 640 | 13 | D. No. 18 Ithaca (N.Y.), 28-27 | Nov. 20 vs. Springfield (Mass.) |
| 13 | Muhlenberg (Pa.) | 9-1 | 579 | 14 | D. Moravian (Pa.), 55-0 | Nov. 20 vs. Framingham St. (Mass.) |
| 14 | Trinity (Tex.) | 9-0 | 544 | 15 | D. Rhodes (Tenn.), 55-21 | Nov. 20 at No. 2 Mary Hardin-Baylor (Tex.) |
| 15 | Wisconsin-La Crosse | 8-2 | 520 | 16 | D. Wisconsin-Eau Claire, 44-20 | Nov. 20 at No. 23 Albion (Mich.) |
| 16 | Johns Hopkins (Md.) | 9-1 | 436 | 17 | D. McDaniel (Md.), 48-7 | Nov. 20 at No. 11 Salisbury (Md.) |
| 17 | Bethel (Minn.) | 8-2 | 404 | 12 | Lost to No. 5 St. John’s (Minn.), 29-28 | Nov. 20 at No. 10 Central (Iowa) |
| 18 | Randolph-Macon (Va.) | 9-1 | 343 | 19 | D. Hampden-Sydney (Va.), 37-14 | Season Complete |
| 19 | Birmingham-Southern (Ala.) | 9-1 | 330 | 23 | D. Millsaps (Miss.), 49-7 | Nov. 20 vs. Huntingdon (Ala.) |
| 20 | Rensselaer (N.Y.) | 9-1 | 305 | 24 | D. No. 22 Union (N.Y.), 19-17 | Nov. 20 at Endicott (Mass.) |
| 21 | Redlands (Calif.) | 8-1 | 225 | 25 | D. California Lutheran, 56-28 | Nov. 20 at No. 6 Linfield (Ore.) |
| 22 | Lake Forest (Ill.) | 10-0 | 145 | NR | D. Chicago (Ill.), 28-6 | Nov. 20 at No. 5 St. John’s (Minn.) |
| 23 | Albion (Mich.) | 9-1 | 134 | NR | D. Alma (Mich.), 34-7 | Nov. 20 vs. No. 15 Wisconsin-La Crosse |
| 24 | Ithaca (N.Y.) | 8-2 | 127 | 18 | Lost to No. 13 Cortland (N.Y.), 28-27 | Season Complete |
| 25 | Wisconsin-River Falls | 8-2 | 109 | NR | D. No. 20 Wisconsin-Oshkosh, 28-21 | Nov. 20 vs. Washington (Mo.) |
Dropped Out: Wisconsin-Oshkosh (20), Baldwin Wallace (Ohio) (21), Union (N.Y.) (22)
Others Receiving Votes: Hobart (N.Y.), 27; Union (N.Y.), 26; Wisconsin-Oshkosh, 19; Merchant Marine (N.Y.), 15; Williams (Mass.), 15; Baldwin Wallace (Ohio), 11; Aurora (Ill.), 10; Coe (Iowa), 10; Westminster (Pa.), 10; Gustavus Adolphus (Minn.), 9; Carnegie Mellon (Pa.), 5; George Fox (Ore.), 5; John Carroll (Ohio), 5; Susquehanna (Pa.), 4; DePauw (Ind.), 3; Methodist (N.C.), 3; Ohio Wesleyan, 3; Heidelberg (Pa.), 2; Hope (Mich.), 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.
