Grand Valley State Moves to No. 1
October 17, 2022
Categories: Coaches Poll, Division II,
Grand Valley State (Mich.) has been ranked No. 1 in the AFCA Division II Coaches’ Top 25 for a record 88 weeks, which is 28 weeks more than the second-place team on that list, Northwest Missouri State. The last time the Lakers held the top spot was October 25, 2010. After GVSU’s come-from-behind 22-21 victory over previous No. 1 Ferris State (Mich.), the Lakers can make it 89 weeks at No. 1. The Lakers’ win snapped the Bulldogs 19-game overall winning streak and 43-game regular-season winning streak and drops Ferris State to No. 7 in this week’s poll.
Angelo State (Tex.) moves to No. 2, which is their highest ranking ever in the AFCA Top 25. They will get to test that new ranking as they host No. 15 Texas A&M-Kingsville in a battle of unbeatens in the Lone Star Conference. Both teams are 7-0 overall and 5-0 in conference. Shepherd (W.Va.), Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) and Pittsburg State (Kan.) round out the new Top 5.
Albany State (Ga.) and Nebraska-Kearney endured tough losses and dropped out of this week’s rankings, making room for two new arrivals. Davenport (Mich.), who started their football program in 2016, enters the AFCA Top 25 for the first time ever at No. 22. The Panthers are 6-0 and will host Lincoln (Calif.) this coming Saturday. Saginaw Valley State (Mich.) re-enters the poll at No. 24 after a one-week layoff.
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Week 7 Next Game
1 Grand Valley St. (Mich.) (29) 7-0 749 2 D. No. 1 Ferris St. (Mich.), 22-21 Oct. 22 vs. Northern Michigan
2 Angelo St. (Tex.) (1) 7-0 713 3 D. Western New Mexico, 52-13 Oct. 22 vs. No. 15 Texas A&M-Kingsville
3 Shepherd (W.Va.) 7-0 672 4 D. Millersville (Pa.), 55-17 Oct. 22 at West Chester (Pa.)
4 Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) 7-0 650 5 D. Arkansas-Monticello, 41-7 Oct. 22 at Southern Arkansas
5 Pittsburg St. (Kan.) 7-0 598 7 D. Lincoln (Mo.), 49-10 Oct. 22 vs. Missouri Western St.
6 Ashland (Ohio) 6-0 596 6 D. Ohio Dominican, 14-7 Oct. 22 vs. Tiffin (Ohio)
7 Ferris St. (Mich.) 5-1 583 1 Lost to No. 2 Grand Valley St. (Mich.), 22-21 Oct. 22 vs. Michigan Tech
8 Delta St. (Miss.) 7-0 534 10 D. West Alabama, 20-7 Oct. 20 at Shorter (Ga.)
9 West Florida 5-1 511 9 D. Shorter (Ga.), 50-26 Oct. 22 vs. Mississippi College
10 Virginia Union 7-0 486 11 D. Bowie St. (Md.), 27-24 OT Oct. 22 at Lincoln (Pa.)
11 Sioux Falls (S.D.) 7-0 427 14 D. Mary (N.D.), 41-27 Oct. 22 at Winona St. (Minn.)
12 Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) 6-1 413 13 D. Barton (N.C.), 34-0 Oct. 22 vs. No. 16 Newberry (S.C.)
13 Indiana (Pa.) 6-0 393 15 D. Edinboro (Pa.), 41-0 Oct. 22 vs. Seton Hill (Pa.)
14 Northwest Missouri St. 5-2 298 16 D. Washburn (Kan.), 32-30 Oct. 22 vs. Northeastern St. (Okla.)
15 Texas A&M-Kingsville 7-0 288 20 D. Texas Permian Basin, 13-10 Oct. 22 at No. 2 Angelo St. (Tex.)
16 Newberry (S.C.) 6-1 281 17 D. Catawba (N.C.), 34-27 Oct. 22 at No. 12 Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.)
17 Slippery Rock (Pa.) 6-1 277 18 D. Gannon (Pa.), 40-14 Oct. 22 at California (Pa.)
18t. Benedict (S.C.) 7-0 229 23 D. No. 21 Albany St. (Ga.), 24-20 Oct. 22 at Morehouse (Ga.)
18t. Colorado School of Mines 5-2 229 19 D. South Dakota Mines, 48-20 Oct. 22 vs. Black Hills St. (S.D.)
20 Indianapolis (Ind.) 5-1 208 8 Lost to Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.), 38-14 Oct. 22 vs. Quincy (Ill.)
21 Augustana (S.D.) 6-1 143 24 D. Wayne St. (Neb.), 31-27 Oct. 22 vs. Minnesota St.
22 Davenport (Mich.) 6-0 95 NR D. Wayne St. (Mich.), 47-43 Oct. 22 vs. Lincoln (Calif.)
23 Harding (Ark.) 5-2 79 12 Lost to Henderson St. (Ark.), 15-14 Oct. 22 at Arkansas-Monticello
24 Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.) 5-2 76 NR D. No. 8 Indianapolis (Ind.), 38-14 Oct. 22 at Wayne St. (Mich.)
25 West Georgia 4-2 65 25 D. North Greenville (S.C.), 38-35 Oct. 22 vs. Valdosta St. (Ga.)
Dropped Out: Albany St. (Ga.) (21), Nebraska-Kearney (22)
Others Receiving Votes: New Haven (Conn.), 55; Albany St. (Ga.), 19; Wingate (N.C.), 19; Emporia St. (Kan.), 18; Notre Dame (Ohio), 14; Truman St. (Mo.), 11; Henderson St. (Ark.), 10; Central Oklahoma, 7; Nebraska-Kearney, 3; Concord (W.Va.), 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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Grand Valley State (Mich.) has been ranked No. 1 in the AFCA Division II Coaches’ Top 25 for a record 88 weeks, which is 28 weeks more than the second-place team on that list, Northwest Missouri State. The last time the Lakers held the top spot was October 25, 2010. After GVSU’s come-from-behind 22-21 victory over previous No. 1 Ferris State (Mich.), the Lakers can make it 89 weeks at No. 1. The Lakers’ win snapped the Bulldogs 19-game overall winning streak and 43-game regular-season winning streak and drops Ferris State to No. 7 in this week’s poll.
Angelo State (Tex.) moves to No. 2, which is their highest ranking ever in the AFCA Top 25. They will get to test that new ranking as they host No. 15 Texas A&M-Kingsville in a battle of unbeatens in the Lone Star Conference. Both teams are 7-0 overall and 5-0 in conference. Shepherd (W.Va.), Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) and Pittsburg State (Kan.) round out the new Top 5.
Albany State (Ga.) and Nebraska-Kearney endured tough losses and dropped out of this week’s rankings, making room for two new arrivals. Davenport (Mich.), who started their football program in 2016, enters the AFCA Top 25 for the first time ever at No. 22. The Panthers are 6-0 and will host Lincoln (Calif.) this coming Saturday. Saginaw Valley State (Mich.) re-enters the poll at No. 24 after a one-week layoff.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week 7 | Next Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grand Valley St. (Mich.) (29) | 7-0 | 749 | 2 | D. No. 1 Ferris St. (Mich.), 22-21 | Oct. 22 vs. Northern Michigan |
| 2 | Angelo St. (Tex.) (1) | 7-0 | 713 | 3 | D. Western New Mexico, 52-13 | Oct. 22 vs. No. 15 Texas A&M-Kingsville |
| 3 | Shepherd (W.Va.) | 7-0 | 672 | 4 | D. Millersville (Pa.), 55-17 | Oct. 22 at West Chester (Pa.) |
| 4 | Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) | 7-0 | 650 | 5 | D. Arkansas-Monticello, 41-7 | Oct. 22 at Southern Arkansas |
| 5 | Pittsburg St. (Kan.) | 7-0 | 598 | 7 | D. Lincoln (Mo.), 49-10 | Oct. 22 vs. Missouri Western St. |
| 6 | Ashland (Ohio) | 6-0 | 596 | 6 | D. Ohio Dominican, 14-7 | Oct. 22 vs. Tiffin (Ohio) |
| 7 | Ferris St. (Mich.) | 5-1 | 583 | 1 | Lost to No. 2 Grand Valley St. (Mich.), 22-21 | Oct. 22 vs. Michigan Tech |
| 8 | Delta St. (Miss.) | 7-0 | 534 | 10 | D. West Alabama, 20-7 | Oct. 20 at Shorter (Ga.) |
| 9 | West Florida | 5-1 | 511 | 9 | D. Shorter (Ga.), 50-26 | Oct. 22 vs. Mississippi College |
| 10 | Virginia Union | 7-0 | 486 | 11 | D. Bowie St. (Md.), 27-24 OT | Oct. 22 at Lincoln (Pa.) |
| 11 | Sioux Falls (S.D.) | 7-0 | 427 | 14 | D. Mary (N.D.), 41-27 | Oct. 22 at Winona St. (Minn.) |
| 12 | Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) | 6-1 | 413 | 13 | D. Barton (N.C.), 34-0 | Oct. 22 vs. No. 16 Newberry (S.C.) |
| 13 | Indiana (Pa.) | 6-0 | 393 | 15 | D. Edinboro (Pa.), 41-0 | Oct. 22 vs. Seton Hill (Pa.) |
| 14 | Northwest Missouri St. | 5-2 | 298 | 16 | D. Washburn (Kan.), 32-30 | Oct. 22 vs. Northeastern St. (Okla.) |
| 15 | Texas A&M-Kingsville | 7-0 | 288 | 20 | D. Texas Permian Basin, 13-10 | Oct. 22 at No. 2 Angelo St. (Tex.) |
| 16 | Newberry (S.C.) | 6-1 | 281 | 17 | D. Catawba (N.C.), 34-27 | Oct. 22 at No. 12 Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) |
| 17 | Slippery Rock (Pa.) | 6-1 | 277 | 18 | D. Gannon (Pa.), 40-14 | Oct. 22 at California (Pa.) |
| 18t. | Benedict (S.C.) | 7-0 | 229 | 23 | D. No. 21 Albany St. (Ga.), 24-20 | Oct. 22 at Morehouse (Ga.) |
| 18t. | Colorado School of Mines | 5-2 | 229 | 19 | D. South Dakota Mines, 48-20 | Oct. 22 vs. Black Hills St. (S.D.) |
| 20 | Indianapolis (Ind.) | 5-1 | 208 | 8 | Lost to Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.), 38-14 | Oct. 22 vs. Quincy (Ill.) |
| 21 | Augustana (S.D.) | 6-1 | 143 | 24 | D. Wayne St. (Neb.), 31-27 | Oct. 22 vs. Minnesota St. |
| 22 | Davenport (Mich.) | 6-0 | 95 | NR | D. Wayne St. (Mich.), 47-43 | Oct. 22 vs. Lincoln (Calif.) |
| 23 | Harding (Ark.) | 5-2 | 79 | 12 | Lost to Henderson St. (Ark.), 15-14 | Oct. 22 at Arkansas-Monticello |
| 24 | Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.) | 5-2 | 76 | NR | D. No. 8 Indianapolis (Ind.), 38-14 | Oct. 22 at Wayne St. (Mich.) |
| 25 | West Georgia | 4-2 | 65 | 25 | D. North Greenville (S.C.), 38-35 | Oct. 22 vs. Valdosta St. (Ga.) |
Dropped Out: Albany St. (Ga.) (21), Nebraska-Kearney (22)
Others Receiving Votes: New Haven (Conn.), 55; Albany St. (Ga.), 19; Wingate (N.C.), 19; Emporia St. (Kan.), 18; Notre Dame (Ohio), 14; Truman St. (Mo.), 11; Henderson St. (Ark.), 10; Central Oklahoma, 7; Nebraska-Kearney, 3; Concord (W.Va.), 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.
