West Florida Tops Final 2019 Division II Coaches’ Poll
December 23, 2019
Categories: AFCA News,
Head coach Pete Shinnick started the West Florida program in 2016. Just four short years later, they are the champions of Division II football. The Argonauts forced three turnovers and stayed ahead of Minnesota State the entire game to win the national championship, 48-40. West Florida made NCAA post-season history by beating three number one seeds and four consecutive unbeaten teams en route to the title. The Argonauts finish the season at 13-2 and ranked No. 1 for the first time ever in the final 2019 AFCA Division II Coaches’ Top 25 Poll. Minnesota State ends their season at 14-1 and No. 2.
The rest of the top five all lost to West Florida during the playoffs. Ferris State (Mich.) fell to the Argonauts in the semifinals and end the season at No. 3 while Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) dropped a quarterfinal matchup and end the season at No. 4. Conference rival Valdosta State (Ga.) beat West Florida in the regular season to claim the Gulf South title, but the Argonauts got revenge in the second round of the playoffs, winning 38-35, to end the Blazers season at No. 5.
Other than West Florida’s 19 place jump in the poll, Texas A&M-Commerce made the second biggest move, up 10 spots to No. 11 after making a run to the quarterfinals before being knocked out by Minnesota State, 42-21.
2019 American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches’ Final Poll – December 23, 2019
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Post-season Head Coach
1 West Florida (31) 13-2 774 20 D. No. 4 Minnesota St., 48-40, in national championship Pete Shinnick
2 Minnesota St. 14-1 744 4 Lost to No. 20 West Florida, 48-40, in national championship Todd Hoffner
3 Ferris St. (Mich.) 12-1 705 2 Lost to No. 20 West Florida, 28-14, in semifinals Tony Annese
4 Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) 13-1 635 6 Lost to No. 20 West Florida, 43-38, in quarterfinals Drew Cronic
5 Valdosta St. (Ga.) 10-1 614 1 Lost to No. 20 West Florida, 38-35, in second round Gary Goff
6 Slippery Rock (Pa.) 13-1 605 8 Lost to No. 4 Minnesota St., 58-15, in semifinals Shawn Lutz
7 Northwest Missouri St. 12-2 528 10 Lost to No. 2 Ferris St. (Mich.), 25-3, in quarterfinals Rich Wright
8 Colorado School of Mines 12-1 501 7 Lost to No. 21 Texas A&M-Commerce, 23-3, in second round Gregg Brandon
9 Tarleton St. (Texas) 11-1 497 3 Lost to No. 21 Texas A&M-Commerce, 23-16, in first round Todd Whitten
10 Notre Dame (Ohio) 12-2 488 13 Lost to No. 8 Slippery Rock (Pa.), 65-59, in quarterfinals Mike Jacobs
11 Texas A&M-Commerce 10-3 448 21 Lost to No. 4 Minnesota St., 42-21, in quarterfinals David Bailiff
12 Colorado St.-Pueblo 11-2 434 9 Lost to No. 4 Minnesota St., 35-7, in second round John Wristen
13 Central Missouri 11-2 409 15 Lost to No. 2 Ferris St. (Mich.), 37-10, in second round Jim Svoboda
14 Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) 11-1 335 5 Lost to Lindenwood (Mo.), 41-38, in first round Todd Knight
15 Harding (Ark.) 10-2 332 12 Lost to No. 10 Northwest Missouri St., 7-6, in first round Paul Simmons
16 Kutztown (Pa.) 11-2 307 17 Lost to No. 13 Notre Dame (Ohio), 20-17, in second round Jim Clements
17 Indianapolis (Ind.) 9-2 234 14 Lost to No. 15 Central Missouri, 37-27, in first round Chris Keevers
18 Bowie St. (Md.) 11-1 218 11 Lost to No. 25 Carson-Newman (Tenn.), 17-9, in first round Damon Wilson
19 Wingate (N.C.) 10-2 216 16 Lost to No. 19 West Florida, 38-17, in first round Joe Reich
20 Carson-Newman (Tenn.) 9-3 205 25 Lost to No. 6 Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.), 49-21, in second round Mike Turner
21 Indiana (Pa.) 10-2 171 18 Lost to Shepherd (W.Va.), 31-27, in first round Paul Tortorella
22 Shepherd (W.Va.) 10-3 165 NR Lost to No. 8 Slippery Rock (Pa.), 51-30, in second round Ernie McCook
23 Tiffin (Ohio) 9-2 145 19 Lost to No. 17 Kutztown (Pa.), 33-31, in first round Cris Reisert
24 West Chester (Pa.) 9-3 88 22 Lost to No. 13 Notre Dame (Ohio), 31-24, in first round Bill Zwaan
25 Lindenwood (Mo.) 9-4 77 NR Lost to No. 10 Northwest Missouri St., 63-7, in second round Jed Stugart
Dropped Out: Truman St. (Mo.) (23), Henderson St. (Ark.) (24)
Others Receiving Votes: Truman St. (Mo.), 59; Sioux Falls (S.D.), 40; Henderson St. (Ark.), 37; Missouri Western St., 22; Augustana (S.D.), 20; Wayne St. (Mich.), 5; Virginia Union, 4; Dixie St. (Utah), 3; Grand Valley St. (Mich.), 3; Fort Hays St. (Kan.), 2; West Texas A&M, 2; Central Washington, 1; Ohio Dominican, 1; Virginia St., 1.
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Head coach Pete Shinnick started the West Florida program in 2016. Just four short years later, they are the champions of Division II football. The Argonauts forced three turnovers and stayed ahead of Minnesota State the entire game to win the national championship, 48-40. West Florida made NCAA post-season history by beating three number one seeds and four consecutive unbeaten teams en route to the title. The Argonauts finish the season at 13-2 and ranked No. 1 for the first time ever in the final 2019 AFCA Division II Coaches’ Top 25 Poll. Minnesota State ends their season at 14-1 and No. 2.
The rest of the top five all lost to West Florida during the playoffs. Ferris State (Mich.) fell to the Argonauts in the semifinals and end the season at No. 3 while Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) dropped a quarterfinal matchup and end the season at No. 4. Conference rival Valdosta State (Ga.) beat West Florida in the regular season to claim the Gulf South title, but the Argonauts got revenge in the second round of the playoffs, winning 38-35, to end the Blazers season at No. 5.
Other than West Florida’s 19 place jump in the poll, Texas A&M-Commerce made the second biggest move, up 10 spots to No. 11 after making a run to the quarterfinals before being knocked out by Minnesota State, 42-21.
2019 American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches’ Final Poll – December 23, 2019
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Post-season | Head Coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Florida (31) | 13-2 | 774 | 20 | D. No. 4 Minnesota St., 48-40, in national championship | Pete Shinnick |
| 2 | Minnesota St. | 14-1 | 744 | 4 | Lost to No. 20 West Florida, 48-40, in national championship | Todd Hoffner |
| 3 | Ferris St. (Mich.) | 12-1 | 705 | 2 | Lost to No. 20 West Florida, 28-14, in semifinals | Tony Annese |
| 4 | Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) | 13-1 | 635 | 6 | Lost to No. 20 West Florida, 43-38, in quarterfinals | Drew Cronic |
| 5 | Valdosta St. (Ga.) | 10-1 | 614 | 1 | Lost to No. 20 West Florida, 38-35, in second round | Gary Goff |
| 6 | Slippery Rock (Pa.) | 13-1 | 605 | 8 | Lost to No. 4 Minnesota St., 58-15, in semifinals | Shawn Lutz |
| 7 | Northwest Missouri St. | 12-2 | 528 | 10 | Lost to No. 2 Ferris St. (Mich.), 25-3, in quarterfinals | Rich Wright |
| 8 | Colorado School of Mines | 12-1 | 501 | 7 | Lost to No. 21 Texas A&M-Commerce, 23-3, in second round | Gregg Brandon |
| 9 | Tarleton St. (Texas) | 11-1 | 497 | 3 | Lost to No. 21 Texas A&M-Commerce, 23-16, in first round | Todd Whitten |
| 10 | Notre Dame (Ohio) | 12-2 | 488 | 13 | Lost to No. 8 Slippery Rock (Pa.), 65-59, in quarterfinals | Mike Jacobs |
| 11 | Texas A&M-Commerce | 10-3 | 448 | 21 | Lost to No. 4 Minnesota St., 42-21, in quarterfinals | David Bailiff |
| 12 | Colorado St.-Pueblo | 11-2 | 434 | 9 | Lost to No. 4 Minnesota St., 35-7, in second round | John Wristen |
| 13 | Central Missouri | 11-2 | 409 | 15 | Lost to No. 2 Ferris St. (Mich.), 37-10, in second round | Jim Svoboda |
| 14 | Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) | 11-1 | 335 | 5 | Lost to Lindenwood (Mo.), 41-38, in first round | Todd Knight |
| 15 | Harding (Ark.) | 10-2 | 332 | 12 | Lost to No. 10 Northwest Missouri St., 7-6, in first round | Paul Simmons |
| 16 | Kutztown (Pa.) | 11-2 | 307 | 17 | Lost to No. 13 Notre Dame (Ohio), 20-17, in second round | Jim Clements |
| 17 | Indianapolis (Ind.) | 9-2 | 234 | 14 | Lost to No. 15 Central Missouri, 37-27, in first round | Chris Keevers |
| 18 | Bowie St. (Md.) | 11-1 | 218 | 11 | Lost to No. 25 Carson-Newman (Tenn.), 17-9, in first round | Damon Wilson |
| 19 | Wingate (N.C.) | 10-2 | 216 | 16 | Lost to No. 19 West Florida, 38-17, in first round | Joe Reich |
| 20 | Carson-Newman (Tenn.) | 9-3 | 205 | 25 | Lost to No. 6 Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.), 49-21, in second round | Mike Turner |
| 21 | Indiana (Pa.) | 10-2 | 171 | 18 | Lost to Shepherd (W.Va.), 31-27, in first round | Paul Tortorella |
| 22 | Shepherd (W.Va.) | 10-3 | 165 | NR | Lost to No. 8 Slippery Rock (Pa.), 51-30, in second round | Ernie McCook |
| 23 | Tiffin (Ohio) | 9-2 | 145 | 19 | Lost to No. 17 Kutztown (Pa.), 33-31, in first round | Cris Reisert |
| 24 | West Chester (Pa.) | 9-3 | 88 | 22 | Lost to No. 13 Notre Dame (Ohio), 31-24, in first round | Bill Zwaan |
| 25 | Lindenwood (Mo.) | 9-4 | 77 | NR | Lost to No. 10 Northwest Missouri St., 63-7, in second round | Jed Stugart |
Dropped Out: Truman St. (Mo.) (23), Henderson St. (Ark.) (24)
Others Receiving Votes: Truman St. (Mo.), 59; Sioux Falls (S.D.), 40; Henderson St. (Ark.), 37; Missouri Western St., 22; Augustana (S.D.), 20; Wayne St. (Mich.), 5; Virginia Union, 4; Dixie St. (Utah), 3; Grand Valley St. (Mich.), 3; Fort Hays St. (Kan.), 2; West Texas A&M, 2; Central Washington, 1; Ohio Dominican, 1; Virginia St., 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.
