West Florida Rolls in Top 25 Showdown
September 2, 2025
West Florida caused a fumble on the opening kickoff against No. 17 Lenoir-Rhyne, then scored one minute later and never looked back. The Argonauts put 31 unanswered points on the board to begin the game and won running away, 48-21. The victory jumped West Florida two places to No. 6 in this week’s AFCA Division II Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl, while the Bears fell all the way to No. 24.
Ferris State still holds the top spot after a strong showing against then-No. 9 Pittsburg State. The Bulldogs built a 20-3 halftime lead and held the Pitt State offense to just 67 yards rushing in a 34-17 victory. The rest of the top five is pretty much the same with Harding, Grand Valley State and Slippery Rock in the second through fourth positions. The change is at No. 5 as Colorado State-Pueblo jumps one spot thanks to Central Oklahoma’s upset loss to previously unranked UT-Permian Basin. After UCO took a 14-13 lead early in the third quarter, the Falcons scored the final 21 points of the game to register a 34-14 win over the No.5-ranked team. It was UTPB’s new highest nationally ranked win in program history. The victory propelled UTPB into the poll at No. 21 while Central Oklahoma dropped to No. 19. The Broncos don’t have long to lick their wounds as they open MIAA action against No. 13 Pittsburg State on Saturday.
The only other top 25 matchup this coming weekend sees No. 12 Charleston traveling to No. 14 California (Pa.). The Golden Eagles are 1-0 after beating Livingstone, 39-10, while the Vulcans will be playing their first game of the season.
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Week 1 Next Game
1 Ferris St. (31) 1-0 775 1 D. No. 9 Pittsburg St., 34-17 Sept. 6 at Lake Erie
2 Harding 0-0 736 2 Idle Sept. 4 at Northwestern Oklahoma St.
3 Grand Valley St. 1-0 706 3 D. Lincoln (Pa.), 45-9 Sept. 6 vs. Black Hills St.
4 Slippery Rock 0-0 648 4 Idle Sept. 5 at Franklin Pierce
5 Colorado St.-Pueblo 1-0 638 6 D. South Dakota Mines, 43-0 Sept. 4 vs. Fort Hays St.
6 West Florida 1-0 612 8 D. No. 17 Lenoir-Rhyne, 48-21 Sept. 6 at Kentucky Wesleyan
7 Kutztown 0-0 557 7 Idle Sept. 4 vs. Assumption
8 Minnesota St. 1-0 550 11 D. Northwest Missouri St., 38-14 Sept. 6 vs. Minot St.
9 Western Colorado 1-0 531 10 D. West Texas A&M, 45-28 Sept. 6 at Midwestern St.
10 Angelo St. 1-0 467 13 D. Fort Hays St., 28-7 Sept. 6 vs. Emporia St.
11 Valdosta St. 1-0 430 12 D. Clark Atlanta, 31-28 Sept. 6 at Johnson C. Smith
12 Charleston 1-0 402 14 D. Livingstone, 39-10 Sept. 4 at No. 14 California (Pa.)
13 Pittsburg St. 0-1 374 9 Lost to No. 1 Ferris St., 34-17 Sept. 6 at No. 19 Central Oklahoma
14 California (Pa.) 0-0 322 15 Idle Sept. 4 vs. No. 12 Charleston
15 Ouachita Baptist 0-0 311 18 Idle Sept. 4 at East Central
16 Virginia Union 1-0 296 19 D. No. 24t Miles, 45-3 Sept. 13 at Edward Waters
17 UIndy 1-0 269 20 D. Marian, 45-21 Sept. 6 at Findlay
18 Central Washington 1-0 259 21 D. Colorado Mesa, 41-14 Sept. 6 at Montana
19 Central Oklahoma 0-1 228 5 Lost to UT-Permian Basin, 34-14 Sept. 6 vs. No. 13 Pittsburg St.
20 Augustana (S.D.) 1-0 211 23 D. Missouri Western, 30-26 Sept. 6 vs. Jamestown
21 UT-Permian Basin 1-0 190 NR D. No. 5 Central Oklahoma, 34-14 Sept. 6 at Adams St.
22 Delta St. 1-0 98 NR D. No. 22 Central Missouri, 31-23 Sept. 6 vs. North Greenville
23 Ashland 0-0 84 24t Idle Sept. 4 at Indiana (Pa.)
24 Lenoir-Rhyne 0-1 83 17 Lost to No. 8 West Florida, 48-21 Sept. 6 at Tusculum
25 West Alabama 1-0 73 NR D. Fort Valley St., 27-17 Sept. 6 at Chowan
Dropped Out: Bemidji St. (16), Central Missouri (22), Miles (24t)
Others Receiving Votes: Carson-Newman, 55; Wingate, 51; Minnesota-Duluth, 38; Bemidji St., 14; Michigan Tech, 13; Central Missouri, 11; Colorado School of Mines, 9; Southern Arkansas, 9; Albany St., 8; Davenport, 6; Fairmont St., 3; Johnson C. Smith, 3; Colorado Mesa, 2; Frostburg St., 1; Sioux Falls, 1; Texas A&M-Kingsville, 1.
For more information about the AFCA, visit www.AFCA.com. For more interesting articles, check out The Insider 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.
« « Previous PostNext Post » »
West Florida caused a fumble on the opening kickoff against No. 17 Lenoir-Rhyne, then scored one minute later and never looked back. The Argonauts put 31 unanswered points on the board to begin the game and won running away, 48-21. The victory jumped West Florida two places to No. 6 in this week’s AFCA Division II Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl, while the Bears fell all the way to No. 24.
Ferris State still holds the top spot after a strong showing against then-No. 9 Pittsburg State. The Bulldogs built a 20-3 halftime lead and held the Pitt State offense to just 67 yards rushing in a 34-17 victory. The rest of the top five is pretty much the same with Harding, Grand Valley State and Slippery Rock in the second through fourth positions. The change is at No. 5 as Colorado State-Pueblo jumps one spot thanks to Central Oklahoma’s upset loss to previously unranked UT-Permian Basin. After UCO took a 14-13 lead early in the third quarter, the Falcons scored the final 21 points of the game to register a 34-14 win over the No.5-ranked team. It was UTPB’s new highest nationally ranked win in program history. The victory propelled UTPB into the poll at No. 21 while Central Oklahoma dropped to No. 19. The Broncos don’t have long to lick their wounds as they open MIAA action against No. 13 Pittsburg State on Saturday.
The only other top 25 matchup this coming weekend sees No. 12 Charleston traveling to No. 14 California (Pa.). The Golden Eagles are 1-0 after beating Livingstone, 39-10, while the Vulcans will be playing their first game of the season.
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Week 1 Next Game
1 Ferris St. (31) 1-0 775 1 D. No. 9 Pittsburg St., 34-17 Sept. 6 at Lake Erie
2 Harding 0-0 736 2 Idle Sept. 4 at Northwestern Oklahoma St.
3 Grand Valley St. 1-0 706 3 D. Lincoln (Pa.), 45-9 Sept. 6 vs. Black Hills St.
4 Slippery Rock 0-0 648 4 Idle Sept. 5 at Franklin Pierce
5 Colorado St.-Pueblo 1-0 638 6 D. South Dakota Mines, 43-0 Sept. 4 vs. Fort Hays St.
6 West Florida 1-0 612 8 D. No. 17 Lenoir-Rhyne, 48-21 Sept. 6 at Kentucky Wesleyan
7 Kutztown 0-0 557 7 Idle Sept. 4 vs. Assumption
8 Minnesota St. 1-0 550 11 D. Northwest Missouri St., 38-14 Sept. 6 vs. Minot St.
9 Western Colorado 1-0 531 10 D. West Texas A&M, 45-28 Sept. 6 at Midwestern St.
10 Angelo St. 1-0 467 13 D. Fort Hays St., 28-7 Sept. 6 vs. Emporia St.
11 Valdosta St. 1-0 430 12 D. Clark Atlanta, 31-28 Sept. 6 at Johnson C. Smith
12 Charleston 1-0 402 14 D. Livingstone, 39-10 Sept. 4 at No. 14 California (Pa.)
13 Pittsburg St. 0-1 374 9 Lost to No. 1 Ferris St., 34-17 Sept. 6 at No. 19 Central Oklahoma
14 California (Pa.) 0-0 322 15 Idle Sept. 4 vs. No. 12 Charleston
15 Ouachita Baptist 0-0 311 18 Idle Sept. 4 at East Central
16 Virginia Union 1-0 296 19 D. No. 24t Miles, 45-3 Sept. 13 at Edward Waters
17 UIndy 1-0 269 20 D. Marian, 45-21 Sept. 6 at Findlay
18 Central Washington 1-0 259 21 D. Colorado Mesa, 41-14 Sept. 6 at Montana
19 Central Oklahoma 0-1 228 5 Lost to UT-Permian Basin, 34-14 Sept. 6 vs. No. 13 Pittsburg St.
20 Augustana (S.D.) 1-0 211 23 D. Missouri Western, 30-26 Sept. 6 vs. Jamestown
21 UT-Permian Basin 1-0 190 NR D. No. 5 Central Oklahoma, 34-14 Sept. 6 at Adams St.
22 Delta St. 1-0 98 NR D. No. 22 Central Missouri, 31-23 Sept. 6 vs. North Greenville
23 Ashland 0-0 84 24t Idle Sept. 4 at Indiana (Pa.)
24 Lenoir-Rhyne 0-1 83 17 Lost to No. 8 West Florida, 48-21 Sept. 6 at Tusculum
25 West Alabama 1-0 73 NR D. Fort Valley St., 27-17 Sept. 6 at Chowan
Dropped Out: Bemidji St. (16), Central Missouri (22), Miles (24t)
Others Receiving Votes: Carson-Newman, 55; Wingate, 51; Minnesota-Duluth, 38; Bemidji St., 14; Michigan Tech, 13; Central Missouri, 11; Colorado School of Mines, 9; Southern Arkansas, 9; Albany St., 8; Davenport, 6; Fairmont St., 3; Johnson C. Smith, 3; Colorado Mesa, 2; Frostburg St., 1; Sioux Falls, 1; Texas A&M-Kingsville, 1.
For more information about the AFCA, visit www.AFCA.com. For more interesting articles, check out The Insider 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.
