Albany State Dominates Benedict to Enter Top 25
October 27, 2025
The last time Albany State beat Benedict in Columbia, South Carolina, was on October 16, 2021. The last time Albany State was ranked in the AFCA Top 25 poll was on October 10, 2022. Both of those dates were erased after the Golden Rams dominated then-No. 21 Benedict, 31-3, and took control of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title race. Albany State gained almost 500 yards of total offense and held the Tigers to a season-low 63 yards rushing in the victory. The Golden Rams enter the AFCA Division II Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl, at No. 23, while the loss dropped Benedict out of the top 25.
The top eight remained the same for another week with everyone winning or idle. No. 1 Ferris State won a shootout over then-No. 18 Grand Valley State, 38-31, dropping the Lakers to No. 25. Then-No. 9 Minnesota State lost a stunner to Wayne State (Neb.), 35-20, and dropped nine spots to No. 18. West Alabama lost their second straight game, this time to No. 15 Delta State, 41-38, and fell from 11 to 21.
The top 25 will look different next week after three huge top 16 matchups on the first day of November. No. 15 Delta State will look to keep up their momentum as they host No. 3 West Florida for the top spot in the Gulf South Conference. In a top 10 battle for the top spot in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, No. 6 Western Colorado will host No. 7 Colorado State-Pueblo. The final matchup is a big game in the Lone Star Conference as No. 8 Central Washington will host No. 16 Angelo State.
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Week 9 Next Game
1 Ferris St. (31) 8-0 775 1 D. No. 18 Grand Valley St., 38-31 Nov. 1 vs. Northern Michigan
2 Harding 8-0 743 2 D. Arkansas-Monticello, 55-0 Nov. 1 vs. Oklahoma Baptist
3 West Florida 8-0 707 3 D. West Virginia St., 55-6 Nov. 1 at No. 15 Delta St.
4 Kutztown 8-0 686 4 D. West Chester, 41-7 Nov. 1 vs. East Stroudsburg
5 Augustana (S.D.) 8-0 635 5 D. Southwest Minnesota St., 57-29 Nov. 1 vs. Northern St.
6 Western Colorado 8-0 610 6 D. Colorado School of Mines, 40-17 Nov. 1 vs. No. 7 Colorado St.-Pueblo
7 Colorado St.-Pueblo 7-1 578 7 Idle Nov. 1 at No. 6 Western Colorado
8 Central Washington 7-1 544 8 D. Midwestern St., 56-13 Nov. 1 vs. No. 16 Angelo St.
9 Pittsburg St. 6-2 507 10 Idle Nov. 1 vs. Missouri Southern St.
10 Virginia Union 7-1 448 12 D. Bowie St., 24-7 Nov. 1 at Bluefield St.
11 Findlay 8-0 444 14 D. Ohio Dominican, 27-20 Nov. 1 at Northwood
12 UIndy 7-1 438 13 Idle Nov. 1 at Quincy
13 Minnesota-Duluth 7-1 394 15 D. UMary, 54-32 Nov. 1 at Jamestown
14 Northwest Missouri St. 7-1 380 16 D. Nebraska-Kearney, 14-0 Nov. 1 at Emporia St.
15 Delta St. 7-1 373 17 D. No. 11 West Alabama, 41-38 Nov. 1 vs. No. 3 West Florida
16 Angelo St. 6-2 271 19 D. Sul Ross St., 62-0 Nov. 1 at No. 8 Central Washington
17 Ashland 7-1 235 20 D. Tiffin, 30-27 Nov. 1 vs. Walsh
18 Minnesota St. 6-2 223 9 Lost to Wayne St. (Neb.), 35-20 Nov. 1 vs. Southwest Minnesota St.
19 Johnson C. Smith 7-1 195 22 D. Winston-Salem St., 52-27 Nov. 1 at Fayetteville St.
20 UT Permian Basin 6-2 189 23 D. West Texas A&M, 22-6 Nov. 1 at Western New Mexico
21 West Alabama 5-2 178 11 Lost to No. 17 Delta St., 41-38 Nov. 1 at Valdosta St.
22 Slippery Rock 5-2 129 24 Idle Nov. 1 vs. Clarion
23 Albany St. 7-1 109 NR D. No. 21 Benedict, 31-3 Nov. 1 vs. Savannah St.
24 Frostburg St. 7-1 83 NR D. Wheeling, 31-13 Nov. 1 at California (Pa.)
25 Grand Valley St. 4-3 64 18 Lost to No. 1 Ferris St., 38-31 Nov. 1 at Wayne St. (Mich.)
Dropped Out: Benedict (21), Southern Arkansas (25)
Others Receiving Votes: Assumption, 28; Newberry, 20; Benedict, 19; UNC Pembroke, 16; Chadron St., 14; Northern St., 10; Indiana (Pa.), 9; Northwood, 7; Saginaw Valley St., 3; Southern Arkansas, 3; Western Oregon, 3; Carson-Newman, 2; Michigan Tech, 2; Upper Iowa, 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 » »
The last time Albany State beat Benedict in Columbia, South Carolina, was on October 16, 2021. The last time Albany State was ranked in the AFCA Top 25 poll was on October 10, 2022. Both of those dates were erased after the Golden Rams dominated then-No. 21 Benedict, 31-3, and took control of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title race. Albany State gained almost 500 yards of total offense and held the Tigers to a season-low 63 yards rushing in the victory. The Golden Rams enter the AFCA Division II Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl, at No. 23, while the loss dropped Benedict out of the top 25.
The top eight remained the same for another week with everyone winning or idle. No. 1 Ferris State won a shootout over then-No. 18 Grand Valley State, 38-31, dropping the Lakers to No. 25. Then-No. 9 Minnesota State lost a stunner to Wayne State (Neb.), 35-20, and dropped nine spots to No. 18. West Alabama lost their second straight game, this time to No. 15 Delta State, 41-38, and fell from 11 to 21.
The top 25 will look different next week after three huge top 16 matchups on the first day of November. No. 15 Delta State will look to keep up their momentum as they host No. 3 West Florida for the top spot in the Gulf South Conference. In a top 10 battle for the top spot in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, No. 6 Western Colorado will host No. 7 Colorado State-Pueblo. The final matchup is a big game in the Lone Star Conference as No. 8 Central Washington will host No. 16 Angelo State.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week 9 | Next Game | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ferris St. (31) | 8-0 | 775 | 1 | D. No. 18 Grand Valley St., 38-31 | Nov. 1 vs. Northern Michigan | |
| 2 | Harding | 8-0 | 743 | 2 | D. Arkansas-Monticello, 55-0 | Nov. 1 vs. Oklahoma Baptist | |
| 3 | West Florida | 8-0 | 707 | 3 | D. West Virginia St., 55-6 | Nov. 1 at No. 15 Delta St. | |
| 4 | Kutztown | 8-0 | 686 | 4 | D. West Chester, 41-7 | Nov. 1 vs. East Stroudsburg | |
| 5 | Augustana (S.D.) | 8-0 | 635 | 5 | D. Southwest Minnesota St., 57-29 | Nov. 1 vs. Northern St. | |
| 6 | Western Colorado | 8-0 | 610 | 6 | D. Colorado School of Mines, 40-17 | Nov. 1 vs. No. 7 Colorado St.-Pueblo | |
| 7 | Colorado St.-Pueblo | 7-1 | 578 | 7 | Idle | Nov. 1 at No. 6 Western Colorado | |
| 8 | Central Washington | 7-1 | 544 | 8 | D. Midwestern St., 56-13 | Nov. 1 vs. No. 16 Angelo St. | |
| 9 | Pittsburg St. | 6-2 | 507 | 10 | Idle | Nov. 1 vs. Missouri Southern St. | |
| 10 | Virginia Union | 7-1 | 448 | 12 | D. Bowie St., 24-7 | Nov. 1 at Bluefield St. | |
| 11 | Findlay | 8-0 | 444 | 14 | D. Ohio Dominican, 27-20 | Nov. 1 at Northwood | |
| 12 | UIndy | 7-1 | 438 | 13 | Idle | Nov. 1 at Quincy | |
| 13 | Minnesota-Duluth | 7-1 | 394 | 15 | D. UMary, 54-32 | Nov. 1 at Jamestown | |
| 14 | Northwest Missouri St. | 7-1 | 380 | 16 | D. Nebraska-Kearney, 14-0 | Nov. 1 at Emporia St. | |
| 15 | Delta St. | 7-1 | 373 | 17 | D. No. 11 West Alabama, 41-38 | Nov. 1 vs. No. 3 West Florida | |
| 16 | Angelo St. | 6-2 | 271 | 19 | D. Sul Ross St., 62-0 | Nov. 1 at No. 8 Central Washington | |
| 17 | Ashland | 7-1 | 235 | 20 | D. Tiffin, 30-27 | Nov. 1 vs. Walsh | |
| 18 | Minnesota St. | 6-2 | 223 | 9 | Lost to Wayne St. (Neb.), 35-20 | Nov. 1 vs. Southwest Minnesota St. | |
| 19 | Johnson C. Smith | 7-1 | 195 | 22 | D. Winston-Salem St., 52-27 | Nov. 1 at Fayetteville St. | |
| 20 | UT Permian Basin | 6-2 | 189 | 23 | D. West Texas A&M, 22-6 | Nov. 1 at Western New Mexico | |
| 21 | West Alabama | 5-2 | 178 | 11 | Lost to No. 17 Delta St., 41-38 | Nov. 1 at Valdosta St. | |
| 22 | Slippery Rock | 5-2 | 129 | 24 | Idle | Nov. 1 vs. Clarion | |
| 23 | Albany St. | 7-1 | 109 | NR | D. No. 21 Benedict, 31-3 | Nov. 1 vs. Savannah St. | |
| 24 | Frostburg St. | 7-1 | 83 | NR | D. Wheeling, 31-13 | Nov. 1 at California (Pa.) | |
| 25 | Grand Valley St. | 4-3 | 64 | 18 | Lost to No. 1 Ferris St., 38-31 | Nov. 1 at Wayne St. (Mich.) |
Dropped Out: Benedict (21), Southern Arkansas (25)
Others Receiving Votes: Assumption, 28; Newberry, 20; Benedict, 19; UNC Pembroke, 16; Chadron St., 14; Northern St., 10; Indiana (Pa.), 9; Northwood, 7; Saginaw Valley St., 3; Southern Arkansas, 3; Western Oregon, 3; Carson-Newman, 2; Michigan Tech, 2; Upper Iowa, 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.
