Findlay Defense Dominates in UIndy Upset
September 8, 2026
Holding a 20-10 lead at halftime, Findlay’s defense kept then-No. 9 UIndy scoreless in the second half to preserve a 30-10 victory. It was just the second time in program history that the Oilers won a top 25 matchup. The win vaulted Findlay up five spots to No. 10 in this week’s AFCA Division II Coaches Poll, presented by GoRout Gridiron, while UIndy dropped out of the top 10 to No. 17.
Ferris State continued their winning ways at No. 1, beating Bentley, 38-3. The Bulldogs will face their second top 10 opponent of the season as they travel to No. 9 Central Washington on Saturday. The Wildcats dropped three spots this week after losing to FCS opponent, Cal Poly, 24-17. Harding blanked Northwestern Oklahoma, 76-0, and remains at No. 2, followed by Kutztown at No. 3, who beat Assumption, 56-35. Minnesota State beat UMary, 48-7, and still sits at No. 4 while CSU Pueblo took down then-No. 25 Fort Hays State, 35-17, to round out the top five.
Indiana (Pa.) had the biggest move in the poll this week, jumping eight spots to No. 14 after upsetting then-No. 12 Ashland, 34-24. The loss dropped the Eagles to No. 19. Valdosta State was another big mover, rising seven places to No. 16 after beating Warner, 59-10. Northeastern State continued their march up the top 25, going from 24 to 18 after beating Missouri S&T, 27-7, and moving to 2-0.
There are three newcomers to the top 25 this week in No. 20 Michigan Tech, No. 21 Benedict and No. 24 Emporia State. Two of those teams face off this coming Saturday as No. 20 Michigan Tech travels to No. 24 Emporia State.
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Week 1 Next Game
1 Ferris St. (31) 2-0 775 1 D. Bentley, 38-3 Sept. 12 at No. 9 Central Washington
2 Harding 1-0 744 2 D. Northwestern Oklahoma, 76-0 Sept. 10 at Southwestern Oklahoma
3 Kutztown 1-0 707 3 D. Assumption, 56-35 Sept. 12 vs. Clarion
4 Minnesota St. 2-0 666 4 D. UMary, 48-7 Sept. 12 vs. Bemidji St.
5 CSU Pueblo 2-0 647 5 D. No. 25 Fort Hays St., 35-17 Sept. 12 vs. Colorado Mines
6 Grand Valley St. 2-0 626 7 D. West Texas A&M, 56-14 Sept. 12 at No. 19 Ashland
7 Northwest Missouri St. 1-0 579 8 Idle Sept. 12 vs. Washburn
8 Western Colorado 2-0 536 11 D. Angelo St., 23-21 Sept. 12 vs. Chadron St.
9 Central Washington 0-1 480 6 Lost to Cal Poly, 24-17 Sept. 12 vs. No. 1 Ferris St.
10 Findlay 1-0 477 15 D. No. 9 UIndy, 30-10 Sept. 12 vs. Fairmont St.
11 Newberry 1-0 463 13 D. Reinhardt, 38-3 Sept. 12 vs. Lenoir-Rhyne
12 Western Oregon 2-0 421 17 D. Southern Oregon, 65-35 Sept. 19 at No. 9 Central Washington
13 Slippery Rock 1-0 361 18 Idle Sept. 12 at East Stroudsburg
14 Indiana (Pa.) 1-0 329 22 D. No. 12 Ashland, 34-24 Sept. 12 at West Chester
15 Minnesota-Duluth 1-1 316 19 D. No. 16 Augustana (S.D.), 30-23 Sept. 12 at Wayne St. (Neb.)
16 Valdosta St. 2-0 284 23 D. Warner, 59-10 Sept. 12 at Fayetteville St.
17 UIndy 1-1 247 9 Lost to No. 15 Findlay, 30-10 Sept. 12 at Davenport
18 Northeastern St. 2-0 225 24 D. Missouri S&T, 27-7 Sept. 12 at Truman St.
19 Ashland 0-1 170 12 Lost to No. 22 Indiana (Pa.), 34-24 Sept. 12 vs. No. 6 Grand Valley St.
20 Michigan Tech 2-0 127 NR D. Midwestern St., 48-27 Sept. 12 at No. 24 Emporia St.
21 Benedict 2-0 115 NR D. Shorter, 24-20 Sept. 19 at Fort Valley St.
22 Augustana (S.D.) 1-1 112 16 Lost to No. 19 Minnesota-Duluth, 30-23 Sept. 12 vs. Minot St.
23 Frostburg St. 0-1 71 14 Lost to Shepherd, 34-26 Sept. 12 vs. Assumption
24 Emporia St. 2-0 60 NR D. No. 10 Pittsburg St., 21-10 Sept. 12 vs. No. 20 Michigan Tech
25 Pittsburg St. 0-2 57 10 Lost to Emporia St., 21-10 Sept. 12 at West Alabama
Dropped Out: Ouachita Baptist (20), Lenoir-Rhyne (21), Fort Hays St. (25)
Others Receiving Votes: West Alabama, 55; Central Oklahoma, 52; Fort Hays St., 41; Carson-Newman, 38; UT Permian Basin, 36; Northwood, 35; California (Pa.), 30; Virginia St., 24; Davenport, 23; Lenoir-Rhyne, 20; East Stroudsburg, 18; Shepherd, 18; North Greenville, 17; Henderson St., 14; Ouachita Baptist, 9; Concord, 8; Virginia Union, 7; East Central, 6; Black Hills St., 5; Fayetteville St., 4; MSU Moorhead, 4; Wingate, 4; Northern St., 3; Walsh, 3; Saginaw Valley St., 2; Arkansas Tech, 1; Assumption, 1; Lincoln (Mo.), 1; Wayne St. (Neb.), 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.
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Holding a 20-10 lead at halftime, Findlay’s defense kept then-No. 9 UIndy scoreless in the second half to preserve a 30-10 victory. It was just the second time in program history that the Oilers won a top 25 matchup. The win vaulted Findlay up five spots to No. 10 in this week’s AFCA Division II Coaches Poll, presented by GoRout Gridiron, while UIndy dropped out of the top 10 to No. 17.
Ferris State continued their winning ways at No. 1, beating Bentley, 38-3. The Bulldogs will face their second top 10 opponent of the season as they travel to No. 9 Central Washington on Saturday. The Wildcats dropped three spots this week after losing to FCS opponent, Cal Poly, 24-17. Harding blanked Northwestern Oklahoma, 76-0, and remains at No. 2, followed by Kutztown at No. 3, who beat Assumption, 56-35. Minnesota State beat UMary, 48-7, and still sits at No. 4 while CSU Pueblo took down then-No. 25 Fort Hays State, 35-17, to round out the top five.
Indiana (Pa.) had the biggest move in the poll this week, jumping eight spots to No. 14 after upsetting then-No. 12 Ashland, 34-24. The loss dropped the Eagles to No. 19. Valdosta State was another big mover, rising seven places to No. 16 after beating Warner, 59-10. Northeastern State continued their march up the top 25, going from 24 to 18 after beating Missouri S&T, 27-7, and moving to 2-0.
There are three newcomers to the top 25 this week in No. 20 Michigan Tech, No. 21 Benedict and No. 24 Emporia State. Two of those teams face off this coming Saturday as No. 20 Michigan Tech travels to No. 24 Emporia State.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week 1 | Next Game | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ferris St. (31) | 2-0 | 775 | 1 | D. Bentley, 38-3 | Sept. 12 at No. 9 Central Washington | |
| 2 | Harding | 1-0 | 744 | 2 | D. Northwestern Oklahoma, 76-0 | Sept. 10 at Southwestern Oklahoma | |
| 3 | Kutztown | 1-0 | 707 | 3 | D. Assumption, 56-35 | Sept. 12 vs. Clarion | |
| 4 | Minnesota St. | 2-0 | 666 | 4 | D. UMary, 48-7 | Sept. 12 vs. Bemidji St. | |
| 5 | CSU Pueblo | 2-0 | 647 | 5 | D. No. 25 Fort Hays St., 35-17 | Sept. 12 vs. Colorado Mines | |
| 6 | Grand Valley St. | 2-0 | 626 | 7 | D. West Texas A&M, 56-14 | Sept. 12 at No. 19 Ashland | |
| 7 | Northwest Missouri St. | 1-0 | 579 | 8 | Idle | Sept. 12 vs. Washburn | |
| 8 | Western Colorado | 2-0 | 536 | 11 | D. Angelo St., 23-21 | Sept. 12 vs. Chadron St. | |
| 9 | Central Washington | 0-1 | 480 | 6 | Lost to Cal Poly, 24-17 | Sept. 12 vs. No. 1 Ferris St. | |
| 10 | Findlay | 1-0 | 477 | 15 | D. No. 9 UIndy, 30-10 | Sept. 12 vs. Fairmont St. | |
| 11 | Newberry | 1-0 | 463 | 13 | D. Reinhardt, 38-3 | Sept. 12 vs. Lenoir-Rhyne | |
| 12 | Western Oregon | 2-0 | 421 | 17 | D. Southern Oregon, 65-35 | Sept. 19 at No. 9 Central Washington | |
| 13 | Slippery Rock | 1-0 | 361 | 18 | Idle | Sept. 12 at East Stroudsburg | |
| 14 | Indiana (Pa.) | 1-0 | 329 | 22 | D. No. 12 Ashland, 34-24 | Sept. 12 at West Chester | |
| 15 | Minnesota-Duluth | 1-1 | 316 | 19 | D. No. 16 Augustana (S.D.), 30-23 | Sept. 12 at Wayne St. (Neb.) | |
| 16 | Valdosta St. | 2-0 | 284 | 23 | D. Warner, 59-10 | Sept. 12 at Fayetteville St. | |
| 17 | UIndy | 1-1 | 247 | 9 | Lost to No. 15 Findlay, 30-10 | Sept. 12 at Davenport | |
| 18 | Northeastern St. | 2-0 | 225 | 24 | D. Missouri S&T, 27-7 | Sept. 12 at Truman St. | |
| 19 | Ashland | 0-1 | 170 | 12 | Lost to No. 22 Indiana (Pa.), 34-24 | Sept. 12 vs. No. 6 Grand Valley St. | |
| 20 | Michigan Tech | 2-0 | 127 | NR | D. Midwestern St., 48-27 | Sept. 12 at No. 24 Emporia St. | |
| 21 | Benedict | 2-0 | 115 | NR | D. Shorter, 24-20 | Sept. 19 at Fort Valley St. | |
| 22 | Augustana (S.D.) | 1-1 | 112 | 16 | Lost to No. 19 Minnesota-Duluth, 30-23 | Sept. 12 vs. Minot St. | |
| 23 | Frostburg St. | 0-1 | 71 | 14 | Lost to Shepherd, 34-26 | Sept. 12 vs. Assumption | |
| 24 | Emporia St. | 2-0 | 60 | NR | D. No. 10 Pittsburg St., 21-10 | Sept. 12 vs. No. 20 Michigan Tech | |
| 25 | Pittsburg St. | 0-2 | 57 | 10 | Lost to Emporia St., 21-10 | Sept. 12 at West Alabama |
Dropped Out: Ouachita Baptist (20), Lenoir-Rhyne (21), Fort Hays St. (25)
Others Receiving Votes: West Alabama, 55; Central Oklahoma, 52; Fort Hays St., 41; Carson-Newman, 38; UT Permian Basin, 36; Northwood, 35; California (Pa.), 30; Virginia St., 24; Davenport, 23; Lenoir-Rhyne, 20; East Stroudsburg, 18; Shepherd, 18; North Greenville, 17; Henderson St., 14; Ouachita Baptist, 9; Concord, 8; Virginia Union, 7; East Central, 6; Black Hills St., 5; Fayetteville St., 4; MSU Moorhead, 4; Wingate, 4; Northern St., 3; Walsh, 3; Saginaw Valley St., 2; Arkansas Tech, 1; Assumption, 1; Lincoln (Mo.), 1; Wayne St. (Neb.), 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.
