Emporia State Beats Second Straight Ranked Opponent
September 14, 2026
Down 20-17 at halftime against then-No. 20 Michigan Tech, the Emporia State defense pitched a shutout in the second half allowing the Hornets to register their second straight victory over a ranked opponent, 34-20. Emporia State is now 3-0 on the season and moved up to No. 17 in this week’s AFCA Division II Coaches Poll, presented by GoRout Gridiron. The loss dropped Michigan Tech into a tie at No. 25.
Ferris State continues to show they are by far the No. 1 team in the country. The Bulldogs traveled to then-No. 9 Central Washington and won a hard-fought game, 28-14, dropping the Wildcats out of the top 10 to No. 16. Because of CWU’s loss, that allowed Findlay to move up to No. 9 and Western Oregon to crack the top 10 this season at No. 10.
There are four newcomers to the poll this week after UIndy, Ashland, and Pittsburg State all lost and dropped out. First up is No. 18 West Alabama, who beat then-No. 25 Pittsburg State, 24-23, and moved to 3-0 on the season. Next is Carson-Newman, who breaks into the top 25 this season at No. 22. Under first-year head coach Tyler Almond, the Eagles are 3-0 after handing Wingate a 24-23 loss. No. 24 Davenport enters the AFCA Top 25 for the first time since 2023 after upsetting then-No. 17 UIndy, 19-12. The final newcomer is Northwood at a tie for No. 25. The Timberwolves beat Saginaw Valley State, 35-28, and are 2-0 on the season. The last time Northwood was in the AFCA poll was on September 18, 2007.
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Week 2 Next Game
1 Ferris St. (31) 3-0 775 1 D. No. 9 Central Washington, 28-14 Sept. 26 vs. Kentucky Christian
2 Harding 2-0 744 2 D. Southwestern Oklahoma, 37-14 Sept. 19 vs. Southern Arkansas
3 Kutztown 2-0 705 3 D. Clarion, 45-14 Sept. 19 at Lock Haven
4 Minnesota St. 3-0 668 4 D. Bemidji St., 30-13 Sept. 19 vs. Northern St.
5 CSU Pueblo 3-0 653 5 D. Colorado Mines, 45-17 Sept. 19 at Chadron St.
6 Grand Valley St. 3-0 629 6 D. No. 19 Ashland, 20-10 Sept. 19 vs. Judson
7 Northwest Missouri St. 2-0 589 7 D. Washburn, 31-24 Sept. 19 vs. Missouri Southern
8 Western Colorado 3-0 546 8 D. Chadron St., 30-9 Sept. 19 at Colorado Mesa
9 Findlay 2-0 505 10 D. Fairmont St., 37-17 Sept. 19 at Kentucky Wesleyan
10 Western Oregon 2-0 463 12 Idle Sept. 19 at No. 16 Central Washington
11 Slippery Rock 2-0 438 13 D. East Stroudsburg, 59-35 Sept. 19 at Millersville
12 Indiana (Pa.) 2-0 402 14 D. West Chester, 27-21 2OT Sept. 19 at Shippensburg
13 Valdosta St. 3-0 374 16 D. Fayetteville St., 38-9 Sept. 19 at UNC Pembroke
14 Minnesota-Duluth 2-1 342 15 D. Wayne St. (Neb.), 20-13 Sept. 19 vs. Winona St.
15 Northeastern St. 3-0 295 18 D. Truman St., 31-24 Sept. 19 at Northern Colorado
16 Central Washington 0-2 281 9 Lost to No. 1 Ferris St., 28-14 Sept. 19 vs. No. 10 Western Oregon
17 Emporia St. 3-0 258 24 D. No. 20 Michigan Tech, 34-20 Sept. 19 vs. Nebraska-Kearney
18 West Alabama 3-0 210 NR D. No. 25 Pittsburg St., 24-23 Sept. 19 vs. North Greenville
19 Benedict 2-0 206 21 Idle Sept. 19 at Fort Valley St.
20 Augustana (S.D.) 2-1 162 22 D. Minot St., 38-33 Sept. 19 vs. MSU Moorhead
21 Newberry 1-1 125 11 Lost to Lenoir-Rhyne, 21-14 Sept. 19 at Wingate
22 Carson-Newman 3-0 122 NR D. Wingate, 24-23 Sept. 19 at Virginia-Wise
23 Frostburg St. 1-1 109 23 D. Assumption, 24-19 Sept. 19 at West Liberty
24 Davenport 3-0 107 NR D. No. 17 UIndy, 19-12 Sept. 19 at Northern Michigan
25t. Michigan Tech 2-1 45 20 Lost to No. 24 Emporia St., 34-20 Sept. 19 vs. Upper Iowa
25t. Northwood 2-0 45 NR D. Saginaw Valley St., 35-28 Sept. 19 vs. Hillsdale
Dropped Out: UIndy (17), Ashland (19), Pittsburg St. (25)
Others Receiving Votes: Lenoir-Rhyne, 43; UT Permian Basin, 37; Northern St., 35; California (Pa.), 29; Henderson St., 24; Ashland, 18; Fort Hays St., 18; UIndy, 18; North Greenville, 14; Virginia Union, 11; Shepherd, 10; Black Hills St., 6; Central Oklahoma, 5; Wayne St. (Neb.), 3; Central Missouri, 2; Walsh, 2; Colorado Mesa, 1; Concord, 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 » »
Down 20-17 at halftime against then-No. 20 Michigan Tech, the Emporia State defense pitched a shutout in the second half allowing the Hornets to register their second straight victory over a ranked opponent, 34-20. Emporia State is now 3-0 on the season and moved up to No. 17 in this week’s AFCA Division II Coaches Poll, presented by GoRout Gridiron. The loss dropped Michigan Tech into a tie at No. 25.
Ferris State continues to show they are by far the No. 1 team in the country. The Bulldogs traveled to then-No. 9 Central Washington and won a hard-fought game, 28-14, dropping the Wildcats out of the top 10 to No. 16. Because of CWU’s loss, that allowed Findlay to move up to No. 9 and Western Oregon to crack the top 10 this season at No. 10.
There are four newcomers to the poll this week after UIndy, Ashland, and Pittsburg State all lost and dropped out. First up is No. 18 West Alabama, who beat then-No. 25 Pittsburg State, 24-23, and moved to 3-0 on the season. Next is Carson-Newman, who breaks into the top 25 this season at No. 22. Under first-year head coach Tyler Almond, the Eagles are 3-0 after handing Wingate a 24-23 loss. No. 24 Davenport enters the AFCA Top 25 for the first time since 2023 after upsetting then-No. 17 UIndy, 19-12. The final newcomer is Northwood at a tie for No. 25. The Timberwolves beat Saginaw Valley State, 35-28, and are 2-0 on the season. The last time Northwood was in the AFCA poll was on September 18, 2007.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week 2 | Next Game | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ferris St. (31) | 3-0 | 775 | 1 | D. No. 9 Central Washington, 28-14 | Sept. 26 vs. Kentucky Christian | |
| 2 | Harding | 2-0 | 744 | 2 | D. Southwestern Oklahoma, 37-14 | Sept. 19 vs. Southern Arkansas | |
| 3 | Kutztown | 2-0 | 705 | 3 | D. Clarion, 45-14 | Sept. 19 at Lock Haven | |
| 4 | Minnesota St. | 3-0 | 668 | 4 | D. Bemidji St., 30-13 | Sept. 19 vs. Northern St. | |
| 5 | CSU Pueblo | 3-0 | 653 | 5 | D. Colorado Mines, 45-17 | Sept. 19 at Chadron St. | |
| 6 | Grand Valley St. | 3-0 | 629 | 6 | D. No. 19 Ashland, 20-10 | Sept. 19 vs. Judson | |
| 7 | Northwest Missouri St. | 2-0 | 589 | 7 | D. Washburn, 31-24 | Sept. 19 vs. Missouri Southern | |
| 8 | Western Colorado | 3-0 | 546 | 8 | D. Chadron St., 30-9 | Sept. 19 at Colorado Mesa | |
| 9 | Findlay | 2-0 | 505 | 10 | D. Fairmont St., 37-17 | Sept. 19 at Kentucky Wesleyan | |
| 10 | Western Oregon | 2-0 | 463 | 12 | Idle | Sept. 19 at No. 16 Central Washington | |
| 11 | Slippery Rock | 2-0 | 438 | 13 | D. East Stroudsburg, 59-35 | Sept. 19 at Millersville | |
| 12 | Indiana (Pa.) | 2-0 | 402 | 14 | D. West Chester, 27-21 2OT | Sept. 19 at Shippensburg | |
| 13 | Valdosta St. | 3-0 | 374 | 16 | D. Fayetteville St., 38-9 | Sept. 19 at UNC Pembroke | |
| 14 | Minnesota-Duluth | 2-1 | 342 | 15 | D. Wayne St. (Neb.), 20-13 | Sept. 19 vs. Winona St. | |
| 15 | Northeastern St. | 3-0 | 295 | 18 | D. Truman St., 31-24 | Sept. 19 at Northern Colorado | |
| 16 | Central Washington | 0-2 | 281 | 9 | Lost to No. 1 Ferris St., 28-14 | Sept. 19 vs. No. 10 Western Oregon | |
| 17 | Emporia St. | 3-0 | 258 | 24 | D. No. 20 Michigan Tech, 34-20 | Sept. 19 vs. Nebraska-Kearney | |
| 18 | West Alabama | 3-0 | 210 | NR | D. No. 25 Pittsburg St., 24-23 | Sept. 19 vs. North Greenville | |
| 19 | Benedict | 2-0 | 206 | 21 | Idle | Sept. 19 at Fort Valley St. | |
| 20 | Augustana (S.D.) | 2-1 | 162 | 22 | D. Minot St., 38-33 | Sept. 19 vs. MSU Moorhead | |
| 21 | Newberry | 1-1 | 125 | 11 | Lost to Lenoir-Rhyne, 21-14 | Sept. 19 at Wingate | |
| 22 | Carson-Newman | 3-0 | 122 | NR | D. Wingate, 24-23 | Sept. 19 at Virginia-Wise | |
| 23 | Frostburg St. | 1-1 | 109 | 23 | D. Assumption, 24-19 | Sept. 19 at West Liberty | |
| 24 | Davenport | 3-0 | 107 | NR | D. No. 17 UIndy, 19-12 | Sept. 19 at Northern Michigan | |
| 25t. | Michigan Tech | 2-1 | 45 | 20 | Lost to No. 24 Emporia St., 34-20 | Sept. 19 vs. Upper Iowa | |
| 25t. | Northwood | 2-0 | 45 | NR | D. Saginaw Valley St., 35-28 | Sept. 19 vs. Hillsdale |
Dropped Out: UIndy (17), Ashland (19), Pittsburg St. (25)
Others Receiving Votes: Lenoir-Rhyne, 43; UT Permian Basin, 37; Northern St., 35; California (Pa.), 29; Henderson St., 24; Ashland, 18; Fort Hays St., 18; UIndy, 18; North Greenville, 14; Virginia Union, 11; Shepherd, 10; Black Hills St., 6; Central Oklahoma, 5; Wayne St. (Neb.), 3; Central Missouri, 2; Walsh, 2; Colorado Mesa, 1; Concord, 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.
