Harding Dominates Henderson State In Top 15 Matchup
October 19, 2026
Harding’s Malik Young rushed for a single-game school record of 214 yards by a quarterback and added two touchdowns to help lead the Bisons to a 46-16 win over then-No. 15 Henderson State. Harding totaled 433 yards rushing on the day and extended its conference winning streak to 22 games. The Bisons remain No. 2 in this week’s AFCA Division II Coaches Poll, presented by GoRout Gridiron, while the Reddies dropped to No. 19.
Ferris State continues their stranglehold on the No. 1 spot after beating conference rival and then-No. 13 Grand Valley State, 41-34. The Bulldogs will get another ranked opponent on Saturday as they host No. 12 Michigan Tech. The Huskies are 6-1 after handing Northern Michigan a 56-33 loss. Grand Valley State only dropped three spots to No. 16 and will travel to Saginaw Valley State for their next contest.
Indiana (Pa.) and UT Permian Basin dropped out of the poll, making room for Benedict and Virginia State. The No. 23-ranked Tigers are 6-1 after beating Edward Waters, 45-24. Virginia State makes its first appearance in the AFCA top 25 since October 30, 2023, at No. 24. The Trojans are 7-1 and sit atop the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association with a 6-0 mark.
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Week 7 Next Game
1 Ferris St. (30) 7-0 750 1 D. No. 13 Grand Valley St., 41-34 Oct. 24 vs. No. 12 Michigan Tech
2 Harding 7-0 719 2 D. No. 15 Henderson St., 46-16 Oct. 24 at Arkansas-Monticello
3 Kutztown 7-0 679 3 D. Millersville, 45-7 Oct. 24 vs. West Chester
4 CSU Pueblo 7-0 657 4 D. New Mexico Highlands, 77-17 Oct. 24 at Fort Lewis
5 Minnesota St. 7-0 630 5 Idle Oct. 24 vs. No. 22 Wayne St. (Neb.)
6 Western Colorado 7-0 582 6 D. Fort Lewis, 55-0 Oct. 24 at Black Hills St.
7 Slippery Rock 7-0 573 7 D. No. 19 Indiana (Pa.), 42-26 Oct. 24 vs. Lock Haven
8 Emporia St. 7-0 537 8 D. Central Oklahoma, 23-16 Oct. 24 vs. Central Missouri
9 Davenport 7-0 505 9 D. Roosevelt, 59-21 Oct. 24 vs. Wayne St. (Mich.)
10 Northwood 7-0 469 10 D. Lake Erie, 41-7 Oct. 24 vs. Ohio Dominican
11 Northwest Missouri St. 5-1 417 12 D. Fort Hays St., 24-23 Oct. 24 at Nebraska-Kearney
12 Michigan Tech 6-1 408 14 D. Northern Michigan, 56-33 Oct. 24 at No. 1 Ferris St.
13 Central Washington 5-2 400 11 D. Texas A&M-Kingsville, 52-49 Oct. 24 vs. UT Permian Basin
14 Findlay 6-1 350 16 D. Hillsdale, 22-19 Oct. 24 vs. Walsh
15 Carson-Newman 7-1 297 18 D. Emory & Henry, 31-10 Oct. 31 at Catawba
16 Grand Valley St. 5-2 286 13 Lost to No. 1 Ferris St., 41-34 Oct. 24 at Saginaw Valley St.
17 Valdosta St. 4-1 263 17 Idle Oct. 24 vs. Shorter
18 North Greenville 6-1 209 22 D. Shorter, 31-3 Oct. 24 at Barton
19 Henderson St. 6-1 197 15 Lost to No. 2 Harding, 46-16 Oct. 24 vs. Arkansas Tech
20 Virginia Union 6-1 164 24 D. Bowie St., 48-7 Oct. 24 vs. Shaw
21 Minnesota-Duluth 5-2 146 23 Idle Oct. 24 at UMary
22 Wayne St. (Neb.) 6-1 116 25 Idle Oct. 24 at No. 5 Minnesota St.
23 Benedict 6-1 87 NR D. Edward Waters, 45-24 Oct. 24 at Albany St.
24 Virginia St. 7-1 74 NR D. Shaw, 76-13 Oct. 31 at Johnson C. Smith
25 West Alabama 5-2 51 21 Lost to West Florida, 37-3 Oct. 24 at Delta St.
Dropped Out: Indiana (Pa.) (19), UT Permian Basin (20)
Others Receiving Votes: Indiana (Pa.), 39; East Central, 31; Johnson C. Smith, 19; West Liberty, 16; East Stroudsburg, 14; Augustana (S.D.), 13; Central Missouri, 13; UT Permian Basin, 12; Colorado Mines, 8; Midwestern St., 7; Northeastern St., 6; Ouachita Baptist, 4; Shepherd, 2.
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.
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Harding’s Malik Young rushed for a single-game school record of 214 yards by a quarterback and added two touchdowns to help lead the Bisons to a 46-16 win over then-No. 15 Henderson State. Harding totaled 433 yards rushing on the day and extended its conference winning streak to 22 games. The Bisons remain No. 2 in this week’s AFCA Division II Coaches Poll, presented by GoRout Gridiron, while the Reddies dropped to No. 19.
Ferris State continues their stranglehold on the No. 1 spot after beating conference rival and then-No. 13 Grand Valley State, 41-34. The Bulldogs will get another ranked opponent on Saturday as they host No. 12 Michigan Tech. The Huskies are 6-1 after handing Northern Michigan a 56-33 loss. Grand Valley State only dropped three spots to No. 16 and will travel to Saginaw Valley State for their next contest.
Indiana (Pa.) and UT Permian Basin dropped out of the poll, making room for Benedict and Virginia State. The No. 23-ranked Tigers are 6-1 after beating Edward Waters, 45-24. Virginia State makes its first appearance in the AFCA top 25 since October 30, 2023, at No. 24. The Trojans are 7-1 and sit atop the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association with a 6-0 mark.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week 7 | Next Game | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ferris St. (30) | 7-0 | 750 | 1 | D. No. 13 Grand Valley St., 41-34 | Oct. 24 vs. No. 12 Michigan Tech | |
| 2 | Harding | 7-0 | 719 | 2 | D. No. 15 Henderson St., 46-16 | Oct. 24 at Arkansas-Monticello | |
| 3 | Kutztown | 7-0 | 679 | 3 | D. Millersville, 45-7 | Oct. 24 vs. West Chester | |
| 4 | CSU Pueblo | 7-0 | 657 | 4 | D. New Mexico Highlands, 77-17 | Oct. 24 at Fort Lewis | |
| 5 | Minnesota St. | 7-0 | 630 | 5 | Idle | Oct. 24 vs. No. 22 Wayne St. (Neb.) | |
| 6 | Western Colorado | 7-0 | 582 | 6 | D. Fort Lewis, 55-0 | Oct. 24 at Black Hills St. | |
| 7 | Slippery Rock | 7-0 | 573 | 7 | D. No. 19 Indiana (Pa.), 42-26 | Oct. 24 vs. Lock Haven | |
| 8 | Emporia St. | 7-0 | 537 | 8 | D. Central Oklahoma, 23-16 | Oct. 24 vs. Central Missouri | |
| 9 | Davenport | 7-0 | 505 | 9 | D. Roosevelt, 59-21 | Oct. 24 vs. Wayne St. (Mich.) | |
| 10 | Northwood | 7-0 | 469 | 10 | D. Lake Erie, 41-7 | Oct. 24 vs. Ohio Dominican | |
| 11 | Northwest Missouri St. | 5-1 | 417 | 12 | D. Fort Hays St., 24-23 | Oct. 24 at Nebraska-Kearney | |
| 12 | Michigan Tech | 6-1 | 408 | 14 | D. Northern Michigan, 56-33 | Oct. 24 at No. 1 Ferris St. | |
| 13 | Central Washington | 5-2 | 400 | 11 | D. Texas A&M-Kingsville, 52-49 | Oct. 24 vs. UT Permian Basin | |
| 14 | Findlay | 6-1 | 350 | 16 | D. Hillsdale, 22-19 | Oct. 24 vs. Walsh | |
| 15 | Carson-Newman | 7-1 | 297 | 18 | D. Emory & Henry, 31-10 | Oct. 31 at Catawba | |
| 16 | Grand Valley St. | 5-2 | 286 | 13 | Lost to No. 1 Ferris St., 41-34 | Oct. 24 at Saginaw Valley St. | |
| 17 | Valdosta St. | 4-1 | 263 | 17 | Idle | Oct. 24 vs. Shorter | |
| 18 | North Greenville | 6-1 | 209 | 22 | D. Shorter, 31-3 | Oct. 24 at Barton | |
| 19 | Henderson St. | 6-1 | 197 | 15 | Lost to No. 2 Harding, 46-16 | Oct. 24 vs. Arkansas Tech | |
| 20 | Virginia Union | 6-1 | 164 | 24 | D. Bowie St., 48-7 | Oct. 24 vs. Shaw | |
| 21 | Minnesota-Duluth | 5-2 | 146 | 23 | Idle | Oct. 24 at UMary | |
| 22 | Wayne St. (Neb.) | 6-1 | 116 | 25 | Idle | Oct. 24 at No. 5 Minnesota St. | |
| 23 | Benedict | 6-1 | 87 | NR | D. Edward Waters, 45-24 | Oct. 24 at Albany St. | |
| 24 | Virginia St. | 7-1 | 74 | NR | D. Shaw, 76-13 | Oct. 31 at Johnson C. Smith | |
| 25 | West Alabama | 5-2 | 51 | 21 | Lost to West Florida, 37-3 | Oct. 24 at Delta St. |
Dropped Out: Indiana (Pa.) (19), UT Permian Basin (20)
Others Receiving Votes: Indiana (Pa.), 39; East Central, 31; Johnson C. Smith, 19; West Liberty, 16; East Stroudsburg, 14; Augustana (S.D.), 13; Central Missouri, 13; UT Permian Basin, 12; Colorado Mines, 8; Midwestern St., 7; Northeastern St., 6; Ouachita Baptist, 4; Shepherd, 2.
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.
