Minnesota State Shuts Out Wayne State (Neb.)
October 26, 2026
The Minnesota State defense limited Wayne State (Neb.) to just 177 total yards of offense and only 61 yards rushing to shut out the Wildcats, 35-0. It was the Mavericks first shutout since 2021, and first home shutout since 2017. The win moved Minnesota State to 8-0 on the season as the Mavericks remain No. 5 in the AFCA Division II Coaches Poll, presented by GoRout Gridiron. Wayne State (Neb.), who was ranked No. 22 in last week’s poll, dropped out.
There wasn’t any change in the top 11 as every team held serve. Ferris State remains No. 1 after beating then-No. 12 Michigan Tech, 27-20, dropping the Huskies to No. 15. The Bulldogs don’t need to get complacent as they will face their fifth ranked opponent in 2026 when No. 9 Davenport comes to town on Halloween.
West Alabama dropped out, along with Wayne State (Neb.), which made room for No. 23 West Liberty and No. 24 East Stroudsburg. Both of those teams are making an appearance in the AFCA top 25 for the first time since 2010. The East Stroudsburg was last ranked on September 6, 2010, while West Liberty made it a bit farther that season, last appearing on September 20th.
East Stroudsburg will get to test their new ranking out quickly as they host No. 3 Kutztown. Both teams are tied atop the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference East Division standings with 4-0 records, with the winner almost guaranteeing their spot in the PSAC championship game.
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Week 8 Next Game
1 Ferris St. (29) 8-0 749 1 D. No. 12 Michigan Tech, 27-20 Oct. 31 vs. No. 9 Davenport
2 Harding 8-0 719 2 D. Arkansas-Monticello, 56-17 Oct. 31 at Oklahoma Baptist
3 Kutztown 8-0 681 3 D. West Chester, 41-14 Oct. 31 at No. 24 East Stroudsburg
4 CSU Pueblo 8-0 649 4 D. Fort Lewis, 27-21 Oct. 31 vs. Black Hills St.
5 Minnesota St. 8-0 639 5 D. No. 22 Wayne St. (Neb.), 35-0 Oct. 31 at Southwest Minnesota St.
6 Western Colorado 8-0 584 6 D. Black Hills St., 42-10 Oct. 31 vs. South Dakota Mines
7 Slippery Rock 8-0 569 7 D. Lock Haven, 66-7 Oct. 31 at Clarion
8 Emporia St. 8-0 540 8 D. Central Missouri, 58-38 Oct. 31 at No. 11 Northwest Missouri St.
9 Davenport 8-0 505 9 D. Wayne St. (Mich.), 49-0 Oct. 31 at No. 1 Ferris St.
10 Northwood 8-0 470 10 D. Ohio Dominican, 37-35 Oct. 31 at Ashland
11 Northwest Missouri St. 6-1 437 11 D. Nebraska-Kearney, 27-10 Oct. 31 vs. No. 8 Emporia St.
12 Central Washington 6-2 420 13 D. UT Permian Basin, 42-13 Oct. 31 at Eastern New Mexico
13 Findlay 7-1 388 14 D. Walsh, 49-3 Oct. 31 at Thomas More
14 Carson-Newman 7-1 346 15 Idle Oct. 31 at Catawba
15 Michigan Tech 6-2 322 12 Lost to No. 1 Ferris St., 27-20 Oct. 31 at Saginaw Valley St.
16 North Greenville 7-1 280 18 D. Barton, 33-7 Oct. 31 vs. Erskine
17 Valdosta St. 5-1 271 17 D. Shorter, 41-31 Oct. 31 at West Alabama
18 Henderson St. 7-1 246 19 D. Arkansas Tech, 28-27 Oct. 31 vs. Southeastern Oklahoma
19 Virginia Union 7-1 212 20 D. Shaw, 49-6 Oct. 30 vs. Lincoln (Pa.)
20 Minnesota-Duluth 6-2 182 21 D. UMary, 27-12 Oct. 31 vs. Jamestown
21 Benedict 7-1 161 23 D. Albany St., 29-8 Oct. 31 vs. Savannah St.
22 Virginia St. 7-1 114 24 Idle Oct. 31 at Johnson C. Smith
23 West Liberty 7-1 67 NR D. Glenville St., 44-22 Oct. 31 at Fairmont St.
24 East Stroudsburg 7-1 60 NR D. Shepherd, 31-7 Oct. 31 vs. No. 3 Kutztown
25 Grand Valley St. 5-3 39 16 Lost to Saginaw Valley St., 27-20 Oct. 31 at Roosevelt
Dropped Out: Wayne St. (Neb.) (22), West Alabama (25)
Others Receiving Votes: Augustana (S.D.), 36; Wayne St. (Neb.), 16; Midwestern St., 11; Colorado Mines, 8; Northeastern St., 5; Ouachita Baptist, 5; Central Missouri, 4; Indiana (Pa.), 4; UNC Pembroke, 4; Northern St., 3; Washburn, 2; West Alabama, 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.
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The Minnesota State defense limited Wayne State (Neb.) to just 177 total yards of offense and only 61 yards rushing to shut out the Wildcats, 35-0. It was the Mavericks first shutout since 2021, and first home shutout since 2017. The win moved Minnesota State to 8-0 on the season as the Mavericks remain No. 5 in the AFCA Division II Coaches Poll, presented by GoRout Gridiron. Wayne State (Neb.), who was ranked No. 22 in last week’s poll, dropped out.
There wasn’t any change in the top 11 as every team held serve. Ferris State remains No. 1 after beating then-No. 12 Michigan Tech, 27-20, dropping the Huskies to No. 15. The Bulldogs don’t need to get complacent as they will face their fifth ranked opponent in 2026 when No. 9 Davenport comes to town on Halloween.
West Alabama dropped out, along with Wayne State (Neb.), which made room for No. 23 West Liberty and No. 24 East Stroudsburg. Both of those teams are making an appearance in the AFCA top 25 for the first time since 2010. The East Stroudsburg was last ranked on September 6, 2010, while West Liberty made it a bit farther that season, last appearing on September 20th.
East Stroudsburg will get to test their new ranking out quickly as they host No. 3 Kutztown. Both teams are tied atop the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference East Division standings with 4-0 records, with the winner almost guaranteeing their spot in the PSAC championship game.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week 8 | Next Game | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ferris St. (29) | 8-0 | 749 | 1 | D. No. 12 Michigan Tech, 27-20 | Oct. 31 vs. No. 9 Davenport | |
| 2 | Harding | 8-0 | 719 | 2 | D. Arkansas-Monticello, 56-17 | Oct. 31 at Oklahoma Baptist | |
| 3 | Kutztown | 8-0 | 681 | 3 | D. West Chester, 41-14 | Oct. 31 at No. 24 East Stroudsburg | |
| 4 | CSU Pueblo | 8-0 | 649 | 4 | D. Fort Lewis, 27-21 | Oct. 31 vs. Black Hills St. | |
| 5 | Minnesota St. | 8-0 | 639 | 5 | D. No. 22 Wayne St. (Neb.), 35-0 | Oct. 31 at Southwest Minnesota St. | |
| 6 | Western Colorado | 8-0 | 584 | 6 | D. Black Hills St., 42-10 | Oct. 31 vs. South Dakota Mines | |
| 7 | Slippery Rock | 8-0 | 569 | 7 | D. Lock Haven, 66-7 | Oct. 31 at Clarion | |
| 8 | Emporia St. | 8-0 | 540 | 8 | D. Central Missouri, 58-38 | Oct. 31 at No. 11 Northwest Missouri St. | |
| 9 | Davenport | 8-0 | 505 | 9 | D. Wayne St. (Mich.), 49-0 | Oct. 31 at No. 1 Ferris St. | |
| 10 | Northwood | 8-0 | 470 | 10 | D. Ohio Dominican, 37-35 | Oct. 31 at Ashland | |
| 11 | Northwest Missouri St. | 6-1 | 437 | 11 | D. Nebraska-Kearney, 27-10 | Oct. 31 vs. No. 8 Emporia St. | |
| 12 | Central Washington | 6-2 | 420 | 13 | D. UT Permian Basin, 42-13 | Oct. 31 at Eastern New Mexico | |
| 13 | Findlay | 7-1 | 388 | 14 | D. Walsh, 49-3 | Oct. 31 at Thomas More | |
| 14 | Carson-Newman | 7-1 | 346 | 15 | Idle | Oct. 31 at Catawba | |
| 15 | Michigan Tech | 6-2 | 322 | 12 | Lost to No. 1 Ferris St., 27-20 | Oct. 31 at Saginaw Valley St. | |
| 16 | North Greenville | 7-1 | 280 | 18 | D. Barton, 33-7 | Oct. 31 vs. Erskine | |
| 17 | Valdosta St. | 5-1 | 271 | 17 | D. Shorter, 41-31 | Oct. 31 at West Alabama | |
| 18 | Henderson St. | 7-1 | 246 | 19 | D. Arkansas Tech, 28-27 | Oct. 31 vs. Southeastern Oklahoma | |
| 19 | Virginia Union | 7-1 | 212 | 20 | D. Shaw, 49-6 | Oct. 30 vs. Lincoln (Pa.) | |
| 20 | Minnesota-Duluth | 6-2 | 182 | 21 | D. UMary, 27-12 | Oct. 31 vs. Jamestown | |
| 21 | Benedict | 7-1 | 161 | 23 | D. Albany St., 29-8 | Oct. 31 vs. Savannah St. | |
| 22 | Virginia St. | 7-1 | 114 | 24 | Idle | Oct. 31 at Johnson C. Smith | |
| 23 | West Liberty | 7-1 | 67 | NR | D. Glenville St., 44-22 | Oct. 31 at Fairmont St. | |
| 24 | East Stroudsburg | 7-1 | 60 | NR | D. Shepherd, 31-7 | Oct. 31 vs. No. 3 Kutztown | |
| 25 | Grand Valley St. | 5-3 | 39 | 16 | Lost to Saginaw Valley St., 27-20 | Oct. 31 at Roosevelt |
Dropped Out: Wayne St. (Neb.) (22), West Alabama (25)
Others Receiving Votes: Augustana (S.D.), 36; Wayne St. (Neb.), 16; Midwestern St., 11; Colorado Mines, 8; Northeastern St., 5; Ouachita Baptist, 5; Central Missouri, 4; Indiana (Pa.), 4; UNC Pembroke, 4; Northern St., 3; Washburn, 2; West Alabama, 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.
