Augustana Takes Down Minnesota State
October 23, 2023
Augustana (S.D.) used a tough defensive effort to snap then-No. 3 Minnesota State’s 11 game Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) win streak with a 28-10 victory. The Vikings are 8-0 and now sit atop the NSIC standings. They also move up five places to No. 12 in this week’s AFCA Division II Coaches’ Top 25 Poll. The loss dropped the Mavericks 10 spots to No. 13.
That loss, along with West Florida’s win over then-No. 5 Delta State (Miss.), caused a big shakeup in the Top 25. Colorado School of Mines and Pittsburg State (Kan.) remain 1 and 2, but Grand Valley State (Mich.), Harding (Ark.) and Benedict (S.C.) now round out the Top 5. Delta State fell 11 places to a tie with Bemidji State (Minn.) at No. 16 while West Florida remained ranked No. 18 despite the victory.
Angelo State (Tex.), Virginia State, Assumption (Mass.), and Emporia State (Kan.) all lost and fell out of the rankings, making room for Texas-Permian Basin, Virginia Union, Valdosta State (Ga.) and Minnesota-Duluth. The latter three return to the poll after being ranked previously this season, but Texas-Permian Basin is making their first appearance in the AFCA Top 25. The No. 22 Falcons, who started their football program in 2016, beat their second ranked opponent of the season when they took down then-No. 19 Angelo State, 28-23.
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Week 8 Next Game
1 Colorado School of Mines (28) 8-0 724 1 D. Black Hills St. (S.D.), 42-17 Oct. 28 vs. No. 9 Western Colorado
2 Pittsburg St. (Kan.) 8-0 693 2 D. Northwest Missouri St., 28-7 Oct. 28 vs. Sioux Falls (S.D.)
3 Grand Valley St. (Mich.) 6-1 652 4 D. Northern Michigan, 73-14 Oct. 28 vs. Michigan Tech
4 Harding (Ark.) 8-0 635 6 D. Southern Arkansas, 54-20 Oct. 28 at Southeastern Oklahoma St.
5 Benedict (S.C.) 8-0 567 8 D. Kentucky St., 63-14 Oct. 28 at Savannah St.
6 Slippery Rock (Pa.) (1) 8-0 552 7 D. California (Pa.), 42-21 Oct. 28 vs. Clarion (Pa.)
7 Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) 8-0 520 10 D. Newberry (S.C.), 24-10 Oct. 28 vs. Wingate (N.C.)
8 Ferris St. (Mich.) 5-2 505 9 D. Michigan Tech, 35-21 Oct. 28 vs. American International (Mass.)
9 Western Colorado 8-0 475 12 D. New Mexico Highlands, 62-0 Oct. 28 at No. 1 Colorado School of Mines
10 Indianapolis (Ind.) 7-0 459 11 D. Quincy (Ill.), 24-14 Oct. 28 vs. Upper Iowa
11 Davenport (Mich.) 7-0 408 13 D. Mary (N.D.), 44-34 Oct. 28 vs. Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.)
12 Augustana (S.D.) 8-0 397 17 D. No. 3 Minnesota St., 28-10 Oct. 28 at Wayne St. (Neb.)
13 Minnesota St. 7-1 333 3 Lost to No. 17 Augustana (S.D.), 28-10 Oct. 28 vs. Southwest Minnesota St.
14 Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) 7-1 329 14 D. Arkansas Tech, 31-24 Oct. 26 at Southern Nazarene (Okla.)
15 Central Missouri 7-1 321 16 D. No. 24 Emporia St. (Kan.), 77-27 Oct. 28 at Missouri Southern St.
16t. Bemidji St. (Minn.) 6-1 295 15 D. Concordia (Minn.), 38-3 Oct. 28 at No. 25 Minnesota-Duluth
16t. Delta St. (Miss.) 7-1 295 5 Lost to No. 18 West Florida, 24-21 Nov. 4 at West Georgia
18 West Florida 6-2 292 18 D. No. 5 Delta St. (Miss.), 24-21 Oct. 28 vs. No. 24 Valdosta St. (Ga.)
19 Tiffin (Ohio) 8-0 196 23 D. Kentucky Wesleyan, 37-12 Oct. 28 vs. Walsh (Ohio)
20 Shepherd (W.Va.) 7-1 192 22 D. West Chester (Pa.), 59-21 Oct. 28 at Bloomsburg (Pa.)
21 Truman St. (Mo.) 7-1 133 25 D. William Jewell (Mo.), 31-10 Oct. 28 at Southwest Baptist (Mo.)
22 Texas-Permian Basin 7-1 115 NR D. No. 19 Angelo St. (Tex.), 28-23 Oct. 28 vs. Western Oregon
23 Virginia Union 7-1 113 NR D. Lincoln (Pa.), 57-0 Oct. 28 at Bluefield St. (W.Va.)
24 Valdosta St. (Ga.) 7-1 81 NR D. Shorter (Ga.), 42-14 Oct. 28 at No. 18 West Florida
25 Minnesota-Duluth 7-1 56 NR D. Minot St. (N.D.), 42-7 Oct. 28 vs. No. 16t Bemidji St. (Minn.)
Dropped Out: Angelo St. (Tex.) (19), Virginia St. (20), Assumption (Mass.) (21), Emporia St. (Kan.) (24)
Others Receiving Votes: Virginia St., 28; Missouri Western St., 20; Central Washington, 11; Fort Hays St. (Kan.), 10; Assumption (Mass.), 9; Henderson St. (Ark.), 4; Mars Hill (N.C.), 2; Angelo St. (Tex.), 1; Colorado St.-Pueblo, 1; Southern Arkansas, 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.
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Augustana (S.D.) used a tough defensive effort to snap then-No. 3 Minnesota State’s 11 game Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) win streak with a 28-10 victory. The Vikings are 8-0 and now sit atop the NSIC standings. They also move up five places to No. 12 in this week’s AFCA Division II Coaches’ Top 25 Poll. The loss dropped the Mavericks 10 spots to No. 13.
That loss, along with West Florida’s win over then-No. 5 Delta State (Miss.), caused a big shakeup in the Top 25. Colorado School of Mines and Pittsburg State (Kan.) remain 1 and 2, but Grand Valley State (Mich.), Harding (Ark.) and Benedict (S.C.) now round out the Top 5. Delta State fell 11 places to a tie with Bemidji State (Minn.) at No. 16 while West Florida remained ranked No. 18 despite the victory.
Angelo State (Tex.), Virginia State, Assumption (Mass.), and Emporia State (Kan.) all lost and fell out of the rankings, making room for Texas-Permian Basin, Virginia Union, Valdosta State (Ga.) and Minnesota-Duluth. The latter three return to the poll after being ranked previously this season, but Texas-Permian Basin is making their first appearance in the AFCA Top 25. The No. 22 Falcons, who started their football program in 2016, beat their second ranked opponent of the season when they took down then-No. 19 Angelo State, 28-23.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week 8 | Next Game | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colorado School of Mines (28) | 8-0 | 724 | 1 | D. Black Hills St. (S.D.), 42-17 | Oct. 28 vs. No. 9 Western Colorado | |
| 2 | Pittsburg St. (Kan.) | 8-0 | 693 | 2 | D. Northwest Missouri St., 28-7 | Oct. 28 vs. Sioux Falls (S.D.) | |
| 3 | Grand Valley St. (Mich.) | 6-1 | 652 | 4 | D. Northern Michigan, 73-14 | Oct. 28 vs. Michigan Tech | |
| 4 | Harding (Ark.) | 8-0 | 635 | 6 | D. Southern Arkansas, 54-20 | Oct. 28 at Southeastern Oklahoma St. | |
| 5 | Benedict (S.C.) | 8-0 | 567 | 8 | D. Kentucky St., 63-14 | Oct. 28 at Savannah St. | |
| 6 | Slippery Rock (Pa.) (1) | 8-0 | 552 | 7 | D. California (Pa.), 42-21 | Oct. 28 vs. Clarion (Pa.) | |
| 7 | Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) | 8-0 | 520 | 10 | D. Newberry (S.C.), 24-10 | Oct. 28 vs. Wingate (N.C.) | |
| 8 | Ferris St. (Mich.) | 5-2 | 505 | 9 | D. Michigan Tech, 35-21 | Oct. 28 vs. American International (Mass.) | |
| 9 | Western Colorado | 8-0 | 475 | 12 | D. New Mexico Highlands, 62-0 | Oct. 28 at No. 1 Colorado School of Mines | |
| 10 | Indianapolis (Ind.) | 7-0 | 459 | 11 | D. Quincy (Ill.), 24-14 | Oct. 28 vs. Upper Iowa | |
| 11 | Davenport (Mich.) | 7-0 | 408 | 13 | D. Mary (N.D.), 44-34 | Oct. 28 vs. Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.) | |
| 12 | Augustana (S.D.) | 8-0 | 397 | 17 | D. No. 3 Minnesota St., 28-10 | Oct. 28 at Wayne St. (Neb.) | |
| 13 | Minnesota St. | 7-1 | 333 | 3 | Lost to No. 17 Augustana (S.D.), 28-10 | Oct. 28 vs. Southwest Minnesota St. | |
| 14 | Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) | 7-1 | 329 | 14 | D. Arkansas Tech, 31-24 | Oct. 26 at Southern Nazarene (Okla.) | |
| 15 | Central Missouri | 7-1 | 321 | 16 | D. No. 24 Emporia St. (Kan.), 77-27 | Oct. 28 at Missouri Southern St. | |
| 16t. | Bemidji St. (Minn.) | 6-1 | 295 | 15 | D. Concordia (Minn.), 38-3 | Oct. 28 at No. 25 Minnesota-Duluth | |
| 16t. | Delta St. (Miss.) | 7-1 | 295 | 5 | Lost to No. 18 West Florida, 24-21 | Nov. 4 at West Georgia | |
| 18 | West Florida | 6-2 | 292 | 18 | D. No. 5 Delta St. (Miss.), 24-21 | Oct. 28 vs. No. 24 Valdosta St. (Ga.) | |
| 19 | Tiffin (Ohio) | 8-0 | 196 | 23 | D. Kentucky Wesleyan, 37-12 | Oct. 28 vs. Walsh (Ohio) | |
| 20 | Shepherd (W.Va.) | 7-1 | 192 | 22 | D. West Chester (Pa.), 59-21 | Oct. 28 at Bloomsburg (Pa.) | |
| 21 | Truman St. (Mo.) | 7-1 | 133 | 25 | D. William Jewell (Mo.), 31-10 | Oct. 28 at Southwest Baptist (Mo.) | |
| 22 | Texas-Permian Basin | 7-1 | 115 | NR | D. No. 19 Angelo St. (Tex.), 28-23 | Oct. 28 vs. Western Oregon | |
| 23 | Virginia Union | 7-1 | 113 | NR | D. Lincoln (Pa.), 57-0 | Oct. 28 at Bluefield St. (W.Va.) | |
| 24 | Valdosta St. (Ga.) | 7-1 | 81 | NR | D. Shorter (Ga.), 42-14 | Oct. 28 at No. 18 West Florida | |
| 25 | Minnesota-Duluth | 7-1 | 56 | NR | D. Minot St. (N.D.), 42-7 | Oct. 28 vs. No. 16t Bemidji St. (Minn.) |
Dropped Out: Angelo St. (Tex.) (19), Virginia St. (20), Assumption (Mass.) (21), Emporia St. (Kan.) (24)
Others Receiving Votes: Virginia St., 28; Missouri Western St., 20; Central Washington, 11; Fort Hays St. (Kan.), 10; Assumption (Mass.), 9; Henderson St. (Ark.), 4; Mars Hill (N.C.), 2; Angelo St. (Tex.), 1; Colorado St.-Pueblo, 1; Southern Arkansas, 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.
