Augustana uses 4th quarter comeback to upset Minnesota State
November 9, 2026
For the first half between No. 22 Augustana (S.D.) and No. 4 Minnesota State, it was a back-and-forth battle, but the undefeated Mavericks started to pull away early in the fourth quarter, 30-17, pleasing their home crowd. The Vikings had other plans, scoring 14 unanswered points, with the final game-winning drive going 16 plays for 86 yards as Augustana took the lead for good with 31 seconds left to go in the game, 31-30. The win ended Minnesota State’s undefeated season and dropped the Mavericks to No. 10 in this week’s AFCA Division II Coaches Poll, presented by GoRout Gridiron, while Augustana jumped up to No. 16. The Vikings end the regular season with a second straight ranked opponent as they host No. 24 Wayne State (Neb.).
It was another shakeup in the poll this week as six ranked teams lost this past Saturday. The top 3 remained unchanged with Ferris State still on top after they tied the Division II record for consecutive wins with 40 after handing Wayne State (Mich.) an 80-0 loss. The Bulldogs have not lost since the season opener in 2024 and tie the record set by conference rival Grand Valley State from 2005-07.
A couple of top 25 matchups on the final Saturday of the regular season will have conference title implications. First is a top four showdown as No. 3 CSU Pueblo and No. 4 Western Colorado will lock horns for the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference title, then No. 5 Slippery Rock and No. 14 East Stroudsburg will battle for the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference crown.
Minnesota-Duluth dropped a shocker to Bemidji State, 44-26, causing the Bulldogs to fall out of the top 25 and allowed Ouachita Baptist to re-enter at No. 25. The Tigers have been out of the rankings since the second week of the season, but have battled back to an 8-2 record and will walk across Highway 67 in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, for the 99th edition of the Battle of the Ravine against Henderson State.
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Week 10 Next Game
1 Ferris St. (29) 10-0 749 1 D. Wayne St. (Mich.), 80-0 Nov. 14 vs. Roosevelt
2 Harding 10-0 719 2 D. Southern Nazarene, 76-0 Nov. 14 vs. Arkansas Tech
3 CSU Pueblo 10-0 685 3 D. South Dakota Mines, 31-0 Nov. 14 vs. No. 4 Western Colorado
4 Western Colorado 10-0 637 5 D. Colorado Mines, 41-20 Nov. 14 at No. 3 CSU Pueblo
5 Slippery Rock (1) 10-0 633 6 D. Edinboro, 50-17 Nov. 14 vs. No. 14 East Stroudsburg
6 Northwood 10-0 587 7 D. Thomas More, 23-7 Nov. 14 vs. Walsh
7 Northwest Missouri St. 8-1 563 8 D. Missouri Western, 45-13 Nov. 14 vs. Pittsburg St.
8 Central Washington 8-2 520 9 D. Western New Mexico, 52-10 Nov. 14 at West Texas A&M
9 Findlay 9-1 490 10 D. Lake Erie, 54-6 Nov. 14 at Tiffin
10 Minnesota St. 9-1 460 4 Lost to No. 22 Augustana (S.D.), 31-30 Nov. 14 vs. MSU Moorhead
11 Kutztown 9-1 458 11 D. Bloomsburg, 45-16 Nov. 14 at Seton Hill
12 Michigan Tech 8-2 431 14 D. No. 12 Davenport, 37-6 Nov. 14 vs. Wayne St. (Mich.)
13 Valdosta St. 7-1 376 17 D. No. 16 North Greenville, 49-33 Nov. 14 at Delta St.
14 East Stroudsburg 9-1 367 18 D. Millersville, 54-14 Nov. 14 at No. 5 Slippery Rock
15 Virginia Union 9-1 315 19 D. Virginia St., 36-14 Nov. 14 vs. Johnson C. Smith
16 Augustana (S.D.) 8-2 294 22 D. No. 4 Minnesota St., 31-30 Nov. 14 vs. No. 24 Wayne St. (Neb.)
17 Benedict 9-1 290 20 D. Central St., 45-38 Nov. 14 vs. Kentucky St.
18 Davenport 8-2 233 12 Lost to No. 14 Michigan Tech, 37-6 Nov. 14 vs. No. 23 Grand Valley St.
19 Midwestern St. 8-2 162 24 D. UT Permian Basin, 49-34 Nov. 14 at Eastern New Mexico
20 Carson-Newman 8-2 136 13 Lost to Newberry, 23-21 Nov. 14 at Tusculum
21 Emporia St. 8-2 131 15 Lost to Washburn, 20-19 Nov. 14 at Fort Hays St.
22 North Greenville 8-2 116 16 Lost to No. 17 Valdosta St., 49-33 Nov. 14 vs. UNC Pembroke
23 Grand Valley St. 7-3 112 23 D. Northern Michigan, 61-14 Nov. 14 at No. 18 Davenport
24 Wayne St. (Neb.) 8-2 109 25 D. Sioux Falls, 62-14 Nov. 14 at No. 16 Augustana (S.D.)
25 Ouachita Baptist 8-2 42 NR D. Southwestern Oklahoma, 31-14 Nov. 14 at Henderson St.
Dropped Out: Minnesota-Duluth (21)
Others Receiving Votes: Henderson St., 40; Washburn, 38; Newberry, 17; UNC Pembroke, 13; Johnson C. Smith, 11; Kentucky St., 8; Northeastern St., 5; Assumption, 2; Colorado Mines, 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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For the first half between No. 22 Augustana (S.D.) and No. 4 Minnesota State, it was a back-and-forth battle, but the undefeated Mavericks started to pull away early in the fourth quarter, 30-17, pleasing their home crowd. The Vikings had other plans, scoring 14 unanswered points, with the final game-winning drive going 16 plays for 86 yards as Augustana took the lead for good with 31 seconds left to go in the game, 31-30. The win ended Minnesota State’s undefeated season and dropped the Mavericks to No. 10 in this week’s AFCA Division II Coaches Poll, presented by GoRout Gridiron, while Augustana jumped up to No. 16. The Vikings end the regular season with a second straight ranked opponent as they host No. 24 Wayne State (Neb.).
It was another shakeup in the poll this week as six ranked teams lost this past Saturday. The top 3 remained unchanged with Ferris State still on top after they tied the Division II record for consecutive wins with 40 after handing Wayne State (Mich.) an 80-0 loss. The Bulldogs have not lost since the season opener in 2024 and tie the record set by conference rival Grand Valley State from 2005-07.
A couple of top 25 matchups on the final Saturday of the regular season will have conference title implications. First is a top four showdown as No. 3 CSU Pueblo and No. 4 Western Colorado will lock horns for the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference title, then No. 5 Slippery Rock and No. 14 East Stroudsburg will battle for the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference crown.
Minnesota-Duluth dropped a shocker to Bemidji State, 44-26, causing the Bulldogs to fall out of the top 25 and allowed Ouachita Baptist to re-enter at No. 25. The Tigers have been out of the rankings since the second week of the season, but have battled back to an 8-2 record and will walk across Highway 67 in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, for the 99th edition of the Battle of the Ravine against Henderson State.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week 10 | Next Game | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ferris St. (29) | 10-0 | 749 | 1 | D. Wayne St. (Mich.), 80-0 | Nov. 14 vs. Roosevelt | |
| 2 | Harding | 10-0 | 719 | 2 | D. Southern Nazarene, 76-0 | Nov. 14 vs. Arkansas Tech | |
| 3 | CSU Pueblo | 10-0 | 685 | 3 | D. South Dakota Mines, 31-0 | Nov. 14 vs. No. 4 Western Colorado | |
| 4 | Western Colorado | 10-0 | 637 | 5 | D. Colorado Mines, 41-20 | Nov. 14 at No. 3 CSU Pueblo | |
| 5 | Slippery Rock (1) | 10-0 | 633 | 6 | D. Edinboro, 50-17 | Nov. 14 vs. No. 14 East Stroudsburg | |
| 6 | Northwood | 10-0 | 587 | 7 | D. Thomas More, 23-7 | Nov. 14 vs. Walsh | |
| 7 | Northwest Missouri St. | 8-1 | 563 | 8 | D. Missouri Western, 45-13 | Nov. 14 vs. Pittsburg St. | |
| 8 | Central Washington | 8-2 | 520 | 9 | D. Western New Mexico, 52-10 | Nov. 14 at West Texas A&M | |
| 9 | Findlay | 9-1 | 490 | 10 | D. Lake Erie, 54-6 | Nov. 14 at Tiffin | |
| 10 | Minnesota St. | 9-1 | 460 | 4 | Lost to No. 22 Augustana (S.D.), 31-30 | Nov. 14 vs. MSU Moorhead | |
| 11 | Kutztown | 9-1 | 458 | 11 | D. Bloomsburg, 45-16 | Nov. 14 at Seton Hill | |
| 12 | Michigan Tech | 8-2 | 431 | 14 | D. No. 12 Davenport, 37-6 | Nov. 14 vs. Wayne St. (Mich.) | |
| 13 | Valdosta St. | 7-1 | 376 | 17 | D. No. 16 North Greenville, 49-33 | Nov. 14 at Delta St. | |
| 14 | East Stroudsburg | 9-1 | 367 | 18 | D. Millersville, 54-14 | Nov. 14 at No. 5 Slippery Rock | |
| 15 | Virginia Union | 9-1 | 315 | 19 | D. Virginia St., 36-14 | Nov. 14 vs. Johnson C. Smith | |
| 16 | Augustana (S.D.) | 8-2 | 294 | 22 | D. No. 4 Minnesota St., 31-30 | Nov. 14 vs. No. 24 Wayne St. (Neb.) | |
| 17 | Benedict | 9-1 | 290 | 20 | D. Central St., 45-38 | Nov. 14 vs. Kentucky St. | |
| 18 | Davenport | 8-2 | 233 | 12 | Lost to No. 14 Michigan Tech, 37-6 | Nov. 14 vs. No. 23 Grand Valley St. | |
| 19 | Midwestern St. | 8-2 | 162 | 24 | D. UT Permian Basin, 49-34 | Nov. 14 at Eastern New Mexico | |
| 20 | Carson-Newman | 8-2 | 136 | 13 | Lost to Newberry, 23-21 | Nov. 14 at Tusculum | |
| 21 | Emporia St. | 8-2 | 131 | 15 | Lost to Washburn, 20-19 | Nov. 14 at Fort Hays St. | |
| 22 | North Greenville | 8-2 | 116 | 16 | Lost to No. 17 Valdosta St., 49-33 | Nov. 14 vs. UNC Pembroke | |
| 23 | Grand Valley St. | 7-3 | 112 | 23 | D. Northern Michigan, 61-14 | Nov. 14 at No. 18 Davenport | |
| 24 | Wayne St. (Neb.) | 8-2 | 109 | 25 | D. Sioux Falls, 62-14 | Nov. 14 at No. 16 Augustana (S.D.) | |
| 25 | Ouachita Baptist | 8-2 | 42 | NR | D. Southwestern Oklahoma, 31-14 | Nov. 14 at Henderson St. |
Dropped Out: Minnesota-Duluth (21)
Others Receiving Votes: Henderson St., 40; Washburn, 38; Newberry, 17; UNC Pembroke, 13; Johnson C. Smith, 11; Kentucky St., 8; Northeastern St., 5; Assumption, 2; Colorado Mines, 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.
