Benedict Marches Into The Top 10
October 31, 2022
Led by redshirt freshman running back Deondra Duehart, Benedict (S.C.) overwhelmed Clark Atlanta (Ga.), 49-20, to clinch the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference East Division. With the victory, Benedict moves to No. 9 in this week’s AFCA Division II Coaches’ Top 25 Poll. Duehart carried Benedict on his back, rushing for a career high 252 yards on just 13 carries. He scored four touchdowns, three of which were on runs of 50 yards or more.
The top five remained the same this week, but from No. 6 on down, it is very different. Nine Top 25 teams lost on Saturday causing a big shakeup. Then-No. 6 Ashland (Ohio) lost to Hillsdale (Mich.), 36-20, and dropped to No. 14. Then-No. 10 Virginia Union had its undefeated season smashed, losing to Chowan (N.C.), 26-21, and dropping to No. 16. Same goes for Indiana (Pa.), who lost to Gannon (Pa.), 43-36, and fell from 11 to a tie for 17.
Wingate (N.C.) beat then-No. 22 Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.), 24-21, and jumped into the poll for the first time this season at No. 20. Joining Wingate as newbies this week are No. 21 Truman State (Mo.) and No. 23 Emporia State (Kan.).
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Week 9 Next Game
1 Grand Valley St. (Mich.) (28) 9-0 748 1 D. Michigan Tech, 42-7 Nov. 5 vs. Wayne St. (Mich.)
2 Angelo St. (Tex.) (2) 9-0 720 2 D. Simon Fraser (B.C.), 24-0 Nov. 5 vs. Central Washington
3 Shepherd (W.Va.) 9-0 677 3 D. Bloomsburg (Pa.), 55-10 Nov. 5 at East Stroudsburg (Pa.)
4 Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) 9-0 652 4 D. East Central (Okla.), 28-18 Nov. 5 at Southeastern Oklahoma St.
5 Pittsburg St. (Kan.) 9-0 632 5 D. Central Oklahoma, 38-7 Nov. 5 at Washburn (Kan.)
6 Delta St. (Miss.) 9-0 583 8 D. Mississippi College, 52-38 Nov. 5 vs. No. 19 West Georgia
7 Ferris St. (Mich.) 7-1 573 7 D. Northern Michigan, 56-20 Nov. 5 vs. No. 13 Davenport (Mich.)
8 West Florida 7-1 512 9 D. West Alabama, 36-24 Nov. 5 at Valdosta St. (Ga.)
9 Benedict (S.C.) 9-0 456 15 D. Clark Atlanta (Ga.), 49-20 Nov. 5 at Allen (S.C.)
10 Slippery Rock (Pa.) 8-1 453 13t D. Clarion (Pa.), 31-0 Nov. 5 vs. Edinboro (Pa.)
11 Northwest Missouri St. 7-2 446 13t D. Nebraska-Kearney, 28-24 Nov. 5 vs. Missouri Southern St.
12 Colorado School of Mines 7-2 379 16 D. Western Colorado, 30-20 Nov. 5 at New Mexico Highlands
13 Davenport (Mich.) 8-0 376 18 D. No. 23 Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.), 29-28 Nov. 5 at No. 7 Ferris St. (Mich.)
14 Ashland (Ohio) 7-1 348 6 Lost to Hillsdale (Mich.), 36-20 Nov. 5 at Lake Erie (Ohio)
15 Indianapolis (Ind.) 7-1 334 17 D. Missouri S&T, 42-16 Nov. 5 at William Jewell (Mo.)
16 Virginia Union 8-1 276 10 Lost to Chowan (N.C.), 26-21 Nov. 5 at Virginia St.
17t. Harding (Ark.) 7-2 248 21 D. Northwestern Oklahoma St., 28-7 Nov. 5 at Southwestern Oklahoma St.
17t. Indiana (Pa.) 7-1 248 11 Lost to Gannon (Pa.), 43-36 Nov. 5 vs. Clarion (Pa.)
19 West Georgia 6-2 223 24 D. Shorter (Ga.), 49-14 Nov. 5 at No. 6 Delta St. (Miss.)
20 Wingate (N.C.) 8-1 190 NR D. No. 22 Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.), 24-21 Nov. 5 vs. No. 22 Newberry
21 Truman St. (Mo.) 7-1 143 NR D. Quincy (Ill.), 59-32 Nov. 5 vs. McKendree (Ill.)
22 Newberry (S.C.) 7-2 138 12 Lost to Limestone (S.C.), 42-37 Nov. 5 at No. 20 Wingate (N.C.)
23 Emporia St. (Kan.) 7-2 80 NR D. Fort Hays St. (Kan.), 42-14 Nov. 5 at Lincoln (Mo.)
24 Minnesota St. 7-2 68 NR D. No. 19 Sioux Falls (S.D.), 38-24 Nov. 5 vs. Southwest Minnesota St.
25 Sioux Falls (S.D.) 7-2 46 19 Lost to Minnesota St., 38-24 Nov. 5 vs. Wayne St. (Neb.)
Dropped Out: Texas A&M-Kingsville (20), Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) (22), Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.) (23), New Haven (Conn.) (25)
Others Receiving Votes: Texas A&M-Kingsville, 42; Albany St. (Ga.), 31; Henderson St. (Ark.), 26; Winona St. (Minn.), 26; Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.), 13; Assumption (Mass.), 12; Kutztown (Pa.), 12; Notre Dame (Ohio), 9; Wayne St. (Neb.), 9; Bemidji St. (Minn.), 8; Tusculum (Tenn.), 4; Colorado St.-Pueblo, 3; Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.), 3; New Haven (Conn.), 3.
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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Led by redshirt freshman running back Deondra Duehart, Benedict (S.C.) overwhelmed Clark Atlanta (Ga.), 49-20, to clinch the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference East Division. With the victory, Benedict moves to No. 9 in this week’s AFCA Division II Coaches’ Top 25 Poll. Duehart carried Benedict on his back, rushing for a career high 252 yards on just 13 carries. He scored four touchdowns, three of which were on runs of 50 yards or more.
The top five remained the same this week, but from No. 6 on down, it is very different. Nine Top 25 teams lost on Saturday causing a big shakeup. Then-No. 6 Ashland (Ohio) lost to Hillsdale (Mich.), 36-20, and dropped to No. 14. Then-No. 10 Virginia Union had its undefeated season smashed, losing to Chowan (N.C.), 26-21, and dropping to No. 16. Same goes for Indiana (Pa.), who lost to Gannon (Pa.), 43-36, and fell from 11 to a tie for 17.
Wingate (N.C.) beat then-No. 22 Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.), 24-21, and jumped into the poll for the first time this season at No. 20. Joining Wingate as newbies this week are No. 21 Truman State (Mo.) and No. 23 Emporia State (Kan.).
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week 9 | Next Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grand Valley St. (Mich.) (28) | 9-0 | 748 | 1 | D. Michigan Tech, 42-7 | Nov. 5 vs. Wayne St. (Mich.) |
| 2 | Angelo St. (Tex.) (2) | 9-0 | 720 | 2 | D. Simon Fraser (B.C.), 24-0 | Nov. 5 vs. Central Washington |
| 3 | Shepherd (W.Va.) | 9-0 | 677 | 3 | D. Bloomsburg (Pa.), 55-10 | Nov. 5 at East Stroudsburg (Pa.) |
| 4 | Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) | 9-0 | 652 | 4 | D. East Central (Okla.), 28-18 | Nov. 5 at Southeastern Oklahoma St. |
| 5 | Pittsburg St. (Kan.) | 9-0 | 632 | 5 | D. Central Oklahoma, 38-7 | Nov. 5 at Washburn (Kan.) |
| 6 | Delta St. (Miss.) | 9-0 | 583 | 8 | D. Mississippi College, 52-38 | Nov. 5 vs. No. 19 West Georgia |
| 7 | Ferris St. (Mich.) | 7-1 | 573 | 7 | D. Northern Michigan, 56-20 | Nov. 5 vs. No. 13 Davenport (Mich.) |
| 8 | West Florida | 7-1 | 512 | 9 | D. West Alabama, 36-24 | Nov. 5 at Valdosta St. (Ga.) |
| 9 | Benedict (S.C.) | 9-0 | 456 | 15 | D. Clark Atlanta (Ga.), 49-20 | Nov. 5 at Allen (S.C.) |
| 10 | Slippery Rock (Pa.) | 8-1 | 453 | 13t | D. Clarion (Pa.), 31-0 | Nov. 5 vs. Edinboro (Pa.) |
| 11 | Northwest Missouri St. | 7-2 | 446 | 13t | D. Nebraska-Kearney, 28-24 | Nov. 5 vs. Missouri Southern St. |
| 12 | Colorado School of Mines | 7-2 | 379 | 16 | D. Western Colorado, 30-20 | Nov. 5 at New Mexico Highlands |
| 13 | Davenport (Mich.) | 8-0 | 376 | 18 | D. No. 23 Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.), 29-28 | Nov. 5 at No. 7 Ferris St. (Mich.) |
| 14 | Ashland (Ohio) | 7-1 | 348 | 6 | Lost to Hillsdale (Mich.), 36-20 | Nov. 5 at Lake Erie (Ohio) |
| 15 | Indianapolis (Ind.) | 7-1 | 334 | 17 | D. Missouri S&T, 42-16 | Nov. 5 at William Jewell (Mo.) |
| 16 | Virginia Union | 8-1 | 276 | 10 | Lost to Chowan (N.C.), 26-21 | Nov. 5 at Virginia St. |
| 17t. | Harding (Ark.) | 7-2 | 248 | 21 | D. Northwestern Oklahoma St., 28-7 | Nov. 5 at Southwestern Oklahoma St. |
| 17t. | Indiana (Pa.) | 7-1 | 248 | 11 | Lost to Gannon (Pa.), 43-36 | Nov. 5 vs. Clarion (Pa.) |
| 19 | West Georgia | 6-2 | 223 | 24 | D. Shorter (Ga.), 49-14 | Nov. 5 at No. 6 Delta St. (Miss.) |
| 20 | Wingate (N.C.) | 8-1 | 190 | NR | D. No. 22 Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.), 24-21 | Nov. 5 vs. No. 22 Newberry |
| 21 | Truman St. (Mo.) | 7-1 | 143 | NR | D. Quincy (Ill.), 59-32 | Nov. 5 vs. McKendree (Ill.) |
| 22 | Newberry (S.C.) | 7-2 | 138 | 12 | Lost to Limestone (S.C.), 42-37 | Nov. 5 at No. 20 Wingate (N.C.) |
| 23 | Emporia St. (Kan.) | 7-2 | 80 | NR | D. Fort Hays St. (Kan.), 42-14 | Nov. 5 at Lincoln (Mo.) |
| 24 | Minnesota St. | 7-2 | 68 | NR | D. No. 19 Sioux Falls (S.D.), 38-24 | Nov. 5 vs. Southwest Minnesota St. |
| 25 | Sioux Falls (S.D.) | 7-2 | 46 | 19 | Lost to Minnesota St., 38-24 | Nov. 5 vs. Wayne St. (Neb.) |
Dropped Out: Texas A&M-Kingsville (20), Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) (22), Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.) (23), New Haven (Conn.) (25)
Others Receiving Votes: Texas A&M-Kingsville, 42; Albany St. (Ga.), 31; Henderson St. (Ark.), 26; Winona St. (Minn.), 26; Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.), 13; Assumption (Mass.), 12; Kutztown (Pa.), 12; Notre Dame (Ohio), 9; Wayne St. (Neb.), 9; Bemidji St. (Minn.), 8; Tusculum (Tenn.), 4; Colorado St.-Pueblo, 3; Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.), 3; New Haven (Conn.), 3.
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.
