California (Pa.) holds on against Charleston
September 8, 2025
Clinging to a 23-19 lead late in the fourth quarter, California (Pa.) defensive back Alexie Sangster Jr. intercepted a pass on 4th and 23 in the game’s final seconds to seal the win for the Vulcans. The season-opening victory moves California (Pa.) up four places to No. 10 in this week’s AFCA Division II Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl. The loss dropped the Golden Eagles six spots to a tie at No. 18. Charleston can look to rebound as they travel to No. 17 West Alabama in one of three top 25 matchups this coming Saturday.
Ferris State still holds the top spot after a dominating 63-6 win over Lake Erie. The rest of the top four are still the same with Harding, Grand Valley State and Slippery Rock all registering wins. The change comes from No. 5 on down thanks to Colorado State-Pueblo’s upset loss to Fort Hays State. The Tigers blocked an extra point, then recovered the onside kick at the end of the game to preserve their 36-35 upset. The loss dropped the ThunderWolves nine places to No. 14.
Central Oklahoma rebounded from their season-opening loss to beat then-No. 13 Pittsburg State, 27-24. The Bronchos kicked a field goal early in the fourth quarter to break a 24-24 tie, then their defense held firm to preserve the victory. UCO moves up to No. 14 while the Gorillas slide to a tie at No. 24 with Minnesota-Duluth. The Bulldogs make their first appearance in the poll this young season and will host No. 7 Minnesota State on Saturday.
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Week 2 Next Game
1 Ferris St. (31) 2-0 775 1 D. Lake Erie, 63-6 Sept. 13 vs. Tiffin
2 Harding 1-0 738 2 D. Northwestern Oklahoma St., 49-7 Sept. 11 vs. Southwestern Oklahoma St.
3 Grand Valley St. 2-0 704 3 D. Black Hills St., 48-36 Sept. 13 at No. 24t Pittsburg St.
4 Slippery Rock 1-0 646 4 D. Franklin Pierce, 24-13 Sept. 13 vs. Shepherd
5 West Florida 2-0 645 6 D. Kentucky Wesleyan, 28-7 Sept. 13 vs. Shorter
6 Kutztown 1-0 609 7 D. Assumption, 51-14 Sept. 13 at Edinboro
7 Minnesota St. 2-0 597 8 D. Minot St., 34-16 Sept. 13 at No. 24t Minnesota-Duluth
8 Angelo St. 2-0 543 10 D. Emporia St., 41-20 Sept. 13 at Eastern New Mexico
9 Western Colorado 2-0 542 9 D. Midwestern St., 38-13 Sept. 20 at Adams St.
10 California (Pa.) 1-0 464 14 D. No. 12 Charleston, 23-19 Sept. 13 vs. West Chester
11 Augustana (S.D.) 2-0 381 20 D. Jamestown, 37-7 Sept. 13 at UMary
12 UT-Permian Basin 2-0 380 21 D. Adams St., 41-7 Sept. 20 at Texas A&M-Kingsville
13 Virginia Union 1-0 364 16 Idle Sept. 13 at Edward Waters
14 Colorado St.-Pueblo 1-1 337 5 Lost to Fort Hays St., 36-35 Sept. 11 at Central Missouri
15 Central Oklahoma 1-1 336 19 D. No. 13 Pittsburg St., 27-24 Sept. 20 vs. Washburn
16 Delta St. 2-0 301 22 D. North Greenville, 41-9 Sept. 13 at UNC Pembroke
17 West Alabama 2-0 200 25 D. Chowan, 38-28 Sept. 13 vs. No. 18t Charleston
18t. Central Washington 1-1 199 18 Lost to Montana, 42-17 Sept. 20 vs. West Texas A&M
18t. Charleston 1-1 199 12 Lost to No. 14 California (Pa.), 23-19 Sept. 13 at No. 17 West Alabama
20 Ashland 1-0 185 23 D. Indiana (Pa.), 13-9 Sept. 13 at UIndy
21 Lenoir-Rhyne 1-1 120 24 D. Tusculum, 28-7 Sept. 13 vs. Emory & Henry
22 Valdosta St. 1-1 110 11 Lost to Johnson C. Smith, 28-16 Sept. 13 at Chowan
23 Carson-Newman 1-0 104 NR D. SC Central Christian, 59-0 Sept. 13 at Mars Hill
24t. Minnesota-Duluth 2-0 86 NR D. Concordia-St. Paul, 61-7 Sept. 13 vs. No. 7 Minnesota St.
24t. Pittsburg St. 0-2 86 13 Lost to No. 19 Central Oklahoma, 27-24 Sept. 13 vs. No. 3 Grand Valley St.
Dropped Out: Ouachita Baptist (15), UIndy (17)
Others Receiving Votes: Johnson C. Smith, 83; UIndy, 72; Wingate, 59; Ouachita Baptist, 49; Colorado School of Mines, 37; Michigan Tech, 24; Albany St., 18; Sioux Falls, 15; Fort Hays St., 14; Southern Arkansas, 13; Frostburg St., 11; Fairmont St., 10; Findlay, 8; Davenport, 5; Texas A&M-Kingsville, 4; Nebraska-Kearney, 1; Virginia St., 1.
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Clinging to a 23-19 lead late in the fourth quarter, California (Pa.) defensive back Alexie Sangster Jr. intercepted a pass on 4th and 23 in the game’s final seconds to seal the win for the Vulcans. The season-opening victory moves California (Pa.) up four places to No. 10 in this week’s AFCA Division II Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl. The loss dropped the Golden Eagles six spots to a tie at No. 18. Charleston can look to rebound as they travel to No. 17 West Alabama in one of three top 25 matchups this coming Saturday.
Ferris State still holds the top spot after a dominating 63-6 win over Lake Erie. The rest of the top four are still the same with Harding, Grand Valley State and Slippery Rock all registering wins. The change comes from No. 5 on down thanks to Colorado State-Pueblo’s upset loss to Fort Hays State. The Tigers blocked an extra point, then recovered the onside kick at the end of the game to preserve their 36-35 upset. The loss dropped the ThunderWolves nine places to No. 14.
Central Oklahoma rebounded from their season-opening loss to beat then-No. 13 Pittsburg State, 27-24. The Bronchos kicked a field goal early in the fourth quarter to break a 24-24 tie, then their defense held firm to preserve the victory. UCO moves up to No. 14 while the Gorillas slide to a tie at No. 24 with Minnesota-Duluth. The Bulldogs make their first appearance in the poll this young season and will host No. 7 Minnesota State on Saturday.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week 2 | Next Game | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ferris St. (31) | 2-0 | 775 | 1 | D. Lake Erie, 63-6 | Sept. 13 vs. Tiffin | |
| 2 | Harding | 1-0 | 738 | 2 | D. Northwestern Oklahoma St., 49-7 | Sept. 11 vs. Southwestern Oklahoma St. | |
| 3 | Grand Valley St. | 2-0 | 704 | 3 | D. Black Hills St., 48-36 | Sept. 13 at No. 24t Pittsburg St. | |
| 4 | Slippery Rock | 1-0 | 646 | 4 | D. Franklin Pierce, 24-13 | Sept. 13 vs. Shepherd | |
| 5 | West Florida | 2-0 | 645 | 6 | D. Kentucky Wesleyan, 28-7 | Sept. 13 vs. Shorter | |
| 6 | Kutztown | 1-0 | 609 | 7 | D. Assumption, 51-14 | Sept. 13 at Edinboro | |
| 7 | Minnesota St. | 2-0 | 597 | 8 | D. Minot St., 34-16 | Sept. 13 at No. 24t Minnesota-Duluth | |
| 8 | Angelo St. | 2-0 | 543 | 10 | D. Emporia St., 41-20 | Sept. 13 at Eastern New Mexico | |
| 9 | Western Colorado | 2-0 | 542 | 9 | D. Midwestern St., 38-13 | Sept. 20 at Adams St. | |
| 10 | California (Pa.) | 1-0 | 464 | 14 | D. No. 12 Charleston, 23-19 | Sept. 13 vs. West Chester | |
| 11 | Augustana (S.D.) | 2-0 | 381 | 20 | D. Jamestown, 37-7 | Sept. 13 at UMary | |
| 12 | UT-Permian Basin | 2-0 | 380 | 21 | D. Adams St., 41-7 | Sept. 20 at Texas A&M-Kingsville | |
| 13 | Virginia Union | 1-0 | 364 | 16 | Idle | Sept. 13 at Edward Waters | |
| 14 | Colorado St.-Pueblo | 1-1 | 337 | 5 | Lost to Fort Hays St., 36-35 | Sept. 11 at Central Missouri | |
| 15 | Central Oklahoma | 1-1 | 336 | 19 | D. No. 13 Pittsburg St., 27-24 | Sept. 20 vs. Washburn | |
| 16 | Delta St. | 2-0 | 301 | 22 | D. North Greenville, 41-9 | Sept. 13 at UNC Pembroke | |
| 17 | West Alabama | 2-0 | 200 | 25 | D. Chowan, 38-28 | Sept. 13 vs. No. 18t Charleston | |
| 18t. | Central Washington | 1-1 | 199 | 18 | Lost to Montana, 42-17 | Sept. 20 vs. West Texas A&M | |
| 18t. | Charleston | 1-1 | 199 | 12 | Lost to No. 14 California (Pa.), 23-19 | Sept. 13 at No. 17 West Alabama | |
| 20 | Ashland | 1-0 | 185 | 23 | D. Indiana (Pa.), 13-9 | Sept. 13 at UIndy | |
| 21 | Lenoir-Rhyne | 1-1 | 120 | 24 | D. Tusculum, 28-7 | Sept. 13 vs. Emory & Henry | |
| 22 | Valdosta St. | 1-1 | 110 | 11 | Lost to Johnson C. Smith, 28-16 | Sept. 13 at Chowan | |
| 23 | Carson-Newman | 1-0 | 104 | NR | D. SC Central Christian, 59-0 | Sept. 13 at Mars Hill | |
| 24t. | Minnesota-Duluth | 2-0 | 86 | NR | D. Concordia-St. Paul, 61-7 | Sept. 13 vs. No. 7 Minnesota St. | |
| 24t. | Pittsburg St. | 0-2 | 86 | 13 | Lost to No. 19 Central Oklahoma, 27-24 | Sept. 13 vs. No. 3 Grand Valley St. |
Dropped Out: Ouachita Baptist (15), UIndy (17)
Others Receiving Votes: Johnson C. Smith, 83; UIndy, 72; Wingate, 59; Ouachita Baptist, 49; Colorado School of Mines, 37; Michigan Tech, 24; Albany St., 18; Sioux Falls, 15; Fort Hays St., 14; Southern Arkansas, 13; Frostburg St., 11; Fairmont St., 10; Findlay, 8; Davenport, 5; Texas A&M-Kingsville, 4; Nebraska-Kearney, 1; Virginia St., 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.
