Central Arkansas’s Hail Mary Sinks Eastern Kentucky
November 13, 2023
Central Arkansas had 19 seconds and 83 yards to go to beat Eastern Kentucky. When the clock hit all zeros, the Bears had a 27-24 win thanks to a 46-yard Hail Mary from Will McElvain to Jarrod Barnes that was tipped up in the air by Kam Robinson. UCA had to come from behind because the Colonels went 97 yards on 10 plays in 49 seconds to take a 24-21 lead with 19 seconds left. The thrilling victory caused Central Arkansas to rise four spots to No. 20t in this week’s AFCA FCS Coaches’ Top 25 Poll.
No. 1 South Dakota State continued its strangle-hold on FCS opponents with a dominant 34-0 win over Youngstown State. Furman still sits No. 2 after a 37-3 victory over VMI. No. 3 Montana also stayed put with a 34-10 win over Portland State as the Grizz prepare to face new No. 4 Montana State. South Dakota moves into the fifth spot after handing then-No. 12 North Dakota a 14-10 loss. The Fighting Hawks dropped five places to No. 17 with the loss.
The Top 10 is different this week because of two upsets. Idaho was surprised by Weber State, 31-29, and dropped from No. 4 to No. 8 while North Carolina Central was blown out by Howard, 50-20, and fell seven spots to No. 14. Going the other direction, North Dakota State re-entered the Top 10 at No. 9 after its dominant, 34-10, victory over then-No. 15 Southern Illinois. The loss caused the Salukis to drop to No. 20t. Sacramento State also rejoined the Top 10 at No. 10 after beating Cal Poly, 41-30.
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Week 11 Next Game
1 South Dakota St. (26) 10-0 650 1 D. Youngstown St., 34-0 Nov. 18 vs. Missouri St.
2 Furman 9-1 615 2 D. VMI, 37-3 Nov. 18 at Wofford
3 Montana 9-1 603 3 D. Portland St., 34-10 Nov. 18 vs. No. 4 Montana St.
4 Montana St. 8-2 563 5 D. Eastern Washington, 57-14 Nov. 18 at No. 3 Montana
5 South Dakota 8-2 529 6 D. No. 12 North Dakota, 14-10 Nov. 18 at Western Illinois
6 Delaware 8-2 491 8 D. Campbell, 45-7 Nov. 18 vs. No. 15 Villanova
7 Florida A&M 9-1 446 9 D. Lincoln (Calif.), 28-0 Nov. 18 at Bethune-Cookman
8 Idaho 7-3 405 4 Lost to Weber St., 31-29 Nov. 18 vs. Idaho St.
9 North Dakota St. 7-3 396 13 D. No. 15 Southern Illinois, 34-10 Nov. 18 at Northern Iowa
10 Sacramento St. 7-3 390 11 D. Cal Poly, 41-30 Nov. 18 at UC Davis
11 UIW 7-2 385 10 vs. Northwestern St. (canceled) Nov. 18 at Houston Christian
12 Austin Peay 8-2 364 14 D. Utah Tech, 30-17 Nov. 18 vs. No. 20t Central Arkansas
13 UT Martin 8-2 333 16 D. Southeast Missouri St., 41-14 Nov. 18 at Samford
14 North Carolina Central 8-2 285 7 Lost to Howard, 50-20 Nov. 18 vs. Delaware St.
15 Villanova 8-2 277 18 D. Towson, 33-10 Nov. 18 at No. 6 Delaware
16 Chattanooga 7-3 244 17 Idle Nov. 18 at Alabama
17 North Dakota 6-4 227 12 Lost to No. 6 South Dakota, 14-10 Nov. 18 vs. Illinois St.
18 Western Carolina 7-3 206 21 D. East Tennessee St., 58-7 Nov. 18 at VMI
19 Harvard 8-1 195 19 D. Pennsylvania, 25-23 3OT Nov. 18 at Yale
20t. Central Arkansas 7-3 135 24 D. Eastern Kentucky, 27-24 Nov. 18 at No. 12 Austin Peay
20t. Southern Illinois 6-4 135 15 Lost to No. 13 North Dakota St., 34-10 Nov. 18 vs. Indiana St.
22 Lafayette 8-2 133 23 D. Fordham, 24-16 Nov. 18 at Lehigh
23 Albany 8-3 131 25 D. Stony Brook, 38-20 Nov. 18 vs. Monmouth (N.J.)
24 Mercer 8-3 108 NR D. Samford, 28-21 Regular Season Complete
25 Holy Cross 6-4 40 22 Lost to Army, 17-14 Nov. 18 vs. Georgetown (D.C.)
Dropped Out: Northern Iowa (20)
Others Receiving Votes: Eastern Illinois, 34; Northern Iowa, 33; Tarleton, 29; Illinois St., 23; Youngstown St., 23; William & Mary, 9; Nicholls, 4; Rhode Island, 4; UC Davis, 4; Richmond, 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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Central Arkansas had 19 seconds and 83 yards to go to beat Eastern Kentucky. When the clock hit all zeros, the Bears had a 27-24 win thanks to a 46-yard Hail Mary from Will McElvain to Jarrod Barnes that was tipped up in the air by Kam Robinson. UCA had to come from behind because the Colonels went 97 yards on 10 plays in 49 seconds to take a 24-21 lead with 19 seconds left. The thrilling victory caused Central Arkansas to rise four spots to No. 20t in this week’s AFCA FCS Coaches’ Top 25 Poll.
No. 1 South Dakota State continued its strangle-hold on FCS opponents with a dominant 34-0 win over Youngstown State. Furman still sits No. 2 after a 37-3 victory over VMI. No. 3 Montana also stayed put with a 34-10 win over Portland State as the Grizz prepare to face new No. 4 Montana State. South Dakota moves into the fifth spot after handing then-No. 12 North Dakota a 14-10 loss. The Fighting Hawks dropped five places to No. 17 with the loss.
The Top 10 is different this week because of two upsets. Idaho was surprised by Weber State, 31-29, and dropped from No. 4 to No. 8 while North Carolina Central was blown out by Howard, 50-20, and fell seven spots to No. 14. Going the other direction, North Dakota State re-entered the Top 10 at No. 9 after its dominant, 34-10, victory over then-No. 15 Southern Illinois. The loss caused the Salukis to drop to No. 20t. Sacramento State also rejoined the Top 10 at No. 10 after beating Cal Poly, 41-30.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week 11 | Next Game | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Dakota St. (26) | 10-0 | 650 | 1 | D. Youngstown St., 34-0 | Nov. 18 vs. Missouri St. | |
| 2 | Furman | 9-1 | 615 | 2 | D. VMI, 37-3 | Nov. 18 at Wofford | |
| 3 | Montana | 9-1 | 603 | 3 | D. Portland St., 34-10 | Nov. 18 vs. No. 4 Montana St. | |
| 4 | Montana St. | 8-2 | 563 | 5 | D. Eastern Washington, 57-14 | Nov. 18 at No. 3 Montana | |
| 5 | South Dakota | 8-2 | 529 | 6 | D. No. 12 North Dakota, 14-10 | Nov. 18 at Western Illinois | |
| 6 | Delaware | 8-2 | 491 | 8 | D. Campbell, 45-7 | Nov. 18 vs. No. 15 Villanova | |
| 7 | Florida A&M | 9-1 | 446 | 9 | D. Lincoln (Calif.), 28-0 | Nov. 18 at Bethune-Cookman | |
| 8 | Idaho | 7-3 | 405 | 4 | Lost to Weber St., 31-29 | Nov. 18 vs. Idaho St. | |
| 9 | North Dakota St. | 7-3 | 396 | 13 | D. No. 15 Southern Illinois, 34-10 | Nov. 18 at Northern Iowa | |
| 10 | Sacramento St. | 7-3 | 390 | 11 | D. Cal Poly, 41-30 | Nov. 18 at UC Davis | |
| 11 | UIW | 7-2 | 385 | 10 | vs. Northwestern St. (canceled) | Nov. 18 at Houston Christian | |
| 12 | Austin Peay | 8-2 | 364 | 14 | D. Utah Tech, 30-17 | Nov. 18 vs. No. 20t Central Arkansas | |
| 13 | UT Martin | 8-2 | 333 | 16 | D. Southeast Missouri St., 41-14 | Nov. 18 at Samford | |
| 14 | North Carolina Central | 8-2 | 285 | 7 | Lost to Howard, 50-20 | Nov. 18 vs. Delaware St. | |
| 15 | Villanova | 8-2 | 277 | 18 | D. Towson, 33-10 | Nov. 18 at No. 6 Delaware | |
| 16 | Chattanooga | 7-3 | 244 | 17 | Idle | Nov. 18 at Alabama | |
| 17 | North Dakota | 6-4 | 227 | 12 | Lost to No. 6 South Dakota, 14-10 | Nov. 18 vs. Illinois St. | |
| 18 | Western Carolina | 7-3 | 206 | 21 | D. East Tennessee St., 58-7 | Nov. 18 at VMI | |
| 19 | Harvard | 8-1 | 195 | 19 | D. Pennsylvania, 25-23 3OT | Nov. 18 at Yale | |
| 20t. | Central Arkansas | 7-3 | 135 | 24 | D. Eastern Kentucky, 27-24 | Nov. 18 at No. 12 Austin Peay | |
| 20t. | Southern Illinois | 6-4 | 135 | 15 | Lost to No. 13 North Dakota St., 34-10 | Nov. 18 vs. Indiana St. | |
| 22 | Lafayette | 8-2 | 133 | 23 | D. Fordham, 24-16 | Nov. 18 at Lehigh | |
| 23 | Albany | 8-3 | 131 | 25 | D. Stony Brook, 38-20 | Nov. 18 vs. Monmouth (N.J.) | |
| 24 | Mercer | 8-3 | 108 | NR | D. Samford, 28-21 | Regular Season Complete | |
| 25 | Holy Cross | 6-4 | 40 | 22 | Lost to Army, 17-14 | Nov. 18 vs. Georgetown (D.C.) |
Dropped Out: Northern Iowa (20)
Others Receiving Votes: Eastern Illinois, 34; Northern Iowa, 33; Tarleton, 29; Illinois St., 23; Youngstown St., 23; William & Mary, 9; Nicholls, 4; Rhode Island, 4; UC Davis, 4; Richmond, 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.
