Colorado School of Mines Survives to Stay at No. 2
September 5, 2023
Hunter Pearson hit a 41-yard field goal with two seconds remaining to give Colorado School of Mines a 31-28 win over then-No. 3 Grand Valley State (Mich.). The Lakers fought back from a 28-7 third quarter deficit to tie the game with 36 seconds left to go in the game. The Miners remain No. 2 in this week’s AFCA Division II Coaches’ Top 25 Poll while the loss drops Grand Valley State to No. 7. Neither team has time to rest as they both face Top 25 matchups in the second week of action.
No. 2 Mines travels to San Angelo, Texas, to face No. 4 Angelo State, who are coming off a 38-14 win over West Alabama. The No. 7 Lakers will host No. 25 Colorado State-Pueblo. The Thunderwolves enter the poll this week after routing Midwestern State (Tex.), 38-7. No. 1 Ferris State (Mich.) hits the road to No. 21 Ashland (Ohio), who lost a close game against No. 13 Indiana (Pa.), 24-17. The final Top 25 matchup is a MIAA contest as No. 5 Northwest Missouri State plays host to No. 18 Emporia State (Kan.). The Bearcats had to use an eight-minute, 91-yard drive in the fourth quarter to beat Missouri Southern while Emporia State dominated Lincoln (Mo.), 56-10.
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Season Opener Next Game
1 Ferris St. (Mich.) (27) 1-0 721 1 D. Mercyhurst (Pa.), 54-12 Sept. 9 at No. 21 Ashland (Ohio)
2 Colorado School of Mines (1) 1-0 693 2 D. No. 3 Grand Valley St. (Mich.), 31-28 Sept. 9 at No. 4 Angelo St. (Tex.)
3 Pittsburg St. (Kan.) 1-0 663 4 D. Washburn (Kan.), 34-7 Sept. 7 at Fort Hays St. (Kan.)
4 Angelo St. (Tex.) 1-0 616 5 D. West Alabama, 38-14 Sept. 9 vs. No. 2 Colorado School of Mines
5 Northwest Missouri St. 1-0 583 6 D. Missouri Southern, 31-24 Sept. 7 vs. No. 18 Emporia St. (Kan.)
6 West Florida 1-0 558 7 D. Kentucky Wesleyan, 35-3 Sept. 9 at McKendree (Ill.)
7 Grand Valley St. (Mich.) 0-1 536 3 Lost to No. 2 Colorado Mines, 31-28 Sept. 9 vs. No. 25 Colorado St.-Pueblo
8 Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) 1-0 510 8 D. Southwestern Oklahoma St., 38-14 Sept. 9 vs. Northwestern Oklahoma St.
9 Minnesota St. 1-0 505 9 D. Sioux Falls (S.D.), 54-26 Sept. 9 vs. Wayne St. (Neb.)
10 Delta St. (Miss.) 1-0 472 10 D. Missouri S&T, 48-20 Sept. 9 at Chowan (N.C.)
11 Bemidji St. (Minn.) 1-0 441 11 D. Northern St. (S.D.), 49-13 Sept. 9 at Southwest Minnesota St.
12 Harding (Ark.) 1-0 371 14 D. Southern Nazarene (Okla.), 53-20 Sept. 9 vs. Oklahoma Baptist
13 Indiana (Pa.) 1-0 346 16 D. No. 12 Ashland (Ohio), 24-17 Sept. 9 vs. East Stroudsburg (Pa.)
14 Shepherd (W.Va.) 1-0 341 13 D. Southern Connecticut St., 27-26 Sept. 9 at Edinboro (Pa.)
15 Slippery Rock (Pa.) 1-0 309 15 D. Wayne St. (Mich.), 28-17 Sept. 9 vs. West Chester (Pa.)
16 Benedict (S.C.) (1) 1-0 274 17 D. Shaw (N.C.), 52-0 Sept. 9 at Edward Waters (Fla.)
17 Virginia Union 1-0 249 18 D. Morehouse (Ga.), 45-13 Sept. 9 at Shaw (N.C.)
18 Emporia St. (Kan.) 1-0 235 19 D. Lincoln (Mo.), 56-10 Sept. 7 at No. 5 Northwest Missouri St.
19 Indianapolis (Ind.) 1-0 170 20 D. Hillsdale (Mich.), 39-20 Sept. 16 vs. Wayne St. (Mich.)
20 West Georgia 1-0 140 22 D. Limestone (S.C.), 21-19 Sept. 9 at Texas A&M-Kingsville
21 Ashland (Ohio) 0-1 133 12 Lost to No. 16 Indiana (Pa.), 24-17 Sept. 9 vs. No. 1 Ferris St. (Mich.)
22 Wingate (N.C.) 1-0 130 21 D. Albany St. (Ga.), 30-7 Sept. 7 at Mars Hill (N.C.)
23 Assumption (Mass.) 1-0 84 23 D. Kutztown (Pa.), 31-20 Sept. 9 at Southern Connecticut St.
24 Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) 1-0 76 25 D. St. Augustine’s (N.C.), 45-7 Sept. 9 at Fayetteville St. (N.C.)
25 Colorado St.-Pueblo 1-0 62 NR D. Midwestern St. (Tex.), 37-8 Sept. 9 at No. 7 Grand Valley St. (Mich.)
Dropped Out: Newberry (S.C.) (24)
Others Receiving Votes: Newberry (S.C.), 44; Bowie St. (Md.), 38; Wayne St. (Neb.), 20; Henderson St. (Ark.), 16; Western Colorado, 15; Davenport (Mich.), 13; Central Washington, 8; Fort Hays St. (Kan.), 8; Texas A&M-Kingsville, 8; Minnesota-Duluth, 7; Notre Dame (Ohio), 5; Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.), 5; Central Oklahoma, 4; Limestone (S.C.), 4; Truman St. (Mo.), 4; Augustana (S.D.), 3; Tiffin (Ohio), 2; Tuskegee (Ala.), 2; Millersville (Pa.), 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.
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Hunter Pearson hit a 41-yard field goal with two seconds remaining to give Colorado School of Mines a 31-28 win over then-No. 3 Grand Valley State (Mich.). The Lakers fought back from a 28-7 third quarter deficit to tie the game with 36 seconds left to go in the game. The Miners remain No. 2 in this week’s AFCA Division II Coaches’ Top 25 Poll while the loss drops Grand Valley State to No. 7. Neither team has time to rest as they both face Top 25 matchups in the second week of action.
No. 2 Mines travels to San Angelo, Texas, to face No. 4 Angelo State, who are coming off a 38-14 win over West Alabama. The No. 7 Lakers will host No. 25 Colorado State-Pueblo. The Thunderwolves enter the poll this week after routing Midwestern State (Tex.), 38-7. No. 1 Ferris State (Mich.) hits the road to No. 21 Ashland (Ohio), who lost a close game against No. 13 Indiana (Pa.), 24-17. The final Top 25 matchup is a MIAA contest as No. 5 Northwest Missouri State plays host to No. 18 Emporia State (Kan.). The Bearcats had to use an eight-minute, 91-yard drive in the fourth quarter to beat Missouri Southern while Emporia State dominated Lincoln (Mo.), 56-10.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Season Opener | Next Game | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ferris St. (Mich.) (27) | 1-0 | 721 | 1 | D. Mercyhurst (Pa.), 54-12 | Sept. 9 at No. 21 Ashland (Ohio) | |
| 2 | Colorado School of Mines (1) | 1-0 | 693 | 2 | D. No. 3 Grand Valley St. (Mich.), 31-28 | Sept. 9 at No. 4 Angelo St. (Tex.) | |
| 3 | Pittsburg St. (Kan.) | 1-0 | 663 | 4 | D. Washburn (Kan.), 34-7 | Sept. 7 at Fort Hays St. (Kan.) | |
| 4 | Angelo St. (Tex.) | 1-0 | 616 | 5 | D. West Alabama, 38-14 | Sept. 9 vs. No. 2 Colorado School of Mines | |
| 5 | Northwest Missouri St. | 1-0 | 583 | 6 | D. Missouri Southern, 31-24 | Sept. 7 vs. No. 18 Emporia St. (Kan.) | |
| 6 | West Florida | 1-0 | 558 | 7 | D. Kentucky Wesleyan, 35-3 | Sept. 9 at McKendree (Ill.) | |
| 7 | Grand Valley St. (Mich.) | 0-1 | 536 | 3 | Lost to No. 2 Colorado Mines, 31-28 | Sept. 9 vs. No. 25 Colorado St.-Pueblo | |
| 8 | Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) | 1-0 | 510 | 8 | D. Southwestern Oklahoma St., 38-14 | Sept. 9 vs. Northwestern Oklahoma St. | |
| 9 | Minnesota St. | 1-0 | 505 | 9 | D. Sioux Falls (S.D.), 54-26 | Sept. 9 vs. Wayne St. (Neb.) | |
| 10 | Delta St. (Miss.) | 1-0 | 472 | 10 | D. Missouri S&T, 48-20 | Sept. 9 at Chowan (N.C.) | |
| 11 | Bemidji St. (Minn.) | 1-0 | 441 | 11 | D. Northern St. (S.D.), 49-13 | Sept. 9 at Southwest Minnesota St. | |
| 12 | Harding (Ark.) | 1-0 | 371 | 14 | D. Southern Nazarene (Okla.), 53-20 | Sept. 9 vs. Oklahoma Baptist | |
| 13 | Indiana (Pa.) | 1-0 | 346 | 16 | D. No. 12 Ashland (Ohio), 24-17 | Sept. 9 vs. East Stroudsburg (Pa.) | |
| 14 | Shepherd (W.Va.) | 1-0 | 341 | 13 | D. Southern Connecticut St., 27-26 | Sept. 9 at Edinboro (Pa.) | |
| 15 | Slippery Rock (Pa.) | 1-0 | 309 | 15 | D. Wayne St. (Mich.), 28-17 | Sept. 9 vs. West Chester (Pa.) | |
| 16 | Benedict (S.C.) (1) | 1-0 | 274 | 17 | D. Shaw (N.C.), 52-0 | Sept. 9 at Edward Waters (Fla.) | |
| 17 | Virginia Union | 1-0 | 249 | 18 | D. Morehouse (Ga.), 45-13 | Sept. 9 at Shaw (N.C.) | |
| 18 | Emporia St. (Kan.) | 1-0 | 235 | 19 | D. Lincoln (Mo.), 56-10 | Sept. 7 at No. 5 Northwest Missouri St. | |
| 19 | Indianapolis (Ind.) | 1-0 | 170 | 20 | D. Hillsdale (Mich.), 39-20 | Sept. 16 vs. Wayne St. (Mich.) | |
| 20 | West Georgia | 1-0 | 140 | 22 | D. Limestone (S.C.), 21-19 | Sept. 9 at Texas A&M-Kingsville | |
| 21 | Ashland (Ohio) | 0-1 | 133 | 12 | Lost to No. 16 Indiana (Pa.), 24-17 | Sept. 9 vs. No. 1 Ferris St. (Mich.) | |
| 22 | Wingate (N.C.) | 1-0 | 130 | 21 | D. Albany St. (Ga.), 30-7 | Sept. 7 at Mars Hill (N.C.) | |
| 23 | Assumption (Mass.) | 1-0 | 84 | 23 | D. Kutztown (Pa.), 31-20 | Sept. 9 at Southern Connecticut St. | |
| 24 | Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) | 1-0 | 76 | 25 | D. St. Augustine’s (N.C.), 45-7 | Sept. 9 at Fayetteville St. (N.C.) | |
| 25 | Colorado St.-Pueblo | 1-0 | 62 | NR | D. Midwestern St. (Tex.), 37-8 | Sept. 9 at No. 7 Grand Valley St. (Mich.) |
Dropped Out: Newberry (S.C.) (24)
Others Receiving Votes: Newberry (S.C.), 44; Bowie St. (Md.), 38; Wayne St. (Neb.), 20; Henderson St. (Ark.), 16; Western Colorado, 15; Davenport (Mich.), 13; Central Washington, 8; Fort Hays St. (Kan.), 8; Texas A&M-Kingsville, 8; Minnesota-Duluth, 7; Notre Dame (Ohio), 5; Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.), 5; Central Oklahoma, 4; Limestone (S.C.), 4; Truman St. (Mo.), 4; Augustana (S.D.), 3; Tiffin (Ohio), 2; Tuskegee (Ala.), 2; Millersville (Pa.), 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.
