[D2 Poll] Valdosta State No. 1 In Final Coaches Poll After Claiming 4th National Title
December 17, 2018
Valdosta State (Ga.) quarterback Rogan Wells set a NCAA Division II Championship game record with six touchdowns responsible for (five passing and one receiving) in helping the Blazers beat Ferris State (Mich.), 49-47, to claim its fourth national title, and first since 2012. With the win, Valdosta State ends the 2018 season with a perfect 14-0 record and sits No. 1 in the AFCA Division II Coaches’ Top 25 Poll.
RELATED ARTICLE: [D3 Poll] Mary Hardin-Baylor Wins Second National Title, Ends 2018 At No. 1
Ferris State, who made the program’s first-ever national title game appearance, finishes the season with a 15-1 record and No. 2 in the final poll. The Bulldogs are followed by Minnesota State at No. 3 and Notre Dame (Ohio) at No. 4, both of whom made appearances in the NCAA Division II semifinals. Tarleton State (Texas), which set a school record with 12 wins this season, ends the season at No. 5.
Thanks to good runs in the playoffs, three new teams enter the final poll for the first time this season. Slippery Rock (Pa.), who finishes the season at 11-3, comes in at No. 12 after making it to the quarterfinals. New Haven (Conn.) and Wingate (N.C.) both made appearances in the second round of the playoffs, and end the season ranked No. 23 and No. 24, respectively. This is New Haven’s first ranking since the preseason poll of 2013.
2018 American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches’ Poll – December 17, 2018
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Post-season Results Head Coach
1. Valdosta St. (Ga.) (33) 14-0 825 3 D. No. 2 Ferris St. (Mich.), 49-47, in championship Kerwin Bell
2. Ferris St. (Mich.) 15-1 792 2 Lost to No. 3 Valdosta St. (Ga.), 49-47, in championship Tony Annese
3. Minnesota St. 13-1 750 1 Lost to No. 2 Ferris St. (Mich.), 42-25, in semifinals Todd Hoffner
4. Notre Dame (Ohio) 13-1 699 11 Lost to No. 3 Valdosta St. (Ga.), 30-24, in semifinals Mike Jacobs
5. Tarleton St. (Texas) 12-1 670 6 Lost to No. 1 Minnesota St., 13-10, in quarterfinals Todd Whitten
6. Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) 12-1 662 4 Lost to No. 2 Ferris St. (Mich.), 37-14, in quarterfinals Todd Knight
7. Colorado St.-Pueblo 11-2 546 9 Lost to No. 1 Minnesota St., 24-10, in second round John Wristen
8. Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) 12-2 497 17 Lost to No. 3 Valdosta St. (Ga.), 61-21, in quarterfinals Drew Cronic
9. Texas A&M-Commerce 10-3 482 15 Lost to No. 6 Tarleton St. (Texas), 34-28, in second round Colby Carthel
10. Northwest Missouri St. 10-3 475 18 Lost to No. 2 Ferris St. (Mich.), 27-21, in second round Rich Wright
11. Indianapolis (Ind.) 10-2 462 12 Lost to No. 4 Ouachita Baptist (Ark.), 35-7, in second round Bob Bartoloemeo
12. Slippery Rock (Pa.) 11-3 412 NR Lost to No. 11 Notre Dame (Ohio), 21-17, in quarterfinals Shawn Lutz
13. Minnesota-Duluth 11-1 408 5 Lost to No. 15 Texas A&M-Commerce, 33-17, in first round Curt Wiese
14. Grand Valley St. (Mich.) 10-2 395 7 Lost to No. 18 Northwest Missouri St., 42-17, in first round Matt Mitchell
15. Hillsdale (Mich.) 10-3 301 23 Lost to No. 11 Notre Dame (Ohio), 19-14, in second round Keith Otterbein
16. West Georgia 10-2 293 10 Lost to Wingate (N.C.), 41-31, in first round David Dean
17. West Chester (Pa.) 10-1 281 8 Lost to New Haven (Conn.), 35-28, in first round Bill Zwaan
18. Colorado School of Mines 10-2 256 14 Lost to No. 10 Colorado St.-Pueblo, 37-17, in first round Gregg Brandon
19. Bowie St. (Md.) 10-3 232 25 Lost to No. 3 Valdosta St. (Ga.), 66-16, in second round Damon Wilson
20. Harding (Ark.) 9-3 229 21 Lost to No. 2 Ferris St. (Mich.), 21-19, in first round Paul Simmons
21. LIU-Post (N.Y.) 10-1 189 13 Lost to Slippery Rock (Pa.), 20-14, in first round Bryan Collins
22. Fort Hays St. (Kan.) 9-3 180 19 Lost to No. 12 Indianapolis (Ind.), 38-27, in first round Chris Brown
23. New Haven (Conn.) 9-3 177 NR Lost to Slippery Rock (Pa.), 59-20, in second round Chris Pincince
24. Wingate (N.C.) 9-4 137 NR Lost to No. 17 Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.), 21-17, in second round Joe Reich
25. Midwestern St. (Texas) 8-2 119 16 DNQ Playoffs Bill Maskill
Dropped Out: Kutztown (Pa.) (20), Ohio Dominican (22), Azusa Pacific (Calif.) (24)
Others Receiving Votes: Kutztown (Pa.), 105; West Alabama, 43; Ohio Dominican, 32; Azusa Pacific (Calif.), 21; Fairmont St. (W.Va.), 14; Missouri S&T, 11; Florida Tech, 8; Indiana (Pa.), 7; Pittsburg St. (Kan.), 6; Chadron St. (Neb.), 3; Central Washington, 2; Virginia Union, 2; Ashland (Ohio), 1; Tiffin (Ohio), 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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Valdosta State (Ga.) quarterback Rogan Wells set a NCAA Division II Championship game record with six touchdowns responsible for (five passing and one receiving) in helping the Blazers beat Ferris State (Mich.), 49-47, to claim its fourth national title, and first since 2012. With the win, Valdosta State ends the 2018 season with a perfect 14-0 record and sits No. 1 in the AFCA Division II Coaches’ Top 25 Poll.
RELATED ARTICLE: [D3 Poll] Mary Hardin-Baylor Wins Second National Title, Ends 2018 At No. 1
Ferris State, who made the program’s first-ever national title game appearance, finishes the season with a 15-1 record and No. 2 in the final poll. The Bulldogs are followed by Minnesota State at No. 3 and Notre Dame (Ohio) at No. 4, both of whom made appearances in the NCAA Division II semifinals. Tarleton State (Texas), which set a school record with 12 wins this season, ends the season at No. 5.
Thanks to good runs in the playoffs, three new teams enter the final poll for the first time this season. Slippery Rock (Pa.), who finishes the season at 11-3, comes in at No. 12 after making it to the quarterfinals. New Haven (Conn.) and Wingate (N.C.) both made appearances in the second round of the playoffs, and end the season ranked No. 23 and No. 24, respectively. This is New Haven’s first ranking since the preseason poll of 2013.
2018 American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches’ Poll – December 17, 2018
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Post-season Results | Head Coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Valdosta St. (Ga.) (33) | 14-0 | 825 | 3 | D. No. 2 Ferris St. (Mich.), 49-47, in championship | Kerwin Bell |
| 2. | Ferris St. (Mich.) | 15-1 | 792 | 2 | Lost to No. 3 Valdosta St. (Ga.), 49-47, in championship | Tony Annese |
| 3. | Minnesota St. | 13-1 | 750 | 1 | Lost to No. 2 Ferris St. (Mich.), 42-25, in semifinals | Todd Hoffner |
| 4. | Notre Dame (Ohio) | 13-1 | 699 | 11 | Lost to No. 3 Valdosta St. (Ga.), 30-24, in semifinals | Mike Jacobs |
| 5. | Tarleton St. (Texas) | 12-1 | 670 | 6 | Lost to No. 1 Minnesota St., 13-10, in quarterfinals | Todd Whitten |
| 6. | Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) | 12-1 | 662 | 4 | Lost to No. 2 Ferris St. (Mich.), 37-14, in quarterfinals | Todd Knight |
| 7. | Colorado St.-Pueblo | 11-2 | 546 | 9 | Lost to No. 1 Minnesota St., 24-10, in second round | John Wristen |
| 8. | Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) | 12-2 | 497 | 17 | Lost to No. 3 Valdosta St. (Ga.), 61-21, in quarterfinals | Drew Cronic |
| 9. | Texas A&M-Commerce | 10-3 | 482 | 15 | Lost to No. 6 Tarleton St. (Texas), 34-28, in second round | Colby Carthel |
| 10. | Northwest Missouri St. | 10-3 | 475 | 18 | Lost to No. 2 Ferris St. (Mich.), 27-21, in second round | Rich Wright |
| 11. | Indianapolis (Ind.) | 10-2 | 462 | 12 | Lost to No. 4 Ouachita Baptist (Ark.), 35-7, in second round | Bob Bartoloemeo |
| 12. | Slippery Rock (Pa.) | 11-3 | 412 | NR | Lost to No. 11 Notre Dame (Ohio), 21-17, in quarterfinals | Shawn Lutz |
| 13. | Minnesota-Duluth | 11-1 | 408 | 5 | Lost to No. 15 Texas A&M-Commerce, 33-17, in first round | Curt Wiese |
| 14. | Grand Valley St. (Mich.) | 10-2 | 395 | 7 | Lost to No. 18 Northwest Missouri St., 42-17, in first round | Matt Mitchell |
| 15. | Hillsdale (Mich.) | 10-3 | 301 | 23 | Lost to No. 11 Notre Dame (Ohio), 19-14, in second round | Keith Otterbein |
| 16. | West Georgia | 10-2 | 293 | 10 | Lost to Wingate (N.C.), 41-31, in first round | David Dean |
| 17. | West Chester (Pa.) | 10-1 | 281 | 8 | Lost to New Haven (Conn.), 35-28, in first round | Bill Zwaan |
| 18. | Colorado School of Mines | 10-2 | 256 | 14 | Lost to No. 10 Colorado St.-Pueblo, 37-17, in first round | Gregg Brandon |
| 19. | Bowie St. (Md.) | 10-3 | 232 | 25 | Lost to No. 3 Valdosta St. (Ga.), 66-16, in second round | Damon Wilson |
| 20. | Harding (Ark.) | 9-3 | 229 | 21 | Lost to No. 2 Ferris St. (Mich.), 21-19, in first round | Paul Simmons |
| 21. | LIU-Post (N.Y.) | 10-1 | 189 | 13 | Lost to Slippery Rock (Pa.), 20-14, in first round | Bryan Collins |
| 22. | Fort Hays St. (Kan.) | 9-3 | 180 | 19 | Lost to No. 12 Indianapolis (Ind.), 38-27, in first round | Chris Brown |
| 23. | New Haven (Conn.) | 9-3 | 177 | NR | Lost to Slippery Rock (Pa.), 59-20, in second round | Chris Pincince |
| 24. | Wingate (N.C.) | 9-4 | 137 | NR | Lost to No. 17 Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.), 21-17, in second round | Joe Reich |
| 25. | Midwestern St. (Texas) | 8-2 | 119 | 16 | DNQ Playoffs | Bill Maskill |
Dropped Out: Kutztown (Pa.) (20), Ohio Dominican (22), Azusa Pacific (Calif.) (24)
Others Receiving Votes: Kutztown (Pa.), 105; West Alabama, 43; Ohio Dominican, 32; Azusa Pacific (Calif.), 21; Fairmont St. (W.Va.), 14; Missouri S&T, 11; Florida Tech, 8; Indiana (Pa.), 7; Pittsburg St. (Kan.), 6; Chadron St. (Neb.), 3; Central Washington, 2; Virginia Union, 2; Ashland (Ohio), 1; Tiffin (Ohio), 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.
