[D2 Poll] West Florida Downs FCS-Member McNeese to Stay No. 1
September 7, 2021
West Florida proved why they are the No. 1 team in the AFCA Division II Coaches’ Top 25 Poll. The Argonauts took a 14-7 lead early in the second quarter against FCS-member McNeese in Lake Charles, Louisiana and never looked back, winning 42-36. West Florida received 28 of the 30 first-place votes and are followed by Ferris State (Mich.), Minnesota State, Northwest Missouri State and Valdosta St. (Ga.) in the Top 5.
RELATED ARTICLE: [D2 POLL] 2019 National Champion West Florida Begins 2021 at No. 1
There are several Top 25 matchups in the second week of action with No. 3 Minnesota State traveling to No. 20 Minnesota-Duluth as one of the most important. The winner of this game might be the team to beat in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. The next one will have No. 19 Colorado State-Pueblo trying to rebound from their loss to No. 7 Texas A&M-Commerce, as the ThunderWolves travel to No. 14 Grand Valley State (Mich.). The final Top 25 matchup is an important Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference crossover as No. 15 Indiana (Pa.) opens its season against No. 18 Kutztown (Pa.).
2021 American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches’ Poll – September 7, 2021
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Season Opener Next Game
1 West Florida (28) 1-0 744 1 D. McNeese (La.), 42-36 Sept. 11 vs. Southwest Baptist (Mo.)
2 Ferris St. (Mich.) (1) 1-0 703 3 D. Findlay (Ohio), 54-14 Sept. 11 at Ashland (Ohio)
3 Minnesota St. 1-0 668 2 D. Northern St. (S.D.), 40-34 OT Sept. 11 at No. 20 Minnesota-Duluth
4 Northwest Missouri St. 1-0 629 4 D. Fort Hays St. (Kan.), 15-7 Sept. 18 at Central Missouri
5 Valdosta St. (Ga.) 1-0 599 6t D. Savannah St. (Ga.), 53-7 Sept. 11 at Virginia Union
6 Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) (1) 1-0 593 6t D. Virginia St., 48-7 Sept. 18 at Newberry (S.C.)
7 Texas A&M-Commerce 1-0 560 8 D. No. 13 Colorado St.-Pueblo, 12-6 Sept. 11 vs. Midwestern St. (Texas)
8 Slippery Rock (Pa.) 1-0 547 5 D. Wayne St. (Mich.), 24-21 Sept. 11 vs. East Stroudsburg (Pa.)
9 Colorado School of Mines 1-0 504 10 D. Western Oregon, 42-3 Sept. 11 vs. New Mexico Highlands
10 Notre Dame (Ohio) 1-0 499 9 D. Ashland (Ohio), 42-35 OT Sept. 9 at Wheeling (W.Va.)
11 Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) 1-0 433 11 D. Oklahoma Baptist, 38-31 Sept. 11 at Southern Nazarene (Okla.)
12 Indianapolis (Ind.) 1-0 399 14 D. Saint Xavier (Ill.), 34-10 Sept. 11 at Hillsdale (Mich.)
13 Shepherd (W.Va.) 1-0 368 15 D. Ohio Dominican, 35-30 Sept. 11 at Gannon (Pa.)
14 Grand Valley St. (Mich.) 0-0 308 16 Sept. 4 vs. Edinboro (Pa.), cancelled Sept. 11 vs. No. 19 Colorado St.-Pueblo
15 Indiana (Pa.) 0-0 266 17 Idle Sept. 11 vs. No. 18 Kutztown (Pa.)
16 Tiffin (Ohio) 1-0 236 19 D. Marian (Ind.), 34-10 Sept. 11 vs. Northwood (Mich.)
17 Harding (Ark.) 1-0 227 22 D. East Central (Okla.), 28-0 Sept. 11 at Southeastern Oklahoma
18 Kutztown (Pa.) 1-0 220 20 D. Assumption (Mass.), 19-0 Sept. 11 at No. 15 Indiana (Pa.)
19 Colorado St.-Pueblo 0-1 201 12 Lost to No. 8 Texas A&M-Commerce, 12-6 Sept. 11 at No. 14 Grand Valley St. (Mich.)
20 Minnesota-Duluth 1-0 189 23 D. Upper Iowa, 41-14 Sept. 11 vs. No. 3 Minnesota St.
21 Wingate (N.C.) 1-0 156 24t D. Shaw (N.C.), 30-7 Sept. 11 vs. Fayetteville St. (N.C.)
22 Angelo St. (Texas) 1-0 134 NR D. No. 21 Lindenwood (Mo.), 40-20 Sept. 11 at Chadron St. (Neb.)
23 Pittsburg St. (Kan.) 1-0 123 NR D. No. 13 Central Missouri, 35-16 Sept. 11 vs. Nebraska-Kearney
24 West Georgia 1-0 71 NR D. No. 24t Carson-Newman (Tenn.), 45-7 Sept. 11 vs. Morehouse (Ga.)
25 Bowie St. (Md.) 0-1 58 18 Lost to Delaware St., 32-24 Sept. 11 vs. Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.)
Dropped Out: Central Missouri (13), Lindenwood (Mo.) (21), Carson-Newman (Tenn.) (24t)
Others Receiving Votes: Delta St. (Miss.), 46; Augustana (S.D.), 34; Tusculum (Tenn.), 33; Henderson St. (Ark.), 31; West Texas A&M, 27; Nebraska-Kearney, 25; Central Missouri, 24; West Alabama, 21; Truman St. (Mo.), 15; Bentley (Mass.), 12; Midwestern St. (Texas), 11; Ashland (Ohio), 7; Charleston (W.Va.), 5; Fort Hays St. (Kan.), 5; West Chester (Pa.), 5; Washburn (Kan.), 4; California (Pa.), 3; Lindenwood (Mo.), 2; Virginia Union, 2; Carson-Newman (Tenn.), 1; Bemidji St. (Minn.), 1; UT-Permian Basin (Texas), 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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West Florida proved why they are the No. 1 team in the AFCA Division II Coaches’ Top 25 Poll. The Argonauts took a 14-7 lead early in the second quarter against FCS-member McNeese in Lake Charles, Louisiana and never looked back, winning 42-36. West Florida received 28 of the 30 first-place votes and are followed by Ferris State (Mich.), Minnesota State, Northwest Missouri State and Valdosta St. (Ga.) in the Top 5.
RELATED ARTICLE: [D2 POLL] 2019 National Champion West Florida Begins 2021 at No. 1
There are several Top 25 matchups in the second week of action with No. 3 Minnesota State traveling to No. 20 Minnesota-Duluth as one of the most important. The winner of this game might be the team to beat in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. The next one will have No. 19 Colorado State-Pueblo trying to rebound from their loss to No. 7 Texas A&M-Commerce, as the ThunderWolves travel to No. 14 Grand Valley State (Mich.). The final Top 25 matchup is an important Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference crossover as No. 15 Indiana (Pa.) opens its season against No. 18 Kutztown (Pa.).
2021 American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches’ Poll – September 7, 2021
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Season Opener | Next Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Florida (28) | 1-0 | 744 | 1 | D. McNeese (La.), 42-36 | Sept. 11 vs. Southwest Baptist (Mo.) |
| 2 | Ferris St. (Mich.) (1) | 1-0 | 703 | 3 | D. Findlay (Ohio), 54-14 | Sept. 11 at Ashland (Ohio) |
| 3 | Minnesota St. | 1-0 | 668 | 2 | D. Northern St. (S.D.), 40-34 OT | Sept. 11 at No. 20 Minnesota-Duluth |
| 4 | Northwest Missouri St. | 1-0 | 629 | 4 | D. Fort Hays St. (Kan.), 15-7 | Sept. 18 at Central Missouri |
| 5 | Valdosta St. (Ga.) | 1-0 | 599 | 6t | D. Savannah St. (Ga.), 53-7 | Sept. 11 at Virginia Union |
| 6 | Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) (1) | 1-0 | 593 | 6t | D. Virginia St., 48-7 | Sept. 18 at Newberry (S.C.) |
| 7 | Texas A&M-Commerce | 1-0 | 560 | 8 | D. No. 13 Colorado St.-Pueblo, 12-6 | Sept. 11 vs. Midwestern St. (Texas) |
| 8 | Slippery Rock (Pa.) | 1-0 | 547 | 5 | D. Wayne St. (Mich.), 24-21 | Sept. 11 vs. East Stroudsburg (Pa.) |
| 9 | Colorado School of Mines | 1-0 | 504 | 10 | D. Western Oregon, 42-3 | Sept. 11 vs. New Mexico Highlands |
| 10 | Notre Dame (Ohio) | 1-0 | 499 | 9 | D. Ashland (Ohio), 42-35 OT | Sept. 9 at Wheeling (W.Va.) |
| 11 | Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) | 1-0 | 433 | 11 | D. Oklahoma Baptist, 38-31 | Sept. 11 at Southern Nazarene (Okla.) |
| 12 | Indianapolis (Ind.) | 1-0 | 399 | 14 | D. Saint Xavier (Ill.), 34-10 | Sept. 11 at Hillsdale (Mich.) |
| 13 | Shepherd (W.Va.) | 1-0 | 368 | 15 | D. Ohio Dominican, 35-30 | Sept. 11 at Gannon (Pa.) |
| 14 | Grand Valley St. (Mich.) | 0-0 | 308 | 16 | Sept. 4 vs. Edinboro (Pa.), cancelled | Sept. 11 vs. No. 19 Colorado St.-Pueblo |
| 15 | Indiana (Pa.) | 0-0 | 266 | 17 | Idle | Sept. 11 vs. No. 18 Kutztown (Pa.) |
| 16 | Tiffin (Ohio) | 1-0 | 236 | 19 | D. Marian (Ind.), 34-10 | Sept. 11 vs. Northwood (Mich.) |
| 17 | Harding (Ark.) | 1-0 | 227 | 22 | D. East Central (Okla.), 28-0 | Sept. 11 at Southeastern Oklahoma |
| 18 | Kutztown (Pa.) | 1-0 | 220 | 20 | D. Assumption (Mass.), 19-0 | Sept. 11 at No. 15 Indiana (Pa.) |
| 19 | Colorado St.-Pueblo | 0-1 | 201 | 12 | Lost to No. 8 Texas A&M-Commerce, 12-6 | Sept. 11 at No. 14 Grand Valley St. (Mich.) |
| 20 | Minnesota-Duluth | 1-0 | 189 | 23 | D. Upper Iowa, 41-14 | Sept. 11 vs. No. 3 Minnesota St. |
| 21 | Wingate (N.C.) | 1-0 | 156 | 24t | D. Shaw (N.C.), 30-7 | Sept. 11 vs. Fayetteville St. (N.C.) |
| 22 | Angelo St. (Texas) | 1-0 | 134 | NR | D. No. 21 Lindenwood (Mo.), 40-20 | Sept. 11 at Chadron St. (Neb.) |
| 23 | Pittsburg St. (Kan.) | 1-0 | 123 | NR | D. No. 13 Central Missouri, 35-16 | Sept. 11 vs. Nebraska-Kearney |
| 24 | West Georgia | 1-0 | 71 | NR | D. No. 24t Carson-Newman (Tenn.), 45-7 | Sept. 11 vs. Morehouse (Ga.) |
| 25 | Bowie St. (Md.) | 0-1 | 58 | 18 | Lost to Delaware St., 32-24 | Sept. 11 vs. Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.) |
Dropped Out: Central Missouri (13), Lindenwood (Mo.) (21), Carson-Newman (Tenn.) (24t)
Others Receiving Votes: Delta St. (Miss.), 46; Augustana (S.D.), 34; Tusculum (Tenn.), 33; Henderson St. (Ark.), 31; West Texas A&M, 27; Nebraska-Kearney, 25; Central Missouri, 24; West Alabama, 21; Truman St. (Mo.), 15; Bentley (Mass.), 12; Midwestern St. (Texas), 11; Ashland (Ohio), 7; Charleston (W.Va.), 5; Fort Hays St. (Kan.), 5; West Chester (Pa.), 5; Washburn (Kan.), 4; California (Pa.), 3; Lindenwood (Mo.), 2; Virginia Union, 2; Carson-Newman (Tenn.), 1; Bemidji St. (Minn.), 1; UT-Permian Basin (Texas), 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.
