Ferris State ends regular season at No. 1
November 17, 2025
Ferris State started the 2025 season at No. 1 in the AFCA Division II Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl, and that’s how they finished the regular season. The Bulldogs beat Davenport, 44-23, to move to 11-0 and will host Northwood in the first round of the NCAA Division II playoffs. Ferris State is 30-12 all-time in the playoffs with three national championships in 2021, 2022 and 2024.
Twenty-two of the 25 teams in the AFCA poll earned a spot in the playoffs. Along with Ferris State, No. 2 Harding, No. 3 Kutztown and No. 13 Albany State were seeded No. 1 in their respective regions. Harding, who won the Great American Conference, will host No. 14 Northwest Missouri State in the first round. Kutztown, winners of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference, drew Bentley, the Northeast-10 champions. Albany State, who beat No. 23 Benedict for the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title, will host Valdosta State, who ran the table in the Gulf South Conference to earn a spot in the playoffs after starting the season 2-4.
Some other notable matchups in the first round include No. 4 Colorado State-Pueblo, who won the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, hosting No. 10 UT Permian Basin while No. 5 Central Washington, winners of the Lone Star Conference, will host No. 15 Western Colorado. No. 6 Pittsburg State won the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association and will host No. 22 Chadron State, while No. 7 Minnesota-Duluth, who won the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference, must travel to No. 18 Ashland. No. 11 Johnson C. Smith beat No. 17 Virginia Union, 45-21, to win its first Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association title since 1969, and will host No. 24 Frostburg State, who shared the Mountain East Conference crown.
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Week 12 Next Game
1 Ferris St. (30) 11-0 774 1 D. Davenport, 44-23 Nov. 22 vs. Northwood
2 Harding (1) 11-0 745 2 D. Arkansas Tech, 47-13 Nov. 22 vs. No. 14 Northwest Missouri St.
3 Kutztown 11-0 711 4 D. Indiana (Pa.), 28-23 Nov. 22 vs. Bentley
4 Colorado St.-Pueblo 10-1 669 5 D. No. 22 Chadron St., 30-27 2OT Nov. 22 vs. No. 10 UT Permian Basin
5 Central Washington 10-1 652 6 D. No. 24 Western Oregon, 19-17 Nov. 22 vs. No. 15 Western Colorado
6 Pittsburg St. 9-2 597 7 D. No. 12 Northwest Missouri St., 27-14 Nov. 22 vs. No. 22 Chadron St.
7 Minnesota-Duluth 10-1 553 11 D. Minot St., 33-7 Nov. 22 at No. 18 Ashland
8 UIndy 10-1 549 10 D. Upper Iowa, 28-21 Nov. 22 vs. Truman St.
9 West Florida 9-1 534 3 Lost to Valdosta St., 47-44 OT Nov. 22 vs. North Greenville
10 UT Permian Basin 9-2 459 15 D. Sul Ross St., 74-10 Nov. 22 at No. 4 Colorado St.-Pueblo
11 Johnson C. Smith 10-1 451 16 D. No. 9 Virginia Union, 45-21 Nov. 22 vs. No. 24 Frostburg St.
12 Findlay 10-1 398 8 Lost to Tiffin, 23-21 Nov. 22 vs. No. 21 Minnesota St.
13 Albany St. 10-1 393 17 D. No. 23 Benedict, 22-16 Nov. 22 vs. Valdosta St.
14 Northwest Missouri St. 9-2 351 12 Lost to No. 7 Pittsburg St., 27-14 Nov. 22 at No. 2 Harding
15 Western Colorado 9-2 330 18 D. Colorado Mesa, 42-28 Nov. 22 at No. 5 Central Washington
16 Newberry 9-1 310 19 Idle Nov. 22 vs. Kentucky St.
17 Virginia Union 9-2 307 9 Lost to No. 16 Johnson C. Smith, 45-21 Nov. 22 vs. California (Pa.)
18 Ashland 9-2 253 20 D. Lake Erie, 34-14 Nov. 22 vs. No. 7 Minnesota-Duluth
19 Augustana (S.D.) 9-2 207 13 Lost to Wayne St. (Neb.), 38-31 Season Complete
20 Grand Valley St. 7-3 199 21 D. Roosevelt, 69-13 Season Complete
21 Minnesota St. 8-3 132 14 Lost to MSU Moorhead, 31-23 Nov. 22 at No. 12 Findlay
22 Chadron St. 8-3 94 22 Lost to No. 5 Colorado St.-Pueblo, 30-27 2OT Nov. 22 at No. 6 Pittsburg St.
23 Benedict 9-2 80 23 Lost to No. 17 Albany St., 22-16 Nov. 22 at Wingate
24 Frostburg St. 9-2 72 NR D. Fairmont St., 35-18 Nov. 22 at No. 11 Johnson C. Smith
25 Western Oregon 8-3 63 24 Lost to No. 6 Central Washington, 19-17 Season Complete
Dropped Out: UNC Pembroke (25)
Others Receiving Votes: Wingate, 59; California (Pa.), 27; Assumption, 25; Delta St., 15; Indiana (Pa.), 12; Kentucky St., 12; Charleston, 9; Valdosta St., 9; Northwood, 8; Upper Iowa, 7; Slippery Rock, 3; West Texas A&M, 2; Henderson St., 1; Southern Arkansas, 1; Truman St., 1; UNC Pembroke, 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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Ferris State started the 2025 season at No. 1 in the AFCA Division II Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl, and that’s how they finished the regular season. The Bulldogs beat Davenport, 44-23, to move to 11-0 and will host Northwood in the first round of the NCAA Division II playoffs. Ferris State is 30-12 all-time in the playoffs with three national championships in 2021, 2022 and 2024.
Twenty-two of the 25 teams in the AFCA poll earned a spot in the playoffs. Along with Ferris State, No. 2 Harding, No. 3 Kutztown and No. 13 Albany State were seeded No. 1 in their respective regions. Harding, who won the Great American Conference, will host No. 14 Northwest Missouri State in the first round. Kutztown, winners of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference, drew Bentley, the Northeast-10 champions. Albany State, who beat No. 23 Benedict for the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title, will host Valdosta State, who ran the table in the Gulf South Conference to earn a spot in the playoffs after starting the season 2-4.
Some other notable matchups in the first round include No. 4 Colorado State-Pueblo, who won the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, hosting No. 10 UT Permian Basin while No. 5 Central Washington, winners of the Lone Star Conference, will host No. 15 Western Colorado. No. 6 Pittsburg State won the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association and will host No. 22 Chadron State, while No. 7 Minnesota-Duluth, who won the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference, must travel to No. 18 Ashland. No. 11 Johnson C. Smith beat No. 17 Virginia Union, 45-21, to win its first Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association title since 1969, and will host No. 24 Frostburg State, who shared the Mountain East Conference crown.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week 12 | Next Game | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ferris St. (30) | 11-0 | 774 | 1 | D. Davenport, 44-23 | Nov. 22 vs. Northwood | |
| 2 | Harding (1) | 11-0 | 745 | 2 | D. Arkansas Tech, 47-13 | Nov. 22 vs. No. 14 Northwest Missouri St. | |
| 3 | Kutztown | 11-0 | 711 | 4 | D. Indiana (Pa.), 28-23 | Nov. 22 vs. Bentley | |
| 4 | Colorado St.-Pueblo | 10-1 | 669 | 5 | D. No. 22 Chadron St., 30-27 2OT | Nov. 22 vs. No. 10 UT Permian Basin | |
| 5 | Central Washington | 10-1 | 652 | 6 | D. No. 24 Western Oregon, 19-17 | Nov. 22 vs. No. 15 Western Colorado | |
| 6 | Pittsburg St. | 9-2 | 597 | 7 | D. No. 12 Northwest Missouri St., 27-14 | Nov. 22 vs. No. 22 Chadron St. | |
| 7 | Minnesota-Duluth | 10-1 | 553 | 11 | D. Minot St., 33-7 | Nov. 22 at No. 18 Ashland | |
| 8 | UIndy | 10-1 | 549 | 10 | D. Upper Iowa, 28-21 | Nov. 22 vs. Truman St. | |
| 9 | West Florida | 9-1 | 534 | 3 | Lost to Valdosta St., 47-44 OT | Nov. 22 vs. North Greenville | |
| 10 | UT Permian Basin | 9-2 | 459 | 15 | D. Sul Ross St., 74-10 | Nov. 22 at No. 4 Colorado St.-Pueblo | |
| 11 | Johnson C. Smith | 10-1 | 451 | 16 | D. No. 9 Virginia Union, 45-21 | Nov. 22 vs. No. 24 Frostburg St. | |
| 12 | Findlay | 10-1 | 398 | 8 | Lost to Tiffin, 23-21 | Nov. 22 vs. No. 21 Minnesota St. | |
| 13 | Albany St. | 10-1 | 393 | 17 | D. No. 23 Benedict, 22-16 | Nov. 22 vs. Valdosta St. | |
| 14 | Northwest Missouri St. | 9-2 | 351 | 12 | Lost to No. 7 Pittsburg St., 27-14 | Nov. 22 at No. 2 Harding | |
| 15 | Western Colorado | 9-2 | 330 | 18 | D. Colorado Mesa, 42-28 | Nov. 22 at No. 5 Central Washington | |
| 16 | Newberry | 9-1 | 310 | 19 | Idle | Nov. 22 vs. Kentucky St. | |
| 17 | Virginia Union | 9-2 | 307 | 9 | Lost to No. 16 Johnson C. Smith, 45-21 | Nov. 22 vs. California (Pa.) | |
| 18 | Ashland | 9-2 | 253 | 20 | D. Lake Erie, 34-14 | Nov. 22 vs. No. 7 Minnesota-Duluth | |
| 19 | Augustana (S.D.) | 9-2 | 207 | 13 | Lost to Wayne St. (Neb.), 38-31 | Season Complete | |
| 20 | Grand Valley St. | 7-3 | 199 | 21 | D. Roosevelt, 69-13 | Season Complete | |
| 21 | Minnesota St. | 8-3 | 132 | 14 | Lost to MSU Moorhead, 31-23 | Nov. 22 at No. 12 Findlay | |
| 22 | Chadron St. | 8-3 | 94 | 22 | Lost to No. 5 Colorado St.-Pueblo, 30-27 2OT | Nov. 22 at No. 6 Pittsburg St. | |
| 23 | Benedict | 9-2 | 80 | 23 | Lost to No. 17 Albany St., 22-16 | Nov. 22 at Wingate | |
| 24 | Frostburg St. | 9-2 | 72 | NR | D. Fairmont St., 35-18 | Nov. 22 at No. 11 Johnson C. Smith | |
| 25 | Western Oregon | 8-3 | 63 | 24 | Lost to No. 6 Central Washington, 19-17 | Season Complete |
Dropped Out: UNC Pembroke (25)
Others Receiving Votes: Wingate, 59; California (Pa.), 27; Assumption, 25; Delta St., 15; Indiana (Pa.), 12; Kentucky St., 12; Charleston, 9; Valdosta St., 9; Northwood, 8; Upper Iowa, 7; Slippery Rock, 3; West Texas A&M, 2; Henderson St., 1; Southern Arkansas, 1; Truman St., 1; UNC Pembroke, 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.
