Ferris State Ends the 2021 Season at No. 1
December 20, 2021
Ferris State (Mich.) took over the No. 1 spot in the AFCA Division II Coaches’ Top 25 poll on October 18 and never looked back. The Bulldogs rolled through every opponent in the playoffs and dominated No. 2 Valdosta State (Ga.), 58-17, in the NCAA Division II national championship game to end 2021 at No. 1. This was Ferris State’s first national title as the Bulldogs finish the season at 14-0.
RELATED ARTICLE: [D2 Poll] Ferris State ends Regular Season at No. 1
Thanks to their national championship game appearance, Valdosta State rises three spots to No. 2 while Colorado School of Mines jumped six places to finish at No. 3 because of its run to the semifinals. Northwest Missouri State lost to the national champion in the quarterfinals and drops to No. 4, as did Shepherd (W.Va.), who lost to Ferris State in the semifinals, but moves up three spots to round out the top-five.
Angelo State (Tex.) was last in the AFCA Top 25 on September 13, but the Rams made a run to the quarterfinals and re-enters the final poll at No. 11. Newberry (S.C.) was never ranked during the regular season, but the South Atlantic Conference champions made it to the second round of the playoffs and enter at No. 17. The same goes for the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference co-champion, Bemidji State (Minn.). The Beavers fell in the second round of the playoffs and enter the final AFCA Top 25 at No. 19.
2021 American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches’ Poll – December 20, 2021
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Post-season Head Coach
1 Ferris St. (Mich.) (30) 14-0 750 1 D. No. 5 Valdosta St. (Ga.), 58-17, in national championship Tony Annese
2 Valdosta St. (Ga.) 12-2 720 5 Lost to No. 1 Ferris St. (Mich.), 58-17, in national championship Gary Goff
3 Colorado School of Mines 12-2 651 9 Lost to No. 5 Valdosta St. (Ga.), 34-31, in semifinals Gregg Brandon
4 Northwest Missouri St. 11-2 646 3 Lost to No. 1 Ferris St. (Mich.), 41-20, in quarterfinals Rich Wright
5 Shepherd (W.Va.) 13-2 626 8 Lost to No. 1 Ferris St. (Mich.), 55-7, in semifinals Ernie McCook
6 Bowie St. (Md.) 12-2 545 10 Lost to No. 5 Valdosta St. (Ga.), 41-17, in quarterfinals Damon Wilson
7 Grand Valley St. (Mich.) 10-2 521 4 Lost to No. 1 Ferris St. (Mich.), 50-24, in second round Matt Mitchell
8 Kutztown (Pa.) 11-2 497 12 Lost to No. 8 Shepherd (W.Va.), 30-28, in quarterfinals Jim Clements
9 Notre Dame (Ohio) 11-2 454 6 Lost to No. 8 Shepherd (W.Va.), 38-34, in second round Mickey Mental
10 Harding (Ark.) 11-2 448 7 Lost to No. 3 Northwest Missouri St., 28-9, in second round Paul Simmons
11 Angelo St. (Tex.) 11-3 437 NR Lost to No. 9 Colorado School of Mines, 34-26, in quarterfinals Jeff Girsch
12 West Florida 9-2 422 2 Lost to Newberry (S.C.), 33-30 OT, in first round Pete Shinnick
13 West Georgia 9-3 413 13 Lost to No. 5 Valdosta St. (Ga.), 66-35, in second round David Dean
14 New Haven (Conn.) 10-2 307 18 Lost to No. 12 Kutztown (Pa.), 10-7, in second round Chris Pincince
15 Nebraska-Kearney 10-3 304 21 Lost to Angelo St. (Texas), 20-7, in second round Josh Lynn
16 Western Colorado 10-2 293 11 Lost to No. 21 Nebraska-Kearney, 31-24, in first round Jas Bains
17 Newberry (S.C.) 10-3 271 NR Lost to No. 10 Bowie St. (Md.), 13-10, in second round Todd Knight
18 Albany St. (Ga.) 10-2 233 16 Lost to No. 13 West Georgia, 23-7, in first round Gabe Giardina
19 Bemidji St. (Minn.) 10-3 175 NR Lost to No. 9 Colorado School of Mines, 55-6, in second round Brent Bolte
20 Slippery Rock (Pa.) 9-3 166 19 Lost to No. 6 Notre Dame (Ohio), 33-25, in first round Shawn Lutz
21 California (Pa.) 9-1 135 14 DNQ Playoffs Gary Dunn
22 Frostburg St. (Md.) 10-1 134 15 DNQ Playoffs DeLane Fitzgerald
23 Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) 9-2 101 17 DNQ Playoffs Todd Knight
24 Bentley (Mass.) 9-2 97 20 Lost to No. 18 New Haven (Conn.), 38-13, in first round Bill Kavanaugh
25 Washburn (Kan.) 9-3 84 24 Lost to No. 7 Harding (Ark.), 30-14, in first round Craig Schurig
Dropped Out: Henderson St. (Ark.) (22), Minnesota-Duluth (23), Augustana (S.D.) (25)
Others Receiving Votes: Minnesota-Duluth, 82; Lindenwood (Mo.), 71; Augustana (S.D.), 55; Henderson St. (Ark.), 51; Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.), 40; Charleston (W.Va.), 12; Colorado Mesa, 6; Findlay (Ohio), 3.
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 (Mich.) took over the No. 1 spot in the AFCA Division II Coaches’ Top 25 poll on October 18 and never looked back. The Bulldogs rolled through every opponent in the playoffs and dominated No. 2 Valdosta State (Ga.), 58-17, in the NCAA Division II national championship game to end 2021 at No. 1. This was Ferris State’s first national title as the Bulldogs finish the season at 14-0.
RELATED ARTICLE: [D2 Poll] Ferris State ends Regular Season at No. 1
Thanks to their national championship game appearance, Valdosta State rises three spots to No. 2 while Colorado School of Mines jumped six places to finish at No. 3 because of its run to the semifinals. Northwest Missouri State lost to the national champion in the quarterfinals and drops to No. 4, as did Shepherd (W.Va.), who lost to Ferris State in the semifinals, but moves up three spots to round out the top-five.
Angelo State (Tex.) was last in the AFCA Top 25 on September 13, but the Rams made a run to the quarterfinals and re-enters the final poll at No. 11. Newberry (S.C.) was never ranked during the regular season, but the South Atlantic Conference champions made it to the second round of the playoffs and enter at No. 17. The same goes for the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference co-champion, Bemidji State (Minn.). The Beavers fell in the second round of the playoffs and enter the final AFCA Top 25 at No. 19.
2021 American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches’ Poll – December 20, 2021
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Post-season | Head Coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ferris St. (Mich.) (30) | 14-0 | 750 | 1 | D. No. 5 Valdosta St. (Ga.), 58-17, in national championship | Tony Annese |
| 2 | Valdosta St. (Ga.) | 12-2 | 720 | 5 | Lost to No. 1 Ferris St. (Mich.), 58-17, in national championship | Gary Goff |
| 3 | Colorado School of Mines | 12-2 | 651 | 9 | Lost to No. 5 Valdosta St. (Ga.), 34-31, in semifinals | Gregg Brandon |
| 4 | Northwest Missouri St. | 11-2 | 646 | 3 | Lost to No. 1 Ferris St. (Mich.), 41-20, in quarterfinals | Rich Wright |
| 5 | Shepherd (W.Va.) | 13-2 | 626 | 8 | Lost to No. 1 Ferris St. (Mich.), 55-7, in semifinals | Ernie McCook |
| 6 | Bowie St. (Md.) | 12-2 | 545 | 10 | Lost to No. 5 Valdosta St. (Ga.), 41-17, in quarterfinals | Damon Wilson |
| 7 | Grand Valley St. (Mich.) | 10-2 | 521 | 4 | Lost to No. 1 Ferris St. (Mich.), 50-24, in second round | Matt Mitchell |
| 8 | Kutztown (Pa.) | 11-2 | 497 | 12 | Lost to No. 8 Shepherd (W.Va.), 30-28, in quarterfinals | Jim Clements |
| 9 | Notre Dame (Ohio) | 11-2 | 454 | 6 | Lost to No. 8 Shepherd (W.Va.), 38-34, in second round | Mickey Mental |
| 10 | Harding (Ark.) | 11-2 | 448 | 7 | Lost to No. 3 Northwest Missouri St., 28-9, in second round | Paul Simmons |
| 11 | Angelo St. (Tex.) | 11-3 | 437 | NR | Lost to No. 9 Colorado School of Mines, 34-26, in quarterfinals | Jeff Girsch |
| 12 | West Florida | 9-2 | 422 | 2 | Lost to Newberry (S.C.), 33-30 OT, in first round | Pete Shinnick |
| 13 | West Georgia | 9-3 | 413 | 13 | Lost to No. 5 Valdosta St. (Ga.), 66-35, in second round | David Dean |
| 14 | New Haven (Conn.) | 10-2 | 307 | 18 | Lost to No. 12 Kutztown (Pa.), 10-7, in second round | Chris Pincince |
| 15 | Nebraska-Kearney | 10-3 | 304 | 21 | Lost to Angelo St. (Texas), 20-7, in second round | Josh Lynn |
| 16 | Western Colorado | 10-2 | 293 | 11 | Lost to No. 21 Nebraska-Kearney, 31-24, in first round | Jas Bains |
| 17 | Newberry (S.C.) | 10-3 | 271 | NR | Lost to No. 10 Bowie St. (Md.), 13-10, in second round | Todd Knight |
| 18 | Albany St. (Ga.) | 10-2 | 233 | 16 | Lost to No. 13 West Georgia, 23-7, in first round | Gabe Giardina |
| 19 | Bemidji St. (Minn.) | 10-3 | 175 | NR | Lost to No. 9 Colorado School of Mines, 55-6, in second round | Brent Bolte |
| 20 | Slippery Rock (Pa.) | 9-3 | 166 | 19 | Lost to No. 6 Notre Dame (Ohio), 33-25, in first round | Shawn Lutz |
| 21 | California (Pa.) | 9-1 | 135 | 14 | DNQ Playoffs | Gary Dunn |
| 22 | Frostburg St. (Md.) | 10-1 | 134 | 15 | DNQ Playoffs | DeLane Fitzgerald |
| 23 | Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) | 9-2 | 101 | 17 | DNQ Playoffs | Todd Knight |
| 24 | Bentley (Mass.) | 9-2 | 97 | 20 | Lost to No. 18 New Haven (Conn.), 38-13, in first round | Bill Kavanaugh |
| 25 | Washburn (Kan.) | 9-3 | 84 | 24 | Lost to No. 7 Harding (Ark.), 30-14, in first round | Craig Schurig |
Dropped Out: Henderson St. (Ark.) (22), Minnesota-Duluth (23), Augustana (S.D.) (25)
Others Receiving Votes: Minnesota-Duluth, 82; Lindenwood (Mo.), 71; Augustana (S.D.), 55; Henderson St. (Ark.), 51; Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.), 40; Charleston (W.Va.), 12; Colorado Mesa, 6; Findlay (Ohio), 3.
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.
