Minnesota-Duluth Rolls Past Sioux Falls to 4-0
September 22, 2025
The Minnesota-Duluth offense and defense were clicking on all cylinders when they visited Sioux Falls Saturday. The Bulldogs scored 34 unanswered points to start the game, and their defense held Sioux Falls scoreless through three quarters to roll to a 34-17 win. It was UMD’s first victory in Sioux Falls in five opportunities. Minnesota-Duluth remains No. 16 in this week’s AFCA Division II Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl, while the Cougars fell out of the top 25.
There was very little movement in the top 20 this week as everybody from No. 18 on up won or was idle. Ferris State remains in the top spot after beating NAIA-member Rio Grande, 76-0. Harding, West Florida, Slippery Rock and Kutztown round out the top five.
There is only one top 25 matchup this coming weekend and it is a big one in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference West Division as No. 4 Slippery Rock plays host to No. 8 California (Pa.). Slippery Rock owns the all-time series record at 53-34-3 but California (Pa.) won last year’s meeting, 28-7.
Lenoir-Rhyne, Johnson C. Smith, Michigan Tech and Sioux Falls all lost on Saturday and dropped out of the top 25, making room for UIndy, Delta State, Henderson State and Findlay at 22 through 25, respectively. UIndy and Delta State both re-enter after being ranked earlier this season, but Henderson State and Findlay are making their first appearances this season.
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Week 4 Next Game
1 Ferris St. (31) 4-0 775 1 D. Rio Grande, 76-0 Oct. 4 at Roosevelt
2 Harding 3-0 743 2 D. Southern Arkansas, 31-12 Sept. 27 vs. Ouachita Baptist
3 West Florida 4-0 701 3 D. North Greenville, 25-17 Oct. 4 at Northeastern St.
4 Slippery Rock 3-0 657 4 D. Shippensburg, 42-0 Sept. 27 vs. No. 8 California (Pa.)
5 Kutztown 3-0 646 5 D. Gannon, 46-7 Sept. 27 at Shepherd
6 Angelo St. 4-0 623 6 D. Western New Mexico, 56-27 Oct. 4 vs. No. 11 UT Permian Basin
7 Western Colorado 3-0 579 7 D. Adams St., 45-6 Sept. 27 vs. New Mexico Highlands
8 California (Pa.) 3-0 529 8 D. Lock Haven, 42-6 Sept. 27 at No. 4 Slippery Rock
9 Augustana (S.D.) 4-0 506 9 D. Bemidji St., 42-14 Sept. 27 vs. Winona St.
10 Grand Valley St. 2-1 480 10 Idle Oct. 4 vs. Davenport
11 UT-Permian Basin 3-0 473 11 D. Texas A&M-Kingsville, 43-30 Sept. 27 vs. Midwestern St.
12 Colorado St.-Pueblo 3-1 400 12 D. Colorado Mesa, 31-24 Sept. 27 vs. Adams St.
13 West Alabama 4-0 395 13 D. Barton, 52-14 Sept. 27 at North Greenville
14 Minnesota St. 3-1 365 14 D. Jamestown, 36-7 Sept. 27 vs. Sioux Falls
15 Central Oklahoma 2-1 344 15 D. Washburn, 34-28 Sept. 27 at Northwest Missouri St.
16 Minnesota-Duluth 4-0 331 16 D. No. 25 Sioux Falls, 34-17 Sept. 27 vs. Minnesota St.-Moorhead
17 Central Washington 2-1 284 17 D. West Texas A&M, 52-6 Sept. 27 at Western New Mexico
18 Pittsburg St. 2-2 274 18 D. Fort Hays St., 31-16 Sept. 27 at Emporia St.
19 Wingate 3-0 190 23 D. Virginia-Wise, 28-7 Sept. 27 vs. Carson-Newman
20 Valdosta St. 2-1 179 20 Idle Sept. 27 vs. UNC Pembroke
21 Virginia Union 2-1 176 22 D. No. 21 Johnson C. Smith, 28-10 Sept. 27 at Shaw
22 UIndy 3-1 98 NR D. McKendree, 47-19 Sept. 27 at Truman St.
23 Delta St. 3-1 71 NR D. Fort Valley St., 21-16 Sept. 27 vs. Erskine
24 Henderson St. 3-0 62 NR D. Arkansas-Monticello, 48-18 Sept. 27 vs. Southern Arkansas
25 Findlay 3-0 27 NR D. Lake Erie, 33-3 Sept. 27 vs. Thomas More
Dropped Out: Lenoir-Rhyne (19), Johnson C. Smith (21), Michigan Tech (24), Sioux Falls (25)
Others Receiving Votes: Carson-Newman, 24; Clarion, 19; Frostburg St., 19; Ashland, 18; Charleston, 16; Lenoir-Rhyne, 15; Johnson C. Smith, 13; Indiana (Pa.), 10; Fort Hays St., 6; UNC Pembroke, 6; Sioux Falls, 5; Colorado School of Mines, 4; Northwest Missouri St., 4; Nebraska-Kearney, 2; Ohio Dominican, 2; Catawba, 1; Edward Waters, 1; New Mexico Highlands, 1; Upper Iowa, 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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The Minnesota-Duluth offense and defense were clicking on all cylinders when they visited Sioux Falls Saturday. The Bulldogs scored 34 unanswered points to start the game, and their defense held Sioux Falls scoreless through three quarters to roll to a 34-17 win. It was UMD’s first victory in Sioux Falls in five opportunities. Minnesota-Duluth remains No. 16 in this week’s AFCA Division II Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl, while the Cougars fell out of the top 25.
There was very little movement in the top 20 this week as everybody from No. 18 on up won or was idle. Ferris State remains in the top spot after beating NAIA-member Rio Grande, 76-0. Harding, West Florida, Slippery Rock and Kutztown round out the top five.
There is only one top 25 matchup this coming weekend and it is a big one in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference West Division as No. 4 Slippery Rock plays host to No. 8 California (Pa.). Slippery Rock owns the all-time series record at 53-34-3 but California (Pa.) won last year’s meeting, 28-7.
Lenoir-Rhyne, Johnson C. Smith, Michigan Tech and Sioux Falls all lost on Saturday and dropped out of the top 25, making room for UIndy, Delta State, Henderson State and Findlay at 22 through 25, respectively. UIndy and Delta State both re-enter after being ranked earlier this season, but Henderson State and Findlay are making their first appearances this season.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week 4 | Next Game | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ferris St. (31) | 4-0 | 775 | 1 | D. Rio Grande, 76-0 | Oct. 4 at Roosevelt | |
| 2 | Harding | 3-0 | 743 | 2 | D. Southern Arkansas, 31-12 | Sept. 27 vs. Ouachita Baptist | |
| 3 | West Florida | 4-0 | 701 | 3 | D. North Greenville, 25-17 | Oct. 4 at Northeastern St. | |
| 4 | Slippery Rock | 3-0 | 657 | 4 | D. Shippensburg, 42-0 | Sept. 27 vs. No. 8 California (Pa.) | |
| 5 | Kutztown | 3-0 | 646 | 5 | D. Gannon, 46-7 | Sept. 27 at Shepherd | |
| 6 | Angelo St. | 4-0 | 623 | 6 | D. Western New Mexico, 56-27 | Oct. 4 vs. No. 11 UT Permian Basin | |
| 7 | Western Colorado | 3-0 | 579 | 7 | D. Adams St., 45-6 | Sept. 27 vs. New Mexico Highlands | |
| 8 | California (Pa.) | 3-0 | 529 | 8 | D. Lock Haven, 42-6 | Sept. 27 at No. 4 Slippery Rock | |
| 9 | Augustana (S.D.) | 4-0 | 506 | 9 | D. Bemidji St., 42-14 | Sept. 27 vs. Winona St. | |
| 10 | Grand Valley St. | 2-1 | 480 | 10 | Idle | Oct. 4 vs. Davenport | |
| 11 | UT-Permian Basin | 3-0 | 473 | 11 | D. Texas A&M-Kingsville, 43-30 | Sept. 27 vs. Midwestern St. | |
| 12 | Colorado St.-Pueblo | 3-1 | 400 | 12 | D. Colorado Mesa, 31-24 | Sept. 27 vs. Adams St. | |
| 13 | West Alabama | 4-0 | 395 | 13 | D. Barton, 52-14 | Sept. 27 at North Greenville | |
| 14 | Minnesota St. | 3-1 | 365 | 14 | D. Jamestown, 36-7 | Sept. 27 vs. Sioux Falls | |
| 15 | Central Oklahoma | 2-1 | 344 | 15 | D. Washburn, 34-28 | Sept. 27 at Northwest Missouri St. | |
| 16 | Minnesota-Duluth | 4-0 | 331 | 16 | D. No. 25 Sioux Falls, 34-17 | Sept. 27 vs. Minnesota St.-Moorhead | |
| 17 | Central Washington | 2-1 | 284 | 17 | D. West Texas A&M, 52-6 | Sept. 27 at Western New Mexico | |
| 18 | Pittsburg St. | 2-2 | 274 | 18 | D. Fort Hays St., 31-16 | Sept. 27 at Emporia St. | |
| 19 | Wingate | 3-0 | 190 | 23 | D. Virginia-Wise, 28-7 | Sept. 27 vs. Carson-Newman | |
| 20 | Valdosta St. | 2-1 | 179 | 20 | Idle | Sept. 27 vs. UNC Pembroke | |
| 21 | Virginia Union | 2-1 | 176 | 22 | D. No. 21 Johnson C. Smith, 28-10 | Sept. 27 at Shaw | |
| 22 | UIndy | 3-1 | 98 | NR | D. McKendree, 47-19 | Sept. 27 at Truman St. | |
| 23 | Delta St. | 3-1 | 71 | NR | D. Fort Valley St., 21-16 | Sept. 27 vs. Erskine | |
| 24 | Henderson St. | 3-0 | 62 | NR | D. Arkansas-Monticello, 48-18 | Sept. 27 vs. Southern Arkansas | |
| 25 | Findlay | 3-0 | 27 | NR | D. Lake Erie, 33-3 | Sept. 27 vs. Thomas More |
Dropped Out: Lenoir-Rhyne (19), Johnson C. Smith (21), Michigan Tech (24), Sioux Falls (25)
Others Receiving Votes: Carson-Newman, 24; Clarion, 19; Frostburg St., 19; Ashland, 18; Charleston, 16; Lenoir-Rhyne, 15; Johnson C. Smith, 13; Indiana (Pa.), 10; Fort Hays St., 6; UNC Pembroke, 6; Sioux Falls, 5; Colorado School of Mines, 4; Northwest Missouri St., 4; Nebraska-Kearney, 2; Ohio Dominican, 2; Catawba, 1; Edward Waters, 1; New Mexico Highlands, 1; Upper Iowa, 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.
