North Greenville Pulls Off Road Upset Of West Alabama
September 21, 2026
Down 14-3 early in the second quarter to then-No. 18 West Alabama, the North Greenville defense stepped up, causing three turnovers and keeping the Tigers off the scoreboard for the rest of the game. Freshman running back Maurice Anderson added two touchdowns, helping the Trailblazers to a 24-14 victory. The win allowed North Greenville to enter the AFCA Division II Coaches Poll, presented by GoRout Gridiron, for the first time since December 19, 2016. The Trailblazers are ranked No. 25 but the loss dropped West Alabama out of the top 25.
There wasn’t much movement in the top 10 this week as the top nine teams remained unchanged. Western Oregon lost to conference rival Central Washington, 45-36, dropping the Wolves from 10 to 17. CWU benefitted from the victory, jumping two spots to No. 14. Carson-Newman and Davenport had the biggest jumps in the poll, both rising six spots each to No. 16 and No. 18, respectively, while Valdosta State had the biggest drop, going from 13 to 22 after its surprising loss to UNC Pembroke, 44-41.
There is only one top 25 matchup again this coming weekend, but it’s a big one in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference as No. 9 Findlay hosts No. 23 Northwood. Both teams are sitting in an early tie for the top spot in the conference along with Walsh, Tiffin and Ashland.
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Week 3 Next Game
1 Ferris St. (31) 3-0 775 1 Idle Sept. 26 vs. Kentucky Christian
2 Harding 3-0 744 2 D. Southern Arkansas, 52-21 Sept. 26 at Ouachita Baptist
3 Kutztown 3-0 702 3 D. Lock Haven, 35-20 Sept. 26 vs. Shepherd
4 Minnesota St. 4-0 668 4 D. Northern St., 35-17 Sept. 26 at Sioux Falls
5 CSU Pueblo 4-0 652 5 D. Chadron St., 33-6 Sept. 26 vs. Colorado Mesa
6 Grand Valley St. 4-0 611 6 D. Judson, 96-0 Sept. 26 vs. Wayne St. (Mich.)
7 Northwest Missouri St. 3-0 594 7 D. Missouri Southern, 65-3 Sept. 26 at Central Oklahoma
8 Western Colorado 4-0 544 8 D. Colorado Mesa, 31-17 Sept. 26 vs. Adams St.
9 Findlay 3-0 520 9 D. Kentucky Wesleyan, 64-0 Sept. 26 vs. No. 23 Northwood
10 Slippery Rock 3-0 468 11 D. Millersville, 70-10 Sept. 26 at California (Pa.)
11 Indiana (Pa.) 3-0 425 12 D. Shippensburg, 28-26 Sept. 26 vs. Seton Hill
12 Emporia St. 4-0 385 17 D. Nebraska-Kearney, 19-9 Oct. 3 vs. Missouri Western
13 Minnesota-Duluth 3-1 373 14 D. Winona St., 9-6 Sept. 26 at MSU Moorhead
14 Central Washington 1-2 347 16 D. No. 10 Western Oregon, 45-36 Sept. 26 vs. Sul Ross St.
15 Benedict 3-0 260 19 D. Fort Valley St., 34-33 OT Sept. 24 at Tuskegee
16 Carson-Newman 4-0 255 22 D. Virginia-Wise, 42-7 Sept. 26 vs. Mars Hill
17 Western Oregon 2-1 253 10 Lost to No. 16 Central Washington, 45-36 Sept. 26 vs. Angelo St.
18 Davenport 4-0 223 24 D. Northern Michigan, 42-7 Oct. 3 at Saginaw Valley St.
19 Northeastern St. 3-1 202 15 Lost to Northern Colorado, 23-17 OT Sept. 26 at Stephen F. Austin
20 Augustana (S.D.) 3-1 194 20 D. MSU Moorhead, 45-21 Sept. 26 at Winona St.
21 Newberry 2-1 178 21 D. Wingate, 25-22 Sept. 26 at Emory & Henry
22 Valdosta St. 3-1 125 13 Lost to UNC Pembroke, 44-41 Oct. 3 vs. Erskine
23 Northwood 3-0 114 25t D. Hillsdale, 10-7 Sept. 26 at No. 9 Findlay
24 Michigan Tech 3-1 94 25t D. Upper Iowa, 33-32 Oct. 3 at Roosevelt
25 North Greenville 3-0 93 NR D. No. 18 West Alabama, 24-14 Sept. 26 at Ferrum
Dropped Out: West Alabama (18), Frostburg St. (23)
Others Receiving Votes: Henderson St., 51; Shepherd, 39; West Alabama, 34; Fort Hays St., 31; UT Permian Basin, 29; Northern St., 16; Virginia Union, 16; Walsh, 16; UNC Pembroke, 15; Ashland, 10; East Central, 7; Roosevelt, 6; Mars Hill, 5; Black Hills St., 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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Down 14-3 early in the second quarter to then-No. 18 West Alabama, the North Greenville defense stepped up, causing three turnovers and keeping the Tigers off the scoreboard for the rest of the game. Freshman running back Maurice Anderson added two touchdowns, helping the Trailblazers to a 24-14 victory. The win allowed North Greenville to enter the AFCA Division II Coaches Poll, presented by GoRout Gridiron, for the first time since December 19, 2016. The Trailblazers are ranked No. 25 but the loss dropped West Alabama out of the top 25.
There wasn’t much movement in the top 10 this week as the top nine teams remained unchanged. Western Oregon lost to conference rival Central Washington, 45-36, dropping the Wolves from 10 to 17. CWU benefitted from the victory, jumping two spots to No. 14. Carson-Newman and Davenport had the biggest jumps in the poll, both rising six spots each to No. 16 and No. 18, respectively, while Valdosta State had the biggest drop, going from 13 to 22 after its surprising loss to UNC Pembroke, 44-41.
There is only one top 25 matchup again this coming weekend, but it’s a big one in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference as No. 9 Findlay hosts No. 23 Northwood. Both teams are sitting in an early tie for the top spot in the conference along with Walsh, Tiffin and Ashland.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week 3 | Next Game | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ferris St. (31) | 3-0 | 775 | 1 | Idle | Sept. 26 vs. Kentucky Christian | |
| 2 | Harding | 3-0 | 744 | 2 | D. Southern Arkansas, 52-21 | Sept. 26 at Ouachita Baptist | |
| 3 | Kutztown | 3-0 | 702 | 3 | D. Lock Haven, 35-20 | Sept. 26 vs. Shepherd | |
| 4 | Minnesota St. | 4-0 | 668 | 4 | D. Northern St., 35-17 | Sept. 26 at Sioux Falls | |
| 5 | CSU Pueblo | 4-0 | 652 | 5 | D. Chadron St., 33-6 | Sept. 26 vs. Colorado Mesa | |
| 6 | Grand Valley St. | 4-0 | 611 | 6 | D. Judson, 96-0 | Sept. 26 vs. Wayne St. (Mich.) | |
| 7 | Northwest Missouri St. | 3-0 | 594 | 7 | D. Missouri Southern, 65-3 | Sept. 26 at Central Oklahoma | |
| 8 | Western Colorado | 4-0 | 544 | 8 | D. Colorado Mesa, 31-17 | Sept. 26 vs. Adams St. | |
| 9 | Findlay | 3-0 | 520 | 9 | D. Kentucky Wesleyan, 64-0 | Sept. 26 vs. No. 23 Northwood | |
| 10 | Slippery Rock | 3-0 | 468 | 11 | D. Millersville, 70-10 | Sept. 26 at California (Pa.) | |
| 11 | Indiana (Pa.) | 3-0 | 425 | 12 | D. Shippensburg, 28-26 | Sept. 26 vs. Seton Hill | |
| 12 | Emporia St. | 4-0 | 385 | 17 | D. Nebraska-Kearney, 19-9 | Oct. 3 vs. Missouri Western | |
| 13 | Minnesota-Duluth | 3-1 | 373 | 14 | D. Winona St., 9-6 | Sept. 26 at MSU Moorhead | |
| 14 | Central Washington | 1-2 | 347 | 16 | D. No. 10 Western Oregon, 45-36 | Sept. 26 vs. Sul Ross St. | |
| 15 | Benedict | 3-0 | 260 | 19 | D. Fort Valley St., 34-33 OT | Sept. 24 at Tuskegee | |
| 16 | Carson-Newman | 4-0 | 255 | 22 | D. Virginia-Wise, 42-7 | Sept. 26 vs. Mars Hill | |
| 17 | Western Oregon | 2-1 | 253 | 10 | Lost to No. 16 Central Washington, 45-36 | Sept. 26 vs. Angelo St. | |
| 18 | Davenport | 4-0 | 223 | 24 | D. Northern Michigan, 42-7 | Oct. 3 at Saginaw Valley St. | |
| 19 | Northeastern St. | 3-1 | 202 | 15 | Lost to Northern Colorado, 23-17 OT | Sept. 26 at Stephen F. Austin | |
| 20 | Augustana (S.D.) | 3-1 | 194 | 20 | D. MSU Moorhead, 45-21 | Sept. 26 at Winona St. | |
| 21 | Newberry | 2-1 | 178 | 21 | D. Wingate, 25-22 | Sept. 26 at Emory & Henry | |
| 22 | Valdosta St. | 3-1 | 125 | 13 | Lost to UNC Pembroke, 44-41 | Oct. 3 vs. Erskine | |
| 23 | Northwood | 3-0 | 114 | 25t | D. Hillsdale, 10-7 | Sept. 26 at No. 9 Findlay | |
| 24 | Michigan Tech | 3-1 | 94 | 25t | D. Upper Iowa, 33-32 | Oct. 3 at Roosevelt | |
| 25 | North Greenville | 3-0 | 93 | NR | D. No. 18 West Alabama, 24-14 | Sept. 26 at Ferrum |
Dropped Out: West Alabama (18), Frostburg St. (23)
Others Receiving Votes: Henderson St., 51; Shepherd, 39; West Alabama, 34; Fort Hays St., 31; UT Permian Basin, 29; Northern St., 16; Virginia Union, 16; Walsh, 16; UNC Pembroke, 15; Ashland, 10; East Central, 7; Roosevelt, 6; Mars Hill, 5; Black Hills St., 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.
