SAGINAW VALLEY STATE ENTERS AFCA TOP 25 FOR FIRST TIME SINCE 2019
September 12, 2022
Saginaw Valley State (Mich.) intercepted Bowie State’s (Md.) first pass of the game, setting up a touchdown, then followed with a blocked punt, which set up their second touchdown, allowing the Cardinals to take a quick 14-0 lead. Saginaw Valley State controlled the rest of the game, beating then-No. 9 Bowie State, 40-12. The win propelled the Cardinals to No. 23 in this week’s AFCA Division II Coaches’ Top 25 Poll. This was SVSU’s first ranking since September 23, 2019.
Other than No. 1 Ferris State (Mich.) and No. 2 Northwest Missouri State, the rest of the poll looks completely different this week thanks to several upsets. Grand Valley State (Mich.) moved up to No. 3 thanks to Virginia Union’s upset win over Valdosta State (Ga.). The 45-40 loss dropped the Blazers to No. 15. Angelo State (Tex.) moved up to No. 5 after handing then-No. 12 Colorado School of Mines a 30-27 overtime loss. The Orediggers dropped to a tie at No. 21 with Albany State (Ga.).
Pittsburg State (Kan.) enters the AFCA Top 25 for the first time this season after upsetting then-No. 11 Nebraska-Kearney, 35-28. The loss dropped the Lopers out of the poll. Minnesota State beat conference rival Minnesota-Duluth, 17-10, and enters the poll for the first time this season at No. 24.
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Week 2 Next Game
1 Ferris St. (Mich.) (29) 2-0 749 1 D. No. 14 Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.), 27-5 Sept. 24 vs. Waldorf (Iowa)
2 Northwest Missouri St. 2-0 712 2 D. Lincoln (Mo.), 58-20 Sept. 17 vs. Central Missouri
3 Grand Valley St. (Mich.) (1) 2-0 692 4 D. No. 21t Colorado St.-Pueblo, 35-10 Sept. 17 vs. Lincoln (Calif.)
4 Shepherd (W.Va.) 2-0 645 5 D. Edinboro (Pa.), 41-7 Sept. 17 vs. California (Pa.)
5 Angelo St. (Tex.) 2-0 625 6 D. No. 12 Colorado School of Mines, 30-27 OT Sept. 17 at Texas Permian Basin
6 West Florida 2-0 609 7 D. Southwest Baptist (Mo.), 49-10 Sept. 24 vs. Delta St. (Miss.)
7 Harding (Ark.) 2-0 567 8 D. Southeastern Oklahoma St., 38-13 Sept. 17 vs. Southern Arkansas
8 West Georgia 2-0 543 10 D. Morehouse (Ga.), 42-0 Sept. 24 at West Alabama
9 Newberry (S.C.) 2-0 471 13 D. North Greenville (S.C.), 29-22 Sept. 17 at Emory & Henry (Va.)
10 Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) 2-0 468 16 D. Southern Nazarene (Okla.), 45-0 Sept. 17 at Arkansas Tech
11 Slippery Rock (Pa.) 2-0 412 18 D. West Chester (Pa.), 35-14 Sept. 17 at Millersville (Pa.)
12 Ashland (Ohio) 2-0 370 20 D. Findlay (Ohio), 28-3 Sept. 24 at Quincy (Ill.)
13 Augustana (S.D.) 2-0 341 19 D. Bemidji St. (Minn.), 30-29 Sept. 17 at Minnesota St.-Moorhead
14 West Texas A&M 2-0 283 23 D. Adams St. (Colo.), 34-19 Sept. 17 vs. Texas A&M-Kingsville
15 Valdosta St. (Ga.) 1-1 281 3 Lost to Virginia Union, 45-40 Sept. 17 at Miles (Ala.)
16 Pittsburg St. (Kan.) 2-0 204 NR D. No. 11 Nebraska-Kearney, 35-28 Sept. 17 vs. Northeastern St. (Okla.)
17 Notre Dame (Ohio) 1-1 158 21t D. Wheeling (W.Va.), 27-14 Sept. 17 vs. West Liberty
18 Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) 1-1 144 14 Lost to No. 1 Ferris St. (Mich.), 27-5 Sept. 17 at Erskine (S.C.)
19 Indianapolis (Ind.) 1-0 140 25 Idle Sept. 17 at Tiffin (Ohio)
20 Bowie St. (Md.) 1-1 132 9 Lost to Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.), 40-12 Sept. 17 at Shaw (N.C.)
21t. Albany St. (Ga.) 1-1 121 15 Lost to Florida A&M, 23-13 Sept. 17 at Shorter (Ga.)
21t. Colorado School of Mines 0-2 121 12 Lost to No. 6 Angelo St. (Tex.), 30-27 OT Sept. 17 at Adams St. (Colo.)
23 Saginaw Valley St. 2-0 120 NR D. No. 9 Bowie St. (Md.), 40-12 Sept. 17 at Northwood (Mich.)
24 Minnesota St. 2-0 119 NR D. Minnesota-Duluth, 17-10 Sept. 17 at Northern St. (S.D.)
25 New Haven (Conn.) 1-1 114 24 D. Southern Connecticut, 31-26 Sept. 17 vs. American International (Mass.)
Dropped Out: Nebraska-Kearney (11), California (Pa.) (17), Colorado St.-Pueblo (21t)
Others Receiving Votes: Washburn (Kan.), 102; Virginia Union, 97; Nebraska-Kearney, 81; Tiffin (Ohio), 51; Henderson St. (Ark.), 48; Colorado St.-Pueblo, 46; West Alabama, 43; Frostburg St. (Md.), 33; Kutztown (Pa.), 30; Indiana (Pa.), 25; Missouri Western St., 21; California (Pa.), 18; Assumption (Mass.), 10; Colorado Mesa, 4.
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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Saginaw Valley State (Mich.) intercepted Bowie State’s (Md.) first pass of the game, setting up a touchdown, then followed with a blocked punt, which set up their second touchdown, allowing the Cardinals to take a quick 14-0 lead. Saginaw Valley State controlled the rest of the game, beating then-No. 9 Bowie State, 40-12. The win propelled the Cardinals to No. 23 in this week’s AFCA Division II Coaches’ Top 25 Poll. This was SVSU’s first ranking since September 23, 2019.
Other than No. 1 Ferris State (Mich.) and No. 2 Northwest Missouri State, the rest of the poll looks completely different this week thanks to several upsets. Grand Valley State (Mich.) moved up to No. 3 thanks to Virginia Union’s upset win over Valdosta State (Ga.). The 45-40 loss dropped the Blazers to No. 15. Angelo State (Tex.) moved up to No. 5 after handing then-No. 12 Colorado School of Mines a 30-27 overtime loss. The Orediggers dropped to a tie at No. 21 with Albany State (Ga.).
Pittsburg State (Kan.) enters the AFCA Top 25 for the first time this season after upsetting then-No. 11 Nebraska-Kearney, 35-28. The loss dropped the Lopers out of the poll. Minnesota State beat conference rival Minnesota-Duluth, 17-10, and enters the poll for the first time this season at No. 24.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week 2 | Next Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ferris St. (Mich.) (29) | 2-0 | 749 | 1 | D. No. 14 Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.), 27-5 | Sept. 24 vs. Waldorf (Iowa) |
| 2 | Northwest Missouri St. | 2-0 | 712 | 2 | D. Lincoln (Mo.), 58-20 | Sept. 17 vs. Central Missouri |
| 3 | Grand Valley St. (Mich.) (1) | 2-0 | 692 | 4 | D. No. 21t Colorado St.-Pueblo, 35-10 | Sept. 17 vs. Lincoln (Calif.) |
| 4 | Shepherd (W.Va.) | 2-0 | 645 | 5 | D. Edinboro (Pa.), 41-7 | Sept. 17 vs. California (Pa.) |
| 5 | Angelo St. (Tex.) | 2-0 | 625 | 6 | D. No. 12 Colorado School of Mines, 30-27 OT | Sept. 17 at Texas Permian Basin |
| 6 | West Florida | 2-0 | 609 | 7 | D. Southwest Baptist (Mo.), 49-10 | Sept. 24 vs. Delta St. (Miss.) |
| 7 | Harding (Ark.) | 2-0 | 567 | 8 | D. Southeastern Oklahoma St., 38-13 | Sept. 17 vs. Southern Arkansas |
| 8 | West Georgia | 2-0 | 543 | 10 | D. Morehouse (Ga.), 42-0 | Sept. 24 at West Alabama |
| 9 | Newberry (S.C.) | 2-0 | 471 | 13 | D. North Greenville (S.C.), 29-22 | Sept. 17 at Emory & Henry (Va.) |
| 10 | Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) | 2-0 | 468 | 16 | D. Southern Nazarene (Okla.), 45-0 | Sept. 17 at Arkansas Tech |
| 11 | Slippery Rock (Pa.) | 2-0 | 412 | 18 | D. West Chester (Pa.), 35-14 | Sept. 17 at Millersville (Pa.) |
| 12 | Ashland (Ohio) | 2-0 | 370 | 20 | D. Findlay (Ohio), 28-3 | Sept. 24 at Quincy (Ill.) |
| 13 | Augustana (S.D.) | 2-0 | 341 | 19 | D. Bemidji St. (Minn.), 30-29 | Sept. 17 at Minnesota St.-Moorhead |
| 14 | West Texas A&M | 2-0 | 283 | 23 | D. Adams St. (Colo.), 34-19 | Sept. 17 vs. Texas A&M-Kingsville |
| 15 | Valdosta St. (Ga.) | 1-1 | 281 | 3 | Lost to Virginia Union, 45-40 | Sept. 17 at Miles (Ala.) |
| 16 | Pittsburg St. (Kan.) | 2-0 | 204 | NR | D. No. 11 Nebraska-Kearney, 35-28 | Sept. 17 vs. Northeastern St. (Okla.) |
| 17 | Notre Dame (Ohio) | 1-1 | 158 | 21t | D. Wheeling (W.Va.), 27-14 | Sept. 17 vs. West Liberty |
| 18 | Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) | 1-1 | 144 | 14 | Lost to No. 1 Ferris St. (Mich.), 27-5 | Sept. 17 at Erskine (S.C.) |
| 19 | Indianapolis (Ind.) | 1-0 | 140 | 25 | Idle | Sept. 17 at Tiffin (Ohio) |
| 20 | Bowie St. (Md.) | 1-1 | 132 | 9 | Lost to Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.), 40-12 | Sept. 17 at Shaw (N.C.) |
| 21t. | Albany St. (Ga.) | 1-1 | 121 | 15 | Lost to Florida A&M, 23-13 | Sept. 17 at Shorter (Ga.) |
| 21t. | Colorado School of Mines | 0-2 | 121 | 12 | Lost to No. 6 Angelo St. (Tex.), 30-27 OT | Sept. 17 at Adams St. (Colo.) |
| 23 | Saginaw Valley St. | 2-0 | 120 | NR | D. No. 9 Bowie St. (Md.), 40-12 | Sept. 17 at Northwood (Mich.) |
| 24 | Minnesota St. | 2-0 | 119 | NR | D. Minnesota-Duluth, 17-10 | Sept. 17 at Northern St. (S.D.) |
| 25 | New Haven (Conn.) | 1-1 | 114 | 24 | D. Southern Connecticut, 31-26 | Sept. 17 vs. American International (Mass.) |
Dropped Out: Nebraska-Kearney (11), California (Pa.) (17), Colorado St.-Pueblo (21t)
Others Receiving Votes: Washburn (Kan.), 102; Virginia Union, 97; Nebraska-Kearney, 81; Tiffin (Ohio), 51; Henderson St. (Ark.), 48; Colorado St.-Pueblo, 46; West Alabama, 43; Frostburg St. (Md.), 33; Kutztown (Pa.), 30; Indiana (Pa.), 25; Missouri Western St., 21; California (Pa.), 18; Assumption (Mass.), 10; Colorado Mesa, 4.
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.
