Slippery Rock Into Top 25 After Minnesota-Duluth Upset
September 2, 2026
Slippery Rock was in the other’s receiving votes category when the AFCA Division II Coaches Preseason Poll, presented by GoRout Gridiron, came out a couple of weeks ago. That quickly changed thanks to their double-overtime victory over then-No. 12 Minnesota-Duluth. The Rock overcame a 16-point deficit in the final seven minutes of the fourth quarter to force overtime. With both teams scoring touchdowns in each of their first two possessions, it was Slippery Rock’s converted two-point conversion that was the difference in the 45-43 decision. The Rock enter the poll at No. 18 while the Bulldogs fall one spot behind at No. 19.
Ferris State left little doubt who the No. 1 team is to start the 2026 season, beating then-No. 4 Pittsburg State, 42-14, in Pittsburg, Kansas. The Bulldogs received all 31 first-place votes and will host Bentley this coming Friday. Harding and Kutztown were both idle in week 0 and remain at 2 and 3. With the Gorillas dropping to No. 10 after the Ferris State loss, that allowed Minnesota State and CSU Pueblo to move up to the fourth and fifth spots.
Four other teams joined Slippery Rock as newcomers to the top 25 this week. Lenoir-Rhyne upset then-No. 14 Virginia Union, 45-3, dropping the Panthers out of the poll while the Bears break in at No. 21. Valdosta State enters at No. 23 after beating Emory & Henry, 38-10, while Northeastern State comes in at No. 24 after blanking Delta State, 52-0. The final newcomer is Fort Hays State at No. 25. The Tigers beat Angelo State, 35-14, which will hopefully give them some momentum as they host No. 5 CSU Pueblo on Thursday night.
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Season Opener Next Game
1 Ferris St. (31) 1-0 775 1 D. No. 4 Pittsburg St., 42-14 Sept. 4 vs. Bentley
2 Harding 0-0 743 2 Idle Sept. 3 vs. Northwestern Oklahoma St.
3 Kutztown 0-0 708 3 Idle Sept. 3 at Assumption
4 Minnesota St. 1-0 671 5 D. Colorado Mesa, 38-14 Sept. 5 at UMary
5 CSU Pueblo 1-0 645 6 D. Central Missouri, 44-25 Sept. 3 at No. 25 Fort Hays St.
6 Central Washington 0-0 585 7 Idle Sept. 5 at Cal Poly
7 Grand Valley St. 1-0 568 9t D. Charleston, 38-10 Sept. 3 vs. West Texas A&M
8 Northwest Missouri St. 1-0 561 8 D. Texas A&M-Kingsville, 48-3 Sept. 12 vs. Washburn
9 UIndy 1-0 517 9t D. Marian, 39-7 Sept. 5 vs. No. 15 Findlay
10 Pittsburg St. 0-1 492 4 Lost to No. 1 Ferris St., 42-14 Sept. 5 vs. Emporia St.
11 Western Colorado 1-0 482 11 D. West Texas A&M, 52-21 Sept. 3 vs. Angelo St.
12 Ashland 0-0 414 13 Idle Sept. 3 vs. No. 22 Indiana (Pa.)
13 Newberry 0-0 372 15 Idle Sept. 5 vs. Reinhardt
14 Frostburg St. 0-0 310 17 Idle Sept. 5 at Shepherd
15 Findlay 0-0 296 16 Idle Sept. 5 at No. 9 UIndy
16 Augustana (S.D.) 1-0 262 20 D. Missouri Western, 63-58 Sept. 3 at No. 19 Minnesota-Duluth
17 Western Oregon 1-0 258 22 D. Colorado Mines, 22-20 Sept. 5 at Southern Oregon
18 Slippery Rock 1-0 200 NR D. No. 12 Minnesota-Duluth, 45-43 2OT Sept. 12 at East Stroudsburg
19 Minnesota-Duluth 0-1 185 12 Lost to Slippery Rock, 45-43 2OT Sept. 3 vs. No. 16 Augustana (S.D.)
20 Ouachita Baptist 0-0 161 24 Idle Sept. 3 vs. East Central
21 Lenoir-Rhyne 1-0 145 NR D. No. 14 Virginia Union, 45-3 Sept. 5 vs. West Alabama
22 Indiana (Pa.) 0-0 110 25 Idle Sept. 3 at No. 12 Ashland
23 Valdosta St. 1-0 94 NR D. Emory & Henry, 38-10 Sept. 3 vs. Warner
24 Northeastern St. 1-0 75 NR D. Delta St., 52-0 Sept. 5 at Missouri S&T
25 Fort Hays St. 1-0 62 NR D. Angelo St., 35-14 Sept. 3 vs. No. 5 CSU Pueblo
Dropped Out: Virginia Union (14), UT Permian Basin (18), Wingate (19), Albany St. (21), Johnson C. Smith (23)
Others Receiving Votes: Benedict, 55; UNC Pembroke, 47; UT Permian Basin, 41; Virginia Union, 38; Central Oklahoma, 36; Michigan Tech, 34; Albany St., 30; North Greenville, 22; Northwood, 18; Wingate, 18; California (Pa.), 11; Southern Arkansas, 9; East Stroudsburg, 6; Assumption, 5; Johnson C. Smith, 5; Davenport, 3; Carson-Newman, 2; Upper Iowa, 2; Charleston, 1; Virginia 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.
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Slippery Rock was in the other’s receiving votes category when the AFCA Division II Coaches Preseason Poll, presented by GoRout Gridiron, came out a couple of weeks ago. That quickly changed thanks to their double-overtime victory over then-No. 12 Minnesota-Duluth. The Rock overcame a 16-point deficit in the final seven minutes of the fourth quarter to force overtime. With both teams scoring touchdowns in each of their first two possessions, it was Slippery Rock’s converted two-point conversion that was the difference in the 45-43 decision. The Rock enter the poll at No. 18 while the Bulldogs fall one spot behind at No. 19.
Ferris State left little doubt who the No. 1 team is to start the 2026 season, beating then-No. 4 Pittsburg State, 42-14, in Pittsburg, Kansas. The Bulldogs received all 31 first-place votes and will host Bentley this coming Friday. Harding and Kutztown were both idle in week 0 and remain at 2 and 3. With the Gorillas dropping to No. 10 after the Ferris State loss, that allowed Minnesota State and CSU Pueblo to move up to the fourth and fifth spots.
Four other teams joined Slippery Rock as newcomers to the top 25 this week. Lenoir-Rhyne upset then-No. 14 Virginia Union, 45-3, dropping the Panthers out of the poll while the Bears break in at No. 21. Valdosta State enters at No. 23 after beating Emory & Henry, 38-10, while Northeastern State comes in at No. 24 after blanking Delta State, 52-0. The final newcomer is Fort Hays State at No. 25. The Tigers beat Angelo State, 35-14, which will hopefully give them some momentum as they host No. 5 CSU Pueblo on Thursday night.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Season Opener | Next Game | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ferris St. (31) | 1-0 | 775 | 1 | D. No. 4 Pittsburg St., 42-14 | Sept. 4 vs. Bentley | |
| 2 | Harding | 0-0 | 743 | 2 | Idle | Sept. 3 vs. Northwestern Oklahoma St. | |
| 3 | Kutztown | 0-0 | 708 | 3 | Idle | Sept. 3 at Assumption | |
| 4 | Minnesota St. | 1-0 | 671 | 5 | D. Colorado Mesa, 38-14 | Sept. 5 at UMary | |
| 5 | CSU Pueblo | 1-0 | 645 | 6 | D. Central Missouri, 44-25 | Sept. 3 at No. 25 Fort Hays St. | |
| 6 | Central Washington | 0-0 | 585 | 7 | Idle | Sept. 5 at Cal Poly | |
| 7 | Grand Valley St. | 1-0 | 568 | 9t | D. Charleston, 38-10 | Sept. 3 vs. West Texas A&M | |
| 8 | Northwest Missouri St. | 1-0 | 561 | 8 | D. Texas A&M-Kingsville, 48-3 | Sept. 12 vs. Washburn | |
| 9 | UIndy | 1-0 | 517 | 9t | D. Marian, 39-7 | Sept. 5 vs. No. 15 Findlay | |
| 10 | Pittsburg St. | 0-1 | 492 | 4 | Lost to No. 1 Ferris St., 42-14 | Sept. 5 vs. Emporia St. | |
| 11 | Western Colorado | 1-0 | 482 | 11 | D. West Texas A&M, 52-21 | Sept. 3 vs. Angelo St. | |
| 12 | Ashland | 0-0 | 414 | 13 | Idle | Sept. 3 vs. No. 22 Indiana (Pa.) | |
| 13 | Newberry | 0-0 | 372 | 15 | Idle | Sept. 5 vs. Reinhardt | |
| 14 | Frostburg St. | 0-0 | 310 | 17 | Idle | Sept. 5 at Shepherd | |
| 15 | Findlay | 0-0 | 296 | 16 | Idle | Sept. 5 at No. 9 UIndy | |
| 16 | Augustana (S.D.) | 1-0 | 262 | 20 | D. Missouri Western, 63-58 | Sept. 3 at No. 19 Minnesota-Duluth | |
| 17 | Western Oregon | 1-0 | 258 | 22 | D. Colorado Mines, 22-20 | Sept. 5 at Southern Oregon | |
| 18 | Slippery Rock | 1-0 | 200 | NR | D. No. 12 Minnesota-Duluth, 45-43 2OT | Sept. 12 at East Stroudsburg | |
| 19 | Minnesota-Duluth | 0-1 | 185 | 12 | Lost to Slippery Rock, 45-43 2OT | Sept. 3 vs. No. 16 Augustana (S.D.) | |
| 20 | Ouachita Baptist | 0-0 | 161 | 24 | Idle | Sept. 3 vs. East Central | |
| 21 | Lenoir-Rhyne | 1-0 | 145 | NR | D. No. 14 Virginia Union, 45-3 | Sept. 5 vs. West Alabama | |
| 22 | Indiana (Pa.) | 0-0 | 110 | 25 | Idle | Sept. 3 at No. 12 Ashland | |
| 23 | Valdosta St. | 1-0 | 94 | NR | D. Emory & Henry, 38-10 | Sept. 3 vs. Warner | |
| 24 | Northeastern St. | 1-0 | 75 | NR | D. Delta St., 52-0 | Sept. 5 at Missouri S&T | |
| 25 | Fort Hays St. | 1-0 | 62 | NR | D. Angelo St., 35-14 | Sept. 3 vs. No. 5 CSU Pueblo |
Dropped Out: Virginia Union (14), UT Permian Basin (18), Wingate (19), Albany St. (21), Johnson C. Smith (23)
Others Receiving Votes: Benedict, 55; UNC Pembroke, 47; UT Permian Basin, 41; Virginia Union, 38; Central Oklahoma, 36; Michigan Tech, 34; Albany St., 30; North Greenville, 22; Northwood, 18; Wingate, 18; California (Pa.), 11; Southern Arkansas, 9; East Stroudsburg, 6; Assumption, 5; Johnson C. Smith, 5; Davenport, 3; Carson-Newman, 2; Upper Iowa, 2; Charleston, 1; Virginia 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.
