Truman State Enters the AFCA Top 25 for the Time In 2023
October 2, 2023
Thanks to three interceptions returned for touchdowns by the Truman State (Mo.) defense, the Bulldogs rolled to a 56-24 win over McKendree (Ill.). The win moved Truman State’s record to 5-0 and they appear in the AFCA Division II Coaches’ Top 25 Poll for the first time this season at No. 24. The Bulldogs were ranked four times in 2022, ending the season ranked No. 25.
The top eight teams remained unchanged this week with everybody winning. The changes come from the ninth ranked team on down thanks to Bemidji State’s (Minn.) 27-24 loss to No. 4 Minnesota State. The Beavers fell from No. 9 to No. 14, causing Harding (Ark.) and Slippery Rock (Pa.) to round out the Top 10.
Emporia State (Kan.) also fell from the ranks of the unbeatens, losing to Missouri Western State, 34-31, and dropping nine spots to No. 20. The Hornets don’t have long to lick their wounds as they are one of two Top 25 matchups this coming weekend as they travel to No. 3 Pittsburg State (Kan.). The other matchup is a big one in the Gulf South Conference as the only two undefeated teams left will face each other. No. 8 Delta State (Miss.) at 5-0 will travel to Valdosta, Georgia, to face 5-0 and No. 19 Valdosta State (Ga.). Delta State owns the all-time series advantage at 21-19-1 and won last year’s meeting, 70-31.
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Week 5 Next Game
1 Ferris St. (Mich.) (26) 3-1 745 1 D. Northern Michigan, 78-3 Oct. 7 vs. Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.)
2 Colorado School of Mines (3) 5-0 721 2 D. Chadron St. (Neb.), 35-7 Oct. 7 at Colorado Mesa
3 Pittsburg St. (Kan.) 5-0 688 3 D. Northeastern St. (Okla.), 42-7 Oct. 7 vs. No. 20 Emporia St. (Kan.)
4 Minnesota St. 5-0 633 4 D. No. 9 Bemidji St. (Minn.), 27-24 Oct. 7 vs. Minnesota St.-Moorhead
5 Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) 5-0 610 5 D. Southeastern Oklahoma St., 34-7 Oct. 7 at East Central (Okla.)
6 West Florida 4-1 590 6 D. North Greenville (S.C.), 48-24 Oct. 7 vs. Shorter (Ga.)
7 Grand Valley St. (Mich.) 3-1 579 7 D. Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.), 55-14 Oct. 7 vs. Kentucky St.
8 Delta St. (Miss.) 5-0 548 8 D. West Alabama, 47-17 Oct. 7 at No. 19 Valdosta St. (Ga.)
9 Harding (Ark.) 5-0 501 10 D. Southwestern Oklahoma, 64-0 Oct. 7 at Northwestern Oklahoma
10 Slippery Rock (Pa.) 5-0 469 12 D. Indiana (Pa.), 42-21 Oct. 7 at Mercyhurst (Pa.)
11 Benedict (S.C.) (1) 5-0 418 13 D. Morehouse (Ga.), 27-3 Oct. 7 at Miles (Ala.)
12 Indianapolis (Ind.) 4-0 394 14 D. Missouri S&T, 26-13 Oct. 7 vs. William Jewell (Mo.)
13 Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) 5-0 359 15 D. Virginia-Wise, 56-3 Oct. 7 at Limestone (S.C.)
14 Bemidji St. (Minn.) 4-1 352 9 Lost to No. 4 Minnesota St., 27-24 Oct. 14 at Wayne St. (Neb.)
15 Western Colorado 5-0 344 17 D. Colorado Mesa, 43-7 Oct. 7 at South Dakota Mines
16 Davenport (Mich.) 4-0 275 18 D. Michigan Tech, 28-0 Oct. 7 vs. Northern Michigan
17 Minnesota-Duluth 5-0 272 19 D. Winona St. (Minn.), 38-14 Oct. 7 at Wayne St. (Neb.)
18 Central Missouri 4-1 208 21 D. Northwest Missouri St., 41-38 Oct. 7 vs. Nebraska-Kearney
19 Valdosta St. (Ga.) 5-0 186 22 D. Chowan (N.C.), 51-36 Oct. 7 vs. No. 8 Delta St. (Miss.)
20 Emporia St. (Kan.) 4-1 156 11 Lost to Missouri Western St., 34-31 Oct. 7 at No. 3 Pittsburg St. (Kan.)
21 Angelo St. (Tex.) 3-2 131 20 D. Eastern New Mexico, 23-14 Oct. 14 at Texas A&M-Kingsville
22 Henderson St. (Ark.) 4-1 90 24 D. Oklahoma Baptist, 27-14 Oct. 7 vs. Southern Nazarene (Okla.)
23 Assumption (Mass.) 3-1 80 23 D. Pace (N.Y.), 36-22 Oct. 7 vs. American International (Mass.)
24 Truman St. (Mo.) 5-0 75 NR D. McKendree (Ill.), 56-24 Oct. 7 vs. Quincy (Ill.)
25 Shepherd (W.Va.) 4-1 54 25 D. Shippensburg (Pa.), 30-23 Oct. 7 at Lock Haven (Pa.)
Dropped Out: Texas A&M-Kingsville (16)
Others Receiving Votes: Augustana (S.D.), 51; Virginia St., 47; Texas A&M-Kingsville, 45; Virginia Union, 35; Tiffin (Ohio), 31; Missouri Western St., 28; Texas-Permian Basin, 18; Barton (N.C.), 6; Limestone (S.C.), 6; Charleston (W.Va.), 3; Central Washington, 2.
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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Thanks to three interceptions returned for touchdowns by the Truman State (Mo.) defense, the Bulldogs rolled to a 56-24 win over McKendree (Ill.). The win moved Truman State’s record to 5-0 and they appear in the AFCA Division II Coaches’ Top 25 Poll for the first time this season at No. 24. The Bulldogs were ranked four times in 2022, ending the season ranked No. 25.
The top eight teams remained unchanged this week with everybody winning. The changes come from the ninth ranked team on down thanks to Bemidji State’s (Minn.) 27-24 loss to No. 4 Minnesota State. The Beavers fell from No. 9 to No. 14, causing Harding (Ark.) and Slippery Rock (Pa.) to round out the Top 10.
Emporia State (Kan.) also fell from the ranks of the unbeatens, losing to Missouri Western State, 34-31, and dropping nine spots to No. 20. The Hornets don’t have long to lick their wounds as they are one of two Top 25 matchups this coming weekend as they travel to No. 3 Pittsburg State (Kan.). The other matchup is a big one in the Gulf South Conference as the only two undefeated teams left will face each other. No. 8 Delta State (Miss.) at 5-0 will travel to Valdosta, Georgia, to face 5-0 and No. 19 Valdosta State (Ga.). Delta State owns the all-time series advantage at 21-19-1 and won last year’s meeting, 70-31.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week 5 | Next Game | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ferris St. (Mich.) (26) | 3-1 | 745 | 1 | D. Northern Michigan, 78-3 | Oct. 7 vs. Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.) | |
| 2 | Colorado School of Mines (3) | 5-0 | 721 | 2 | D. Chadron St. (Neb.), 35-7 | Oct. 7 at Colorado Mesa | |
| 3 | Pittsburg St. (Kan.) | 5-0 | 688 | 3 | D. Northeastern St. (Okla.), 42-7 | Oct. 7 vs. No. 20 Emporia St. (Kan.) | |
| 4 | Minnesota St. | 5-0 | 633 | 4 | D. No. 9 Bemidji St. (Minn.), 27-24 | Oct. 7 vs. Minnesota St.-Moorhead | |
| 5 | Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) | 5-0 | 610 | 5 | D. Southeastern Oklahoma St., 34-7 | Oct. 7 at East Central (Okla.) | |
| 6 | West Florida | 4-1 | 590 | 6 | D. North Greenville (S.C.), 48-24 | Oct. 7 vs. Shorter (Ga.) | |
| 7 | Grand Valley St. (Mich.) | 3-1 | 579 | 7 | D. Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.), 55-14 | Oct. 7 vs. Kentucky St. | |
| 8 | Delta St. (Miss.) | 5-0 | 548 | 8 | D. West Alabama, 47-17 | Oct. 7 at No. 19 Valdosta St. (Ga.) | |
| 9 | Harding (Ark.) | 5-0 | 501 | 10 | D. Southwestern Oklahoma, 64-0 | Oct. 7 at Northwestern Oklahoma | |
| 10 | Slippery Rock (Pa.) | 5-0 | 469 | 12 | D. Indiana (Pa.), 42-21 | Oct. 7 at Mercyhurst (Pa.) | |
| 11 | Benedict (S.C.) (1) | 5-0 | 418 | 13 | D. Morehouse (Ga.), 27-3 | Oct. 7 at Miles (Ala.) | |
| 12 | Indianapolis (Ind.) | 4-0 | 394 | 14 | D. Missouri S&T, 26-13 | Oct. 7 vs. William Jewell (Mo.) | |
| 13 | Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) | 5-0 | 359 | 15 | D. Virginia-Wise, 56-3 | Oct. 7 at Limestone (S.C.) | |
| 14 | Bemidji St. (Minn.) | 4-1 | 352 | 9 | Lost to No. 4 Minnesota St., 27-24 | Oct. 14 at Wayne St. (Neb.) | |
| 15 | Western Colorado | 5-0 | 344 | 17 | D. Colorado Mesa, 43-7 | Oct. 7 at South Dakota Mines | |
| 16 | Davenport (Mich.) | 4-0 | 275 | 18 | D. Michigan Tech, 28-0 | Oct. 7 vs. Northern Michigan | |
| 17 | Minnesota-Duluth | 5-0 | 272 | 19 | D. Winona St. (Minn.), 38-14 | Oct. 7 at Wayne St. (Neb.) | |
| 18 | Central Missouri | 4-1 | 208 | 21 | D. Northwest Missouri St., 41-38 | Oct. 7 vs. Nebraska-Kearney | |
| 19 | Valdosta St. (Ga.) | 5-0 | 186 | 22 | D. Chowan (N.C.), 51-36 | Oct. 7 vs. No. 8 Delta St. (Miss.) | |
| 20 | Emporia St. (Kan.) | 4-1 | 156 | 11 | Lost to Missouri Western St., 34-31 | Oct. 7 at No. 3 Pittsburg St. (Kan.) | |
| 21 | Angelo St. (Tex.) | 3-2 | 131 | 20 | D. Eastern New Mexico, 23-14 | Oct. 14 at Texas A&M-Kingsville | |
| 22 | Henderson St. (Ark.) | 4-1 | 90 | 24 | D. Oklahoma Baptist, 27-14 | Oct. 7 vs. Southern Nazarene (Okla.) | |
| 23 | Assumption (Mass.) | 3-1 | 80 | 23 | D. Pace (N.Y.), 36-22 | Oct. 7 vs. American International (Mass.) | |
| 24 | Truman St. (Mo.) | 5-0 | 75 | NR | D. McKendree (Ill.), 56-24 | Oct. 7 vs. Quincy (Ill.) | |
| 25 | Shepherd (W.Va.) | 4-1 | 54 | 25 | D. Shippensburg (Pa.), 30-23 | Oct. 7 at Lock Haven (Pa.) |
Dropped Out: Texas A&M-Kingsville (16)
Others Receiving Votes: Augustana (S.D.), 51; Virginia St., 47; Texas A&M-Kingsville, 45; Virginia Union, 35; Tiffin (Ohio), 31; Missouri Western St., 28; Texas-Permian Basin, 18; Barton (N.C.), 6; Limestone (S.C.), 6; Charleston (W.Va.), 3; Central Washington, 2.
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.
