West Florida Prevails in Top 8 Matchup
October 20, 2025
No. 3 West Florida used a dominant offense and defense to hand then-No. 8 West Alabama their first loss of the season. The Argonauts gained 458 total yards of offense and controlled the clock, holding the ball for 37 minutes of the game, and scored the game winning touchdown with 56 seconds left to go to win, 23-16. The West Florida defense allowed West Alabama just 75 rushing yards and forced two interceptions, but the Tigers still managed to have a 16-15 lead with 3:20 left in the game. The Argonauts remain at No. 3 in this week’s AFCA Division II Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl, while the Tigers only fall three spots to No. 11. West Alabama needs to rebound quickly as they host No. 17 Delta State on Saturday.
The top five remained the same for another week with Ferris State still on top after a 38-10 win over Michigan Tech. The Bulldogs will get another test this coming weekend as they host No. 18 Grand Valley State, who fell 11 spots in the poll after losing a close game to Saginaw Valley State, 20-19.
The only casualty in the top 25 this week was then-No. 20 UNC Pembroke, who lost a tough conference game to North Greenville, 20-7, dropping the Braves out of the poll. That allowed Southern Arkansas to join the rankings for the first time this season. The Muleriders are 6-1 and were last ranked in the AFCA top 25 on November 18, 2024.
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Week 8 Next Game
1 Ferris St. (30) 7-0 750 1 D. Michigan Tech, 38-10 Oct. 25 vs. No. 18 Grand Valley St.
2 Harding 7-0 719 2 D. Henderson St., 35-10 Oct. 25 vs. Arkansas-Monticello
3 West Florida 7-0 682 3 D. No. 8 West Alabama, 23-16 Oct. 25 vs. West Virginia St.
4 Kutztown 7-0 661 4 D. Millersville, 43-14 Oct. 25 at West Chester
5 Augustana (S.D.) 7-0 593 6 Idle Oct. 25 at Southwest Minnesota St.
6 Western Colorado 7-0 591 5 D. South Dakota Mines, 34-13 Oct. 25 vs. Colorado School of Mines
7 Colorado St.-Pueblo 7-1 563 9 D. Black Hills St., 40-14 Nov. 1 at No. 6 Western Colorado
8 Central Washington 6-1 540 10 D. Texas A&M-Kingsville, 24-21 Oct. 25 at Midwestern St.
9 Minnesota St. 6-1 493 11 Idle Oct. 25 at Wayne St. (Neb.)
10 Pittsburg St. 6-2 462 12 D. Missouri Western St., 44-20 Nov. 1 vs. Missouri Southern St.
11 West Alabama 5-1 407 8 Lost to No. 3 West Florida, 23-16 Oct. 25 vs. No. 17 Delta St.
12 Virginia Union 6-1 384 14 D. Lincoln (Pa.), 66-21 Oct. 25 vs. Bowie St.
13 UIndy 7-1 374 15 D. Lincoln (Mo.), 62-7 Nov. 1 at Quincy
14 Findlay 7-0 362 16t D. Kentucky Wesleyan, 28-0 Oct. 25 vs. Ohio Dominican
15 Minnesota-Duluth 6-1 306 16t Idle Oct. 25 vs. UMary
16 Northwest Missouri St. 6-1 302 19 D. Fort Hays St., 52-3 Oct. 25 vs. Nebraska-Kearney
17 Delta St. 6-1 301 18 D. Ferrum, 51-10 Oct. 25 at No. 11 West Alabama
18 Grand Valley St. 4-2 247 7 Lost to Saginaw Valley St., 20-19 Oct. 25 at No. 1 Ferris St.
19 Angelo St. 5-2 180 21 D. Midwestern St., 48-24 Oct. 25 at Sul Ross St.
20 Ashland 6-1 171 22 D. Ohio Dominican, 31-14 Oct. 25 at Tiffin
21 Benedict 7-0 155 24 D. Edward Waters, 31-27 Oct. 25 vs. Albany St.
22 Johnson C. Smith 6-1 147 23 D. Shaw, 52-0 Oct. 25 vs. Winston-Salem St.
23 UT Permian Basin 5-2 131 13 Lost to Western Oregon, 31-28 Oct. 25 vs. West Texas A&M
24 Slippery Rock 5-2 80 25 D. Indiana (Pa.), 30-27 Nov. 1 vs. Clarion
25 Southern Arkansas 6-1 65 NR D. Arkansas Tech, 42-7 Oct. 25 at Ouachita Baptist
Dropped Out: UNC Pembroke (20)
Others Receiving Votes: Frostburg St., 36; Albany St., 17; Chadron St., 9; UNC Pembroke, 8; California (Pa.), 6; Assumption, 3; Henderson St., 2; Northern St., 2; Carson-Newman, 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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No. 3 West Florida used a dominant offense and defense to hand then-No. 8 West Alabama their first loss of the season. The Argonauts gained 458 total yards of offense and controlled the clock, holding the ball for 37 minutes of the game, and scored the game winning touchdown with 56 seconds left to go to win, 23-16. The West Florida defense allowed West Alabama just 75 rushing yards and forced two interceptions, but the Tigers still managed to have a 16-15 lead with 3:20 left in the game. The Argonauts remain at No. 3 in this week’s AFCA Division II Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl, while the Tigers only fall three spots to No. 11. West Alabama needs to rebound quickly as they host No. 17 Delta State on Saturday.
The top five remained the same for another week with Ferris State still on top after a 38-10 win over Michigan Tech. The Bulldogs will get another test this coming weekend as they host No. 18 Grand Valley State, who fell 11 spots in the poll after losing a close game to Saginaw Valley State, 20-19.
The only casualty in the top 25 this week was then-No. 20 UNC Pembroke, who lost a tough conference game to North Greenville, 20-7, dropping the Braves out of the poll. That allowed Southern Arkansas to join the rankings for the first time this season. The Muleriders are 6-1 and were last ranked in the AFCA top 25 on November 18, 2024.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week 8 | Next Game | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ferris St. (30) | 7-0 | 750 | 1 | D. Michigan Tech, 38-10 | Oct. 25 vs. No. 18 Grand Valley St. | |
| 2 | Harding | 7-0 | 719 | 2 | D. Henderson St., 35-10 | Oct. 25 vs. Arkansas-Monticello | |
| 3 | West Florida | 7-0 | 682 | 3 | D. No. 8 West Alabama, 23-16 | Oct. 25 vs. West Virginia St. | |
| 4 | Kutztown | 7-0 | 661 | 4 | D. Millersville, 43-14 | Oct. 25 at West Chester | |
| 5 | Augustana (S.D.) | 7-0 | 593 | 6 | Idle | Oct. 25 at Southwest Minnesota St. | |
| 6 | Western Colorado | 7-0 | 591 | 5 | D. South Dakota Mines, 34-13 | Oct. 25 vs. Colorado School of Mines | |
| 7 | Colorado St.-Pueblo | 7-1 | 563 | 9 | D. Black Hills St., 40-14 | Nov. 1 at No. 6 Western Colorado | |
| 8 | Central Washington | 6-1 | 540 | 10 | D. Texas A&M-Kingsville, 24-21 | Oct. 25 at Midwestern St. | |
| 9 | Minnesota St. | 6-1 | 493 | 11 | Idle | Oct. 25 at Wayne St. (Neb.) | |
| 10 | Pittsburg St. | 6-2 | 462 | 12 | D. Missouri Western St., 44-20 | Nov. 1 vs. Missouri Southern St. | |
| 11 | West Alabama | 5-1 | 407 | 8 | Lost to No. 3 West Florida, 23-16 | Oct. 25 vs. No. 17 Delta St. | |
| 12 | Virginia Union | 6-1 | 384 | 14 | D. Lincoln (Pa.), 66-21 | Oct. 25 vs. Bowie St. | |
| 13 | UIndy | 7-1 | 374 | 15 | D. Lincoln (Mo.), 62-7 | Nov. 1 at Quincy | |
| 14 | Findlay | 7-0 | 362 | 16t | D. Kentucky Wesleyan, 28-0 | Oct. 25 vs. Ohio Dominican | |
| 15 | Minnesota-Duluth | 6-1 | 306 | 16t | Idle | Oct. 25 vs. UMary | |
| 16 | Northwest Missouri St. | 6-1 | 302 | 19 | D. Fort Hays St., 52-3 | Oct. 25 vs. Nebraska-Kearney | |
| 17 | Delta St. | 6-1 | 301 | 18 | D. Ferrum, 51-10 | Oct. 25 at No. 11 West Alabama | |
| 18 | Grand Valley St. | 4-2 | 247 | 7 | Lost to Saginaw Valley St., 20-19 | Oct. 25 at No. 1 Ferris St. | |
| 19 | Angelo St. | 5-2 | 180 | 21 | D. Midwestern St., 48-24 | Oct. 25 at Sul Ross St. | |
| 20 | Ashland | 6-1 | 171 | 22 | D. Ohio Dominican, 31-14 | Oct. 25 at Tiffin | |
| 21 | Benedict | 7-0 | 155 | 24 | D. Edward Waters, 31-27 | Oct. 25 vs. Albany St. | |
| 22 | Johnson C. Smith | 6-1 | 147 | 23 | D. Shaw, 52-0 | Oct. 25 vs. Winston-Salem St. | |
| 23 | UT Permian Basin | 5-2 | 131 | 13 | Lost to Western Oregon, 31-28 | Oct. 25 vs. West Texas A&M | |
| 24 | Slippery Rock | 5-2 | 80 | 25 | D. Indiana (Pa.), 30-27 | Nov. 1 vs. Clarion | |
| 25 | Southern Arkansas | 6-1 | 65 | NR | D. Arkansas Tech, 42-7 | Oct. 25 at Ouachita Baptist |
Dropped Out: UNC Pembroke (20)
Others Receiving Votes: Frostburg St., 36; Albany St., 17; Chadron St., 9; UNC Pembroke, 8; California (Pa.), 6; Assumption, 3; Henderson St., 2; Northern St., 2; Carson-Newman, 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.
