WACO, Texas – Fort Hays State moved up to No. 5 in the latest AFCA Division II Top 25 Poll, released on Monday (Nov. 6). This marks the highest national ranking ever for Tiger Football in an official NCAA Division II poll, passing the No. 6 mark held last week and during the 1996 season. FHSU is coming off a thrilling win over two-time defending national champion Northwest Missouri State this past week to win the MIAA Championship.
The Tigers are one of ten teams in the Top 25 that remain among the ranks of the unbeaten. The top eight teams in the nation are all still undefeated. FHSU has defeated a pair of top 15 teams this season, defeating Central Missouri when it was No. 13 in Week 2, and last week defeating a No. 8 ranked Northwest Missouri State team. The Bearcats dropped down to No. 18 in the rankings this week.
Fort Hays State did receive four of the 34 first place votes submitted this week. Minnesota State remains No. 1 after receiving 21 first-place votes, while Shepherd (W.Va.) is No. 2 with seven first-place votes. Indiana (Pa.) checks in at No. 3 with two first-place votes, and Midwestern State (Texas) had just seven more voting points overall than FHSU to hold the No. 4 spot in the poll.
Five of the top seven teams in the Super Region 3 rankings are inside the top 20 of the AFCA Poll, led by FHSU at No. 5. Indianapolis is No. 6, Ashland (Ohio) is No. 10, Ferris State (Mich.) is No. 11, and Northwest Missouri State is No. 18. Ouachita Baptist, Grand Valley State, and Arkansas Tech are all receiving votes.
Below is the AFCA Division II Top 25 for Monday, November 6, 2017.
Rank School (1st votes) Record Points Previous
1. Minnesota State (21) 10-0 829 1
2. Shepherd (W.Va.) (7) 9-0 799 2
3. Indiana (Pa.) (2) 10-0 761 3
4. Midwestern State (Texas) 8-0 702 4
5. Fort Hays State (Kan.) (4) 10-0 695 6
6. Indianapolis (Ind.) 10-0 688 5
7. Central Washington 10-0 664 7
8t. Assumption (Mass.) 9-0 573 10
8t. Texas A&M-Commerce 8-1 573 9
10. Ashland (Ohio) 9-1 555 11
11. Ferris State (Mich.) 8-1 487 12
12. Wingate (N.C.) 9-0 453 14
13. Sioux Falls (S.D.) 9-1 452 13
14. Colorado Mesa 9-1 416 15
15. Virginia State 9-0 369 16
16. Humboldt State (Calif.) 8-1 312 17
17. Winona State (Minn.) 9-1 298 18
18. Northwest Missouri State 8-2 256 8
19. Bowie State (Md.) 9-1 251 20
20. Eastern New Mexico 8-1 219 21
21. Findlay (Ohio) 9-1 190 22
22. West Alabama 8-2 155 23
23. Colorado State-Pueblo 8-2 107 24
24. West Georgia 8-2 91 25
25. Shippensburg (Pa.) 9-1 83 NR
Others Receiving Votes: Minnesota-Duluth, 18; Slippery Rock (Pa.), 12; Ouachita Baptist (Ark.), 10; Grand Valley St. (Mich.), 9; Arkansas Tech, 7; California (Pa.), 5; Catawba (N.C.), 5; Notre Dame (Ohio), 4; Delta St. (Miss.), 1; LIU-Post (N.Y.), 1.