After capturing their first MIAA championship and making the playoffs for the first time in 20 years, the Fort Hays State football team will open the 2018 campaign ranked fifth in the American Football Coaches Association Division II Top 25 Poll. The Tigers share the No. 5 spot with Northwest Missouri State. The Tigers week one opponent, Central Missouri, is ranked 18th. Pittsburg State, Emporia State, Missouri Western State, Central Oklahaoma and Washburn are all in the receiving votes category.

Coming off their first ever Division II national championship in 2017, Texas A&M-Commerce will start the 2018 season ranked No. 1aches’ Top 25 Poll. This is the first time since the poll began in 2000 that the Lions start the season ranked No. 1. West Florida, who lost to Texas A&M-Commerce in the championship game, begins this year at No. 2. The Argonauts are followed by Minnesota State at No. 3, Indiana (Pa.) at No. 4.

The first week of action starts off with four Top 25 matchups, all on Thursday, August 30. The first game has No. 2 West Florida hosting No. 22 Carson-Newman (Tenn.) while No. 4 Indiana (Pa.) travels to No. 15 Ashland (Ohio). The third Top 25 matchup is a conference battle as No. 5t Fort Hays State (Kan.) plays host to No. 18 Central Missouri. The final matchup has No. 10 Grand Valley State (Mich.) hosting No. 13 Indianapolis (Ind.).

RANK SCHOOL 2017 RECORD POINTS PREVIOUS RANK
1 Texas A&M-Commerce (13) 14-1 748 1
2 West Florida (14) 11-4 721 2
3 Minnesota St. (2) 13-1 691 4
4 Indiana (Pa.) (2) 13-1 666 3
T-5 Fort Hays St. (Kan.) 11-1 591 8
T-5 NW Missouri St. (2) 9-3 591 16
7 Harding (Ark.) 11-4 550 6
8 Ferris St. (Mich.) 11-2 503 5
9 Central Washington 11-1 494 7
10 Grand Valley St. (Mich.) 8-3 478 NR
11 Midwestern St. (Texas) 10-1 473 11
12 West Alabama 10-3 470 12
13 Indianapolis (Ind.) 11-1 402 13
14 Colorado St.-Pueblo 9-3 401 17
15 Ashland (Ohio) 11-2 350 10
16 Shepherd (W.Va.) 10-1 332 14
17 Assumption (Mass.) 11-2 292 9
18 Central Missouri 9-3 209 NR
19 West Georgia 9-4 196 19
20 Sioux Falls (S.D.) 9-3 158 20
21 Winona St. (Minn.) 10-2 134 15
22 Carson-Newman (Tenn.) 8-3 118 NR
23 Ohio Dominican 7-3 105 NR
24 Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) 9-3 102 NR
25 Findlay (Ohio) 10-3 101 22

Others Receiving Votes: California (Pa.), 89; Delta St. (Miss.), 74; West Chester (Pa.), 74; Colorado Mesa, 66; Bowie St. (Md.), 60; Virginia St., 51; Minnesota-Duluth, 41; Albany St. (Ga.), 39; Florida Tech, 36; Colorado Mines, 34; Shippensburg (Pa.), 31; Tuskegee (Ala.), 26; Wingate (N.C.), 25; Azusa Pacific (Calif.), 22; Valdosta St. (Ga.), 22; Pittsburg St. (Kan.), 21; Notre Dame (Ohio), 18; Eastern New Mexico, 17; Edinboro (Pa.), 15; Missouri Western St., 14; Bloomsburg (Pa.), 13; Emporia St. (Kan.), 11; Central Oklahoma, 9; LIU Post (N.Y.), 8; Slippery Rock (Pa.), 8; Augustana (S.D.), 5; Fairmont St. (W.Va.), 5; Humboldt St. (Calif.), 4; Catawba (N.C.), 3; Fayetteville St. (N.C.), 3; Hillsdale (Mich.), 3; Southern Arkansas, 1; Washburn (Kan.), 1.