WACO, Texas – Fort Hays State is receiving votes in the first American Football Coaches Association poll released Monday. The Tigers received 13 votes, up from the six they received in the preseason rankings. Defending national champion Northwest Missouri State is still first. Central Missouri of the MIAA moved up four spots to No. 16. Emporia State dropped out of the top-25 following their home loss the top-ranked Bearcats, but are still receiving votes. Pittsburg State and Central Oklahoma, who were receiving votes in the preseason poll, dropped out completely.
2016 American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches’ Poll – September 5, 2016
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Season Opener | Next Game |
| 1. | Northwest Missouri St. (30) | 1-0 | 750 | 1 | D. No. 24 Emporia St. (Kan.), 41-14 | Sept. 8 vs. Washburn (Kan.) |
| 2. | West Georgia | 1-0 | 703 | 2 | D. No. 22 Catawba (N.C.), 23-3 | Sept. 10 at Miles (Ala.) |
| 3. | Grand Valley St. (Mich.) | 1-0 | 687 | 3 | D. Tiffin (Ohio), 45-7 | Sept. 10 vs. Lake Erie (Ohio) |
| 4. | Shepherd (W.Va.) | 1-0 | 650 | 4 | D. West Virginia Wesleyan, 27-12 | Sept. 8 at Charleston (W.Va.) |
| 5. | Ashland (Ohio) | 1-0 | 615 | 6 | D. Mercyhurst (Pa.), 48-0 | Sept. 10 vs. Wayne St. (Mich.) |
| 6. | Minnesota State | 1-0 | 581 | 7 | D. Minot St. (N.D.), 35-7 | Sept. 10 vs. Bemidji State (Minn.) |
| 7. | Ferris St. (Mich.) | 1-0 | 493 | 12 | D. Ohio Dominican, 41-0 | Sept. 10 at Michigan Tech |
| 8. | Texas A&M-Commerce | 1-0 | 481 | 9t | D. Faith (Fla.), 62-0 | Sept. 10 at Delta State (Miss.) |
| 9. | Henderson State (Ark.) | 1-0 | 479 | 9t | D. Southeastern Oklahoma State, 13-11 | Sept. 10 at East Central (Okla.) |
| 10. | Indiana (Pa.) | 0-0 | 474 | 8 | Idle | Sept. 10 at East Stroudsburg (Pa.) |
| 11. | Colorado School of Mines | 1-0 | 449 | 18 | D. No. 5 Colorado State-Pueblo, 57-21 | Sept. 10 at New Mexico Highlands |
| 12. | Slippery Rock (Pa.) | 1-0 | 438 | 11 | D. New Haven (Conn.), 31-28 | Sept. 10 at West Chester (Pa.) |
| 13. | Humboldt St. (Calif.) | 1-0 | 398 | 13 | D. Carson-Newman (Tenn.), 52-45 | Sept. 10 vs. No. 24 Azusa Pacific (Calif.) |
| 14. | Midwestern State (Texas) | 1-0 | 376 | 14 | D. Truman State (Mo.), 31-19 | Sept. 17 at Texas A&M-Kingsville |
| 15. | Tuskegee (Ala.) | 1-0 | 297 | 17 | D. Clark Atlanta (Ga.), 36-13 | Sept. 10 vs. Albany State (Ga.) |
| 16. | Central Missouri | 1-0 | 290 | 20 | D. Pittsburg State (Kan.), 34-27 | Sept. 8 vs. Fort Hays State (Kan.) |
| 17. | Sioux Falls (S.D.) | 1-0 | 207 | 23 | D. St. Cloud State (Minn.), 49-13 | Sept. 10 vs. Minnesota State-Moorhead |
| 18. | Assumption (Mass.) | 1-0 | 203 | 21 | D. Kutztown (Pa.), 45-21 | Sept. 9 at Pace (N.Y.) |
| 19. | Colorado St.-Pueblo | 0-1 | 198 | 5 | Lost to No. 18 Colorado School of Mines, 57-21 | Sept. 10 vs. West Texas A&M |
| 20. | North Alabama | 0-1 | 189 | 15 | Lost to Jacksonville St. (Ala.), 31-12 | Sept. 17 vs. No. 23 Valdosta State (Ga.) |
| 21. | Augustana (S.D.) | 1-0 | 143 | 25 | D. Northern State (S.D.), 37-34 OT | Sept. 10 at Mary (N.D.) |
| 22. | Florida Tech | 1-0 | 108 | NR | D. Newberry (S.C.), 42-28 | Sept. 10 vs. Mississippi College |
| 23. | Valdosta St. (Ga.) | 1-0 | 104 | NR | D. Albany State (Ga.), 16-7 | Sept. 17 at No. 20 North Alabama |
| 24. | Azusa Pacific (Calif.) | 1-0 | 83 | NR | D. West Texas A&M, 28-10 | Sept. 10 at No. 13 Humboldt State (Calif.) |
| 25. | Colorado Mesa | 1-0 | 45 | NR | D. Western State (Colo.), 34-14 | Sept. 10 vs. Chadron State (Neb.) |
Dropped Out: Indianapolis (Ind.) (16), Minnesota-Duluth (19), Catawba (N.C.) (22), Emporia State (Kan.) (24)
Others Receiving Votes: Harding (Ark.), 38; Indianapolis (Ind.), 34; West Chester (Pa.), 34; Western Oregon, 30; Delta State (Miss.), 27; Minnesota-Duluth, 25; Emporia State (Kan.), 23; Southwest Minnesota State, 20; Catawba (N.C.), 19; Fort Hays State (Kan.), 13; McKendree (Ill.), 12; Texas A&M-Kingsville, 12; Hillsdale (Mich.), 11; Ouachita Baptist (Ark.), 9; Michigan Tech, 7; Miles (Ala.), 7; North Carolina-Pembroke, 7; Virginia State, 5; California (Pa.), 2; Arkansas Tech, 1; Bemidji State (Minn.), 1; Notre Dame (Ohio), 1.