WACO, Texas – Fort Hays State moved up one spot in the latest edition of the AFCA Division II Poll, released on Monday (Oct. 23). The Tigers are now No. 7, benefitting from a loss by previously No. 7 ranked Grand Valley State this past Saturday. The top seven teams in the nation all remain undefeated.

The No. 7 ranking is just one step shy of the highest ranking the program has ever held in an official Division II football poll. FHSU was No. 6 in the poll produced by the NCAA Rankings Committee on September 16, 1996. The AFCA took over producing the official poll in 2000. The current ranking is the highest for the program since September 9, 1996, when the Tigers were also No. 7.

Fort Hays State defeated Missouri Western 38-10 this past Saturday to move to 8-0 for the first time in school history. In the MIAA standings, the Tigers kept pace with No. 1 ranked Northwest Missouri State, which ran its win streak to 38 games dating back to the start of 2015 with a 19-0 shutout of Lindenwood. Central Missouri (6-2) joins FHSU and Northwest Missouri in the top 25 this week after a win over Washburn. The Mules are No. 23 in the poll this week.

The first set of NCAA Regional Rankings are due to release Monday (Oct. 23). The top seven teams in Super Region 3 are selected to compete in the NCAA Division II Playoffs. There will be three releases of the regional rankings before the selections are made following the end of the regular season.

Below is the AFCA Division II Poll for October 23, 2017.
Rank School (1st votes) Record Points Previous
1. Northwest Missouri State (34) 8-0 850 1
2. Shepherd (W.Va.) 7-0 794 2
3. Minnesota State 8-0 753 4
4. Indiana (Pa.) 8-0 749 3
5. Midwestern State (Texas) 6-0 697 5
6. Indianapolis (Ind.) 8-0 687 6
7. Fort Hays State (Kan.) 8-0 646 8
8. Central Washington 8-0 571 9
9. Texas A&M-Commerce 6-1 539 10
10. Winona State (Minn.) 8-0 537 11
11. Ferris State (Mich.) 6-1 503 12
12t. Ashland (Ohio) 7-1 475 13
12t. Assumption (Mass.) 7-0 475 14
14. Sioux Falls (S.D.) 7-1 397 15
15. Colorado Mesa 7-1 382 16
16. Wingate (N.C.) 7-0 349 20
17. Virginia State 7-0 303 21
18. Humboldt State (Calif.) 6-1 250 22
19. Grand Valley State (Mich.) 6-2 216 7
20. Bowie State (Md.) 7-1 206 23
21. Eastern New Mexico 6-1 168 24
22. Findlay (Ohio) 7-1 115 NR
23. Central Missouri 6-2 83 NR
24. Colorado State-Pueblo 6-2 82 NR
25. West Alabama 6-2 70 18
Others Receiving Votes: West Georgia, 33; Slippery Rock (Pa.), 26; Delta St. (Miss.), 20; California (Pa.), 19; Washburn (Kan.), 18; Shippensburg (Pa.), 17; Arkansas Tech, 7; Ouachita Baptist (Ark.), 5; Azusa Pacific (Calif.), 3; Catawba (N.C.), 1; Minnesota-Duluth, 1; Notre Dame (Ohio), 1; Southern Arkansas, 1; West Florida, 1.