The Fort Hays State football team jumped one spot to No. 7 this week in the D2Football.com poll, released late Monday (Oct. 31). It was the eighth consecutive week the Tigers have climbed in the media rankings.
The Tigers jumped Northwest Missouri State, who fell from No. 1 to No. 8 after losing to Pittsburg State Saturday. Fort Hays State will face off with the Bearcats this weekend in Maryville, Mo., with a chance to secure its first MIAA Championship. The Tigers and Bearcats are the only two MIAA representatives in this week’s poll.
Super Region 3 is well-represented in the poll, with six teams ranked in the top 13. Included in that mix is third-ranked Ashland, sixth-ranked Ferris State, FHSU,NWMSU, 10th-ranked Indianapolis and No. 13 Grand Valley State.
Two teams ranked in front of Fort Hays State have one loss in regional rivals Ashland and Ferris State. All 10 undefeated teams remaining in Division II are listed in the poll. Indiana (Pa.) tops the poll after being listed second last week.
Below is the D2Football.com Poll for October 31, 2017.
| Team | Record | Previous | |
| 1 | Indiana (Pa.) | 9-0 | 2 |
| 2 | Minnesota State | 9-0 | 3 |
| 3 | Ashland | 8-1 | 4 |
| 4 | Shepherd | 8-0 | 5 |
| 5 | Midwestern State | 7-0 | 6 |
| 6 | Ferris State | 7-1 | 7 |
| 7 | Fort Hays State | 9-0 | 8 |
| 8 | Northwest Missouri State | 8-1 | 1 |
| 9 | Texas A&M-Commerce | 7-1 | 9 |
| 10 | Indianapolis | 9-0 | 10 |
| 11 | Central Washington | 9-0 | 12 |
| 12 | Sioux Falls | 8-1 | 13 |
| 13 | Grand Valley State | 7-2 | 14 |
| 14 | Assumption | 8-0 | 15 |
| 15 | Wingate | 8-0 | 16 |
| 16 | Winona State | 8-1 | 11 |
| 17 | Virginia State | 8-0 | 18 |
| 18 | Colorado Mesa | 8-1 | 19 |
| 19 | West Georgia | 7-2 | 20 |
| 20 | Humboldt State | 7-1 | 21 |
| 21 | CSU-Pueblo | 7-2 | 22 |
| 22 | West Alabama | 7-2 | 23 |
| 23 | Minnesota Duluth | 7-2 | 24 |
| 24 | California | 7-2 | 25 |
| 25 | Findlay | 8-1 | NR |