Following First Loss Of Season, Florida Tech Falls To No. 23 In Coaches Poll
By Space Coast Daily // October 6, 2016
Florida tech's game vs. NO. 11 North Alabama Saturday cancelled
ABOVE VIDEO: The highlights above tell the story of how Florida Tech dropped their first game of the year on Saturday night at West Florida.
BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – The AFCA Division II Coaches’ Top 25 poll looks a little different this week after nine teams in last week’s top 25 were beaten, including three of the top 10.
Northwest Missouri State still has the No. 1 spot, followed by Grand Valley State (Mich.), but that is where the similarity ends from last week.
Then-No. 3 West Georgia was beaten by North Alabama, dropping the Wolves to No. 12 and raising the Lions to No. 11. Ashland (Ohio) had the biggest drop, falling from No. 5 to No. 17 after its loss to Tiffin (Ohio), 35-32, while California (Pa.) had the biggest jump, going from No. 24 to No. 15 after its 52-26 win over then-No. 9 Slippery Rock (Pa.).
Four new teams enter the poll this week, including Southwest Baptist (Mo.). The Bearcats, who are off to their best start in program history at 5-0, enter the AFCA Top 25 for the first time in school history with a No. 20 ranking.
There will be another shake-up in the poll next week with six top 25 matchups in store.
The biggest game is a top 10 battle as No. 7 Midwestern State (Texas) travels to No. 4 Texas A&M-Commerce with first place in the Lone Star Conference on the line.
2016 American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches’ Poll – October 3, 2016
Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week 5 | Next Game |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Northwest Missouri St. (30) | 5-0 | 750 | 1 | D. No. 22 Central Missouri, 42-17 | Oct. 8 at Central Oklahoma |
2. | Grand Valley St. (Mich.) | 5-0 | 717 | 2 | D. Ohio Dominican, 24-21 | Oct. 8 vs. No. 14 Ferris St. (Mich.) |
3. | Shepherd (W.Va.) | 4-0 | 684 | 4 | Idle | Oct. 8 vs. Glenville St. (W.Va.) |
4. | Texas A&M-Commerce | 4-0 | 655 | 6 | D. Oklahoma Panhandle St., 35-13 | Oct. 8 vs. No. 7 Midwestern St. (Texas) |
5. | Henderson St. (Ark.) | 5-0 | 623 | 7 | D. Arkansas Tech, 27-20 | Oct. 8 vs. No. 16 Harding (Ark.) |
6. | Indiana (Pa.) | 4-0 | 574 | 8 | D. Seton Hill (Pa.), 47-39 | Oct. 8 at No. 15 California (Pa.) |
7. | Midwestern St. (Texas) | 4-0 | 564 | 10 | D. Western New Mexico, 43-22 | Oct. 8 at No. 4 Texas A&M-Commerce |
8. | Tuskegee (Ala.) | 5-0 | 528 | 11 | D. No. 21 North Carolina-Pembroke, 21-16 | Oct. 8 at Morehouse (Ga.) |
9. | Sioux Falls (S.D.) | 5-0 | 474 | 12 | D. No. 25 Augustana (S.D.), 35-20 | Oct. 8 vs. Southwest Minnesota St. |
10. | Azusa Pacific (Calif.) | 5-0 | 436 | 14 | D. Western Oregon, 31-2 | Oct. 8 at Colorado School of Mines |
11. | North Alabama | 3-1 | 421 | 18 | D. No. 3 West Georgia, 24-23 | Oct. 8 at No. 23 Florida Tech |
12. | West Georgia | 4-1 | 387 | 3 | Lost to No. 18 North Alabama, 24-23 | Oct. 8 at No. 25t Valdosta St. (Ga.) |
13. | Colorado Mesa | 5-0 | 380 | 17 | D. Colorado St.-Pueblo, 20-19 | Oct. 8 at Black Hills St. (S.D.) |
14. | Ferris St. (Mich.) | 4-1 | 352 | 13 | D. Findlay (Ohio), 20-17 | Oct. 8 at No. 2 Grand Valley St. (Mich.) |
15. | California (Pa.) | 4-0 | 315 | 24 | D. No. 9 Slippery Rock (Pa.), 52-26 | Oct. 8 vs. No. 6 Indiana (Pa.) |
16. | Harding (Ark.) | 5-0 | 312 | 20 | D. Ouachita Baptist (Ark.), 24-20 | Oct. 8 at No. 5 Henderson St. (Ark.) |
17. | Ashland (Ohio) | 4-1 | 305 | 5 | Lost to Tiffin (Ohio), 35-32 | Oct. 8 vs. Northwood (Mich.) |
18. | Emporia St. (Kan.) | 4-1 | 208 | 23 | D. Central Oklahoma, 35-21 | Oct. 8 at Northeastern St. (Okla.) |
19. | Slippery Rock (Pa.) | 4-1 | 185 | 9 | Lost to No. 24 California (Pa.), 52-26 | Oct. 8 vs. Mercyhurst (Pa.) |
20. | Southwest Baptist (Mo.) | 5-0 | 148 | NR | D. McKendree (Ill.), 35-7 | Oct. 8 vs. Truman St. (Mo.) |
21. | LIU-Post (N.Y.) | 5-0 | 134 | NR | D. No. 15 Assumption (Mass.), 19-18 | Oct. 8 vs. St. Anselm (N.H.) |
22. | Assumption (Mass.) | 4-1 | 94 | 15 | Lost to LIU-Post (N.Y.), 19-18 | Oct. 7 at Bentley (Mass.) |
23. | Florida Tech | 4-1 | 90 | 16 | Lost to West Florida, 42-39 | Oct. 8 vs. No. 11 North Alabama |
24. | North Carolina-Pembroke | 4-1 | 81 | 21 | Lost to No. 11 Tuskegee (Ala.), 21-16 | Oct. 8 at Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) |
25t. | Bemidji St. (Minn.) | 4-1 | 73 | NR | D. Mary (N.D.), 52-3 | Oct. 8 vs. Northern St. (S.D.) |
25t. | Valdosta St. (Ga.) | 3-1 | 73 | NR | D. Kentucky St., 48-10 | Oct. 8 vs. No. 12 West Georgia |
Dropped Out: Minnesota St. (19), Central Missouri (22), Augustana (S.D.) (25).
Others Receiving Votes: Wayne St. (Mich.), 64; Minnesota-Duluth, 55; Pittsburg St. (Kan.), 39; Fort Hays St. (Kan.), 8; Central Missouri, 5; Notre Dame (Ohio), 5; Bloomsburg (Pa.), 4; Newberry (S.C.), 4; Southern Arkansas, 2; Colorado School of Mines, 1.
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