Following First Loss Of Season, Florida Tech Falls To No. 23 In Coaches Poll

By  //  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
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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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