Hillsdale moves to #20 in AFCA coaches' poll

OP EIGHT UNCHANGED IN AFCA DIVISION II COACHES’ TOP 25 POLL

WACO, TEX.– The Top 8 teams in the AFCA Division II Coaches’ Top 25 Poll all won this past Saturday and kept their rankings from the previous week, but losses by then- No. 9 Texas A&M-Kingsville and then-No. 10 Bloomsburg (Pa.) caused a reshuffling of teams in the bottom of the poll. North Alabama kept its No. 1 ranking by gathering all 25 first-place votes after a 27-13 win over Arkansas-Monticello, and capturing the Gulf South Conference title outright. Central Washington, Northwest Missouri State, Minnesota State-Mankato and Grand Valley State (Mich.) round out the Top 5.
Only one new team enters this week’s poll with Shippensburg (Pa.) making an appearance at No. 23. This is the first time the Red Raiders have been ranked in the AFCA Coaches’ Poll since the final poll of 2004. They will host No. 18 California (Pa.) in the PSAC Championship game in one of three Top 25 match-ups during the final week of the regular season. The other Top 25 match-ups include No. 3 Northwest Missouri State hosting No. 16 Central Missouri while No. 9 Midwestern State (Texas) plays host to No. 12 Abilene Christian (Texas).

2009 American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches’ Poll
November 2, 2009
Rank School (1st votes)         Rec.  Pts. Prev.  Last Week                                        Next Game
 1. North Alabama (25)          10-0  625   1     D. Arkansas-Monticello, 27-13                    Nov. 7 vs. West Alabama
 2. Central Washington          10-0  596   2     D. Dixie St. (Utah), 23-9                        Nov. 7 at Western Oregon
 3. Northwest Missouri St.      9-1   569   3     D. Fort Hays St. (Kan.), 66-40                   Nov. 7 vs. No. 16 Central Missouri
 4. Minnesota St.-Mankato       10-0  546   4     D. Upper Iowa, 48-17                             Nov. 7 at St. Cloud State (Minn.)
 5. Grand Valley St. (Mich.)    9-1   526   5     D. Northern Michigan, 31-19                      Nov. 7 vs. Wayne St. (Mich.)
 6. Minnesota-Duluth            9-1   511   6     D. Minnesota-Crookston, 44-0                     Nov. 7 at Winona St. (Minn.)
 7. Tarleton St. (Texas)        9-1   475   7     D. Angelo St. (Texas), 21-14                     Nov. 7 vs. West Texas A&M
 8. Nebraska-Kearney            9-1   449   8     D. Colorado School of Mines, 24-12               Nov. 7 at Mesa St. (Colo.)
 9. Midwestern St. (Texas)      8-2   364   13    D. Eastern New Mexico, 50-17                     Nov. 7 vs. No. 12 Abilene Chr.
 10. North Carolina-Pembroke    8-1   348   11    D. Frostburg St. (Md.), 52-7                     Nov. 7 at North Greenville (S.C.)
 11. West Liberty (W.Va.)       9-1   342   12    D. Seton Hill (Pa.), 48-21                       Nov. 7 vs. Concord (W.Va.)
 12. Abilene Christian (Texas)  8-2   335   15    D. No. 9 Texas A&M-Kingsville, 47-35             Nov. 7 at No. 9 Midwestern St.
 13. Albany St. (Ga.)           8-1   329   14    D. Morehouse (Ga.), 30-12                        Nov. 7 at Fort Valley St. (Ga.)
 14. Carson-Newman (Tenn.)      8-2   280   18    D. Wingate (N.C.), 45-7                          Nov. 7 vs. Tusculum (Tenn.)
 15. Tuskegee (Ala.)            7-2   253   16    D. Lane (Tenn.), 40-6                            Nov. 7 vs. Stillman (Ala.)
 16. Central Missouri           8-2   240   19    D. Missouri Southern St., 27-17                  Nov. 7 at No. 3 Northwest Missouri St.
 17. Texas A&M-Kingsville       8-2   226   9     Lost to No. 15 Abilene Christian (Texas), 47-35  Nov. 7 vs. Angelo St.
 18. California (Pa.)           8-2   201   20    D. Mercyhurst (Pa.), 28-7                        Nov. 7 at No. 23 Shippensburg (Pa.)
 19. Bloomsburg (Pa.)           8-2   190   10    Lost to West Chester (Pa.), 30-14                Nov. 7 vs. Gannon (Pa.)
 20. Hillsdale (Mich.)          8-2   171   22    D. Ferris St. (Mich.), 59-14                     Nov. 7 vs. Tiffin (Ohio)
 21. Missouri Western St.       8-2   154   23    D. Emporia St. (Kan.), 29-6                      Nov. 7 vs. Nebraska-Omaha
 22. Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.) 8-2   125   24    D. Findlay (Ohio), 24-16                         Nov. 7 vs. Ferris St. (Mich.)
 23. Shippensburg (Pa.)         8-2   76    NR    D. Cheyney (Pa.), 31-10                          Nov. 7 vs. No. 18 California (Pa.)
 24. Bentley (Mass.)            8-1   73    25    Idle                                             Nov. 7 at Stonehill (Mass.)
 25. Charleston (W.Va.)         8-2   35    17    Lost to Glenville St. (W.Va.), 14-12             Nov. 7 vs. West Virginia Wesleyan

Dropped Out: Edinboro (Pa.) (21).

Others Receiving Votes: Washburn (Kan.), 27; Arkansas Tech, 21; Shaw (N.C.), 14; West Texas A&M, 13; Findlay (Ohio), 10; Fayetteville St. (N.C.), 1.

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