Ashland University's football program has reached a new milestone, achieving its highest-ever ranking of No. 3 in the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Division II Coaches' Top 25 Poll, the latest edition of which released on Monday (Nov. 9) afternoon.
The Eagles have finished the regular season at 10-0 overall and in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. AU has won the GLIAC South Division championship and at least a share of the overall conference title.
Ashland also received one first-place vote in this week's poll.
This is the 45th time Ashland has been ranked in the AFCA Top 25 Poll since 2000, and the sixth time it has been in the top five. The Eagles' record when playing as a top-five team is 4-1.
Ashland is one of three GLIAC teams in this week's Top 25 poll, along with Ferris State (No. 2) and Grand Valley State (No. 14).
Eight Super Region 4 teams are ranked in the AFCA poll – Ferris State, Ashland, Colorado State-Pueblo (No. 4), Midwestern State (No. 10), Texas A&M-Commerce (No. 11), Indianapolis (No. 13), Grand Valley State and Colorado Mesa (No. 21).
Ashland is one of only four undefeated teams in Division II, along with Northwest Missouri State, Ferris State and Shepherd.
|
Rank |
School (1st votes) |
Rec. |
|
1. |
Northwest Missouri St. (29) |
10-0 |
|
2. |
Ferris State (Mich.) (2) |
9-0 |
|
3. |
ASHLAND (1) |
10-0 |
|
4. |
Colorado St.-Pueblo |
9-1 |
|
5. |
Shepherd (W.Va.) |
9-0 |
|
6. |
Minnesota St. |
9-1 |
|
7. |
West Georgia |
9-1 |
|
8. |
Henderson St. (Ark.) |
9-1 |
|
9. |
Slippery Rock (Pa.) |
9-1 |
|
10. |
Midwestern St. (Texas) |
9-1 |
|
11. |
Texas A&M-Commerce |
8-2 |
|
12. |
Humboldt St. (Calif.) |
8-1 |
|
13. |
Indianapolis (Ind.) |
9-1 |
|
14. |
Grand Valley St. (Mich.) |
8-2 |
|
15. |
North Alabama |
7-2 |
|
16. |
Charleston (W.Va.) |
9-1 |
|
17. |
Sioux Falls (S.D.) |
8-2 |
|
18. |
Valdosta St. (Ga.) |
7-2 |
|
19. |
Emporia St. (Kan.) |
8-2 |
|
20. |
Central Missouri |
8-2 |
|
21. |
Colorado Mesa |
8-2 |
|
22. |
Bowie St. (Md.) |
9-1 |
|
23. |
Assumption (Mass.) |
9-1 |
|
24. |
Tuskegee (Ala.) |
8-2 |
|
25. |
Carson-Newman (Tenn.) |
8-2 |
AU
FB/DS