Cactus Bowl Rosters Announced

KINGSVILLE, TEXAS – The Valero Cactus Bowl, an all-star game featuring NCAA Division II senior football players, announced the rosters of its two teams for January 9, 2009 game at Javelina Stadium on the campus of Texas A&M-Kingsville.

The Cactus Bowl was originally known as the Snow Bowl and was played in Fargo, North Dakota from 1994 through 2000. Starting in 2001, the Snow Bowl was renamed the Cactus Bowl and has been played in Kingsville, Texas. There have been over 100 players drafted into the NFL who played in the Cactus Bowl. All net profits from the Cactus Bowl are donated to Shriners Hospitals for Children.

The 2009 edition of the Cactus Bowl will feature 19 All-Americans and is headlined by six of the 24 Harlon Hill Trophy candidates; Ted Schlafke (Minnesota-Duluth), Brian McNeill (Nebraska-Omaha), Charly Martin (West Texas A&M), Corey Russell (Tusculum), Kevin McCabe (California-PA) and Mike Washington (West Chester).

In addition to the national recognition many of the players have received, there will be a strong regional feel to the game with 16 players from the Lone Star Conference signed on to play.

East Team
QB – Corey Russell (2) – Tusculum
QB – Kevin McCabe – California, PA
RB – Mike McLendon – North Alabama
RB – Sammy Milton – Elizabeth City State
RB – George Washington III – Mars Hill
WR – Mike Washington (A,1) – West Chester
WR – Julius Pruitt – Ouachita Baptist
WR – Garett Manning (2) – Henderson State
WR – Edward Gant – North Alabama
WR – Dyshaun Edwards – Tiffin
WR – Chad Schroeder – Delta State
TE – Denayne Davidson-Dixon – Edinboro
TE – Bob Ruffing – Ouachita Baptist
OL – Kennis Jones – West Chester
OL – Desi Mayner – Saginaw Valley State
OL – Louis West – Henderson State
OL – Nate Hollins – Ashland
OL – Ross Conn – Harding
OL – Sam Allen (2) – Grand Valley State
OL – Mark Ellis – Delta State
OL – Jeremy Ashcraft – Arkansas Tech
PK – Tom Schneider (1) – North Alabama
CB – Darren Banks (1) – West Liberty State
CB – Matt Black – Saginaw Valley State
CB – Otis Ballard – Carson-Newman
CB – Barry Tate – Lenoir-Rhyne College
CB – Lionell Mitchell – East Stroudsburg
CB – Steven Jackson – Fort Valley State
S – Rodrick Jones – Elizabeth City State
S – Dante Dunn – Wayne State
LB – Dan Skuta – Grand Valley State
LB – Terrence Jackson (A) – Indiana, PA
LB – Darren Burns – California, PA
LB – Anthony King – Delta State
LB – Justin Scott – Tusculum
DL – Jon Ochs – Bloomsburg
DL – Jahlim Cuttino – Southern Connecticut
DL – Sammy Hill – Stillman
DL – Jacob Visser (A,1) – Ferris State
DL – Chris Dowdell – Mars Hill
DL – Christopher Murphy – Gannon
P – Nick Krut (1) – East Stroudsburg

West Team
QB – Ted Schlafke (A) – Minnesota-Duluth
QB – Keith Null – West Texas A&M
RB – Caleb Farabi – Pittsburg State
RB – Brian McNeill – Nebraska-Omaha
RB – Daniel Thomas – Angelo State
WR – Charly Martin (1) – West Texas A&M
WR – Johnathan Ferguson – Abilene Christian
WR – Jarrett Byers – Northeastern State
WR – Marques Nelson – Pittsburg State
WR – Jareko Taylor – Texas A&M-Kingsville
WR – John Means – Western New Mexico
TE – Zack Miller – Nebraska-Omaha
TE – Todd Burkoth – Winona State
OL – Dennis Cooper – Cheyney
OL – Darron Sheppard – Texas A&M-Commerce
OL – Tom Pestock – Northwest Missouri State
OL – Devin Livingston – Tarleton State
OL – Joseph Thompson (2) – Abilene Christian
OL – Reid Kirby – Northwest Missouri State
OL – Nick Urban (A) – Winona State
OL – Dustin Finn – Central Oklahoma
PK – Jared Keating – Mesa State
CB – Terrell Phelps – Bemidji State
CB – Tremaine Wright – Tarleton State
CB – Gerrett Burl – East Central
CB – Devon Hughes (2) – Henderson State
CB – Gregory Toler – St. Paul’s College
CB – Jerome Mann – St. Paul’s College
S – Tyler Yelk (2) – Minnesota-Duluth
S – Jabir Perkins (2) – Texas A&M-Kingsville
LB – Jared Brock (A,1) – West Texas A&M
LB – Mark Meng (A) – Fort Lewis
LB – Jeff Souder – Nebraska-Omaha
LB – Blake Freese – Minnesota State-Mankato
LB – K.C. Asiodu – Central Oklahoma
DL – Ryan Kees (A) – St. Cloud State
DL – Les Hammers – Truman State
DL – John Wood – Central Missouri
DL – Matt Cox – Western Oregon
DL – Chris Burnkhorst – Minnesota State-Mankato
DL – Ronald Green – Eastern New Mexico
P – Jamie Hanson – Missouri Western

A - AFCA All-American
1 - Daktronics First Team All-American
2 - Daktronics Second Team All-American

AFCA Announces 2008 Assistant Coach of the Year Winners

WACO, TEX.-- The American Football Coaches Association is proud to announce its 2008 Assistant Coach of the Year winners. One assistant coach from the five different divisions of college football has been selected for their dedication to their teams and communities.

Each year, staff representatives from NCAA and NAIA football-playing schools are asked to nominate an assistant for consideration. From those nominations, a winner is selected by the AFCA Public Relations Committee. The winners of this award were selected from Football Bowl Subdivision, Football Championship Subdivision, Divisions II, III and the NAIA.

The Assistant Coach of the Year award was first presented in 1997 and was created to honor assistant coaches who excel in community service, commitment to the student-athlete, on-field coaching success and AFCA professional organization involvement.

The 2008 honorees are as follows: Football Bowl Subdivision–Mac McWhorter, Associate Head Coach & Offensive Line Coach, University of Texas; Football Championship Subdivision–John Loose, Defensive Coordinator & Defensive Backs Coach, Lafayette College; Division II–Matt Entz, Assistant Head Coach/Co-Defensive Coordinator & Linebackers Coach, Winona State University; Division III–Dick Bowzer, Quarterbacks & Receivers Coach, Central (Iowa) College; and NAIA–Dennis Murphy, Wide Receivers Coach, Benedictine (Kan.) College.

“Once again, five outstanding assistant coaches have been selected for their dedication, not only to their teams, but to their communities,” said Executive Director Grant Teaff. “Often times, the head coach receives much of the credit for his team’s success, but any head coach is only as good as his assistants. Much of an assistant coach’s work is done behind the scenes. It is our pleasure to bring it to the forefront.”

The criteria for the award is not limited to on-field coaching ability or the success of the team and players that these assistant coaches work with. Service to the community through charitable work and other volunteer activities, participation in AFCA activities and events, participation in other professional organizations and impact on student-athletes are all taken into account in the selection process.

Winners of the Assistant Coach of the Year Award will receive a plaque to commemorate the award and an educational stipend to attend the 2010 AFCA Convention or any other professional development clinic/convention of their choice. They will be honored at the AFCA Kickoff Luncheon, Monday, January 12 at the 2009 AFCA Convention in Nashville, Tenn.

AFCA
Assistant Coach of the Year Finalists for 2008

Football Bowl Subdivision
Dan Brooks, Tennessee; Dave Christensen, Missouri; Mac McWhorter, Texas

Football Championship Subdivision
Larry Ciotti, Yale; John Loose, Lafayette; Mike Simpson, Albany

Division II
Matt Entz, Winona St.; David Needs, Carson-Newman; Matt Yoches, Grand Valley St.

Division III
Dick Bowzer, Central (Iowa); Jeremy Markham, Manchester; David Parks, St. John Fisher

NAIA
Chad Gehring, Evangel; Dustin Miller, Malone; Dennis Murphy, Benedictine (Kan.)

Assistant Coach of the Year Notes
Sixty assistant coaches from 50 different schools have been honored by the AFCA since the inception of the award in 1997 ... Campbellsville (NAIA) and Hampton (Division I-AA) lead all schools with three winners each ... Campbellsville’s three Assistant Coach of the Year Winners came in three straight years (1997-Samuel Wickliffe, 1998-Eric Graves, 1999-Haywood Riner) ... Hampton won its three awards in 1997 (Alonzo Wright), 1998 (John Wright) and 2003 (Donovan Rose) ... Air Force, Benedictine (Kan.), Central (Iowa), Mount Union, Northwest Missouri State and Wabash have had two winners each.

The Winners
Football Bowl Subdivision
Mac McWhorter, Associate Head Coach & Offensive Line Coach, Texas: McWhorter has been coaching football for 35 years, the last seven at Texas ... He is involved in supporting Peach Lutheran Children’s Ministry, and served as Master of Ceremonies for Peach Lutheran Children’s Ministry’s main fundraiser ... McWhorter also volunteers support with the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, Safe Place (for abused women), United Mitochondrial Foundation and Archdiocese of Austin ... He has been a member of the AFCA since 1980 and is currently a member of the Texas High School Coaches Association ... McWhorter preaches the well-rounded student-athlete, which is epitomized by his seven First Team Academic All-Big 12 offensive linemen and 2007 Draddy Trophy winner Dallas Griffin ... He has produced six offensive linemen that are currently playing (or were drafted this year) in the NFL (Derrick Dockery, Buffalo Bills; Jonathan Scott, Detroit Lions; Justin Blalock, Atlanta Falcons; Lyle Sendlein, Arizona Cardinals; Kasey Studdard, Houston Texans; Tony Hills, Pittsburgh Steelers).

Football Championship Subdivision
John Loose, Defensive Coordinator & Defensive Backs Coach, Lafayette: Loose is in his 22nd year of coaching and has spent the last eight years at Lafayette ... He has organized Lauren’s First and Goal, a one day charity football camp and foundation named after his 11-year-old daughter who has been fighting brain and spinal tumors since age 2 ... In the first five years, his foundation raised more than $560,000 for charity ... Loose’s Lafayette Camp, and an inaugural camp at the University of South Florida, raised over $250,000 for pediatric brain tumor research and cancer services in 2008 ... Loose has been a member of AFCA for 21 years and has served on the Coach of the Year Committee for three years ... In 2007, Loose coached the top-ranked defense in the nation ... His defenses have helped lead the way for the Leopards to win the Patriot League three times and participate in the NCAA playoffs in 2004, 2005 and 2006.

Division II
Matt Entz, Assistant Head Coach/Co-Defensive Coordinator & Linebackers Coach, Winona State: Entz is in his seventh season at Winona State and 14th overall as an assistant coach ... He coordinates the team’s community volunteer efforts with Winona Volunteer Services, a non-profit organization whose main purpose is to provide emergency assistance and relief in the form of food, shelter, clothing and transportation to less fortunate residents of Winona County … In 2006, Entz led and assisted in the coordination of a Katrina Relief trip to the greater New Orleans area … He takes part in the Clean the Creek Program, removing trash and debris along an exercise path near a local creek and lake … Entz volunteers his time working with high school student-athletes at an annual football camp for Milwaukee Public Schools, and has collaborated with the Warrior Football Leadership Council in developing a Summer Youth Football Camp … Coach Entz’s defenses has been consistently ranked at the top of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference in total defense, run defense, points allowed and turnover margin … He has coached 18 First Team All-Conference defensive players, three First Team All-Americans, five straight NSIC Defensive Players of the Year (2002-2006) and one NSIC Newcomer of the Year.

Division III
Dick Bowzer, Quarterbacks & Receivers Coach, Central (Iowa) College: Bowzer has spent 41 years as an assistant coach, all at Central ... He is a Deacon of the Second Reformed Church in Pella, Iowa, and has served the church on many different committees such as two terms on the Executive Committee and numerous terms on the Mission Council and Building and Grounds Council ... Bowzer spent one summer remodeling the church basement and participated on mission trips to Kentucky, Michigan and Missouri ... He helped with construction of a playground in a city park, assisted with a city youth softball league, conducted free tennis clinics and started the Pella Open tennis tournament, conducting it for many years and helping it become one of the largest city tennis tournaments in Iowa ... Bowzer was the first NCAA Division III representative on the AFCA Assistant Coaches Committee, serving three terms ... He was also a member of the AFCA Coach of the Year Committee ... During his tenure as an offensive assistant, 125 offensive players have earned All-Iowa Conference recognition, including seven league MVPs.

NAIA
Dennis Murphy, Wide Receivers Coach, Benedictine (Kan.): Murphy has been an assistant coach for 30 years, all at Benedictine ... He has volunteered for the American Red Cross for 20-plus years, and has volunteered for Habitat for Humanity since 2000 ... Murphy has provided aid and assistance to the Atchison, Kansas, Homeless Youth Food and Shelter since 1999, while also volunteering for Maur Hill Academy Fund Raising for more than 20 years ... He is a volunteer coach and athletic trainer for numerous local and regional football and track events ... A long time member of the AFCA, Murphy has been a member of several committees including: Planning Committee, All-American Committee and NAIA Assistant Coaches Committee ... He has coached and produced 15 All-Conference performers and nine NAIA All-Americans ... Murphy’s offense has helped lead the way to 10 NAIA playoff appearances and five conference championships for Benedictine ... He also teaches at Benedictine and is a certified athletic trainer.

THE UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO RECEIVES 2008 AFCA ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

WACO, TEXAS — The University of Colorado will receive the American Football Coaches Association's 2008 Academic Achievement Award, which is presented by the Touchdown Club of Memphis. Colorado recorded a 100 percent graduation rate for members of its freshman football student-athlete class of 2001. This is the first honor for Colorado since the award's inception.

"This is a tremendous honor, one in which many people contributed, that enabled CU to earn this distinction," Colorado head coach Dan Hawkins said. "This is a team deal, on and off the field, and we are here to develop great people, graduate students and win championships."

This year's award marks the first time the NCAA's Graduation Success Rate (GSR) formuala has been used to select the winner. From 1981 to 2007 the award was presented based on a formula used by the College Football Association and AFCA.

Forty-six other institutions will be recognized for graduating 70 percent or more of their football student-athletes. Six of those institutions — Cincinnati, Duke, Navy, Notre Dame, Rutgers and Vanderbilt — achieved a rate of 90 percent or better. The remaining 40 institutions are: Air Force, Akron, Alabama, Arkansas State, Army, Baylor, Boston College, Bowling Green, Central Florida, Central Michigan, Colorado State, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Louisiana Tech, Marshall, Miami (Ohio), Middle Tennessee State, Nevada, North Carolina, Northwestern, Ohio, Oregon State, Penn State, Rice, Southern Mississippi, Stanford, Syracuse, TCU, Texas Tech, Toledo, UCLA, Utah State, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, Washington, Washington State and Wisconsin.

The Academic Achievement Award was established by the College Football Association in 1981. The award recognized the CFA-member Football Bowl Subdivision institution with the highest graduation rate among members of its football team. When the CFA disbanded in 1997 the AFCA stepped in to present the award and conduct a graduation rate survey that encompassed all members of the FBS.

The GSR is based on a six-year graduation window for student-athletes which is a change from the five-year window used by the CFA and AFCA. The GSR was developed by the NCAA as part of its academic reform initiative to more accurately assess the academic success of student-athletes. The GSR holds institutions accountable for transfer students, unlike the federal graduation rate. The GSR also accounts for midyear enrollees.

Under GSR calculation, institutions are not penalized for outgoing transfer students who leave in good academic standing. These outgoing transfers are passed to the receiving institution's GSR cohort. By counting incoming transfer students and midyear enrollees, the GSR increases the total number of student-athletes tracked for graduation by more than 37 percent. The NCAA also calculates the federal graduation rate for student-athletes because it is the only rate by which to compare student-athletes to the general student body.

Conference Breakdown: Mid-American (7), Atlantic Coast (6), Pac-10 (5), Big 10 (4), Big East (4), Southeastern (4), Big 12 (3), Conference USA (3), Independent (3), Mountain West (3), Western Athletic (3), Sun Belt (2).

Academic Achievement Award Winners Through the Years
1981: Duke*
1982: Notre Dame*
1983: Notre Dame*
1984: Duke & Notre Dame*
1985: Virginia*
1986: Virginia*
1987: Duke*
1988: Notre Dame*
1989: Kentucky*
1990: Duke*
1991: Notre Dame*
1992: Boston College & TCU*
1993: Duke*
1994: Duke*
1995: Boston College, Duke & Wake Forest*
1996: Boston College, Duke & Vanderbilt*
1997: Duke*
1998: Northwestern
1999: Duke
2000: Syracuse
2001: Notre Dame & Vanderbilt
2002: Northwestern
2003: Duke
2004: Boston College & Northwestern
2005: Duke & Northwestern
2006: SMU
2007: Northwestern & Notre Dame
2008: Colorado

*- Presented by the College Football Association

Most Awards: Duke, 12; Notre Dame, 7; Boston College, 5; Northwestern, 5

Most Honorable Mentions: Virginia, 21; Notre Dame, 20; Rice, 20

For more information on the AFCA, log on to the AFCA's website at www.afca.com.

TWO LOSSES IN THE TOP 10 CAUSE A SHAKEUP IN DIVISION II COACHES’ POLL

WACO, TEX.– Losses by North Alabama and West Texas A&M caused a shakeup in the American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches’ Poll this week. Grand Valley State still sits No. 1 for a third straight week, earning 23 of a possible 26 first place votes after a 34-10 win over Findlay.

Abilene Christian is the new No. 2 team this week. The Wildcats beat then-No. 4 West Texas A&M, 52-35, and earned the final three first place votes. Northwest Missouri State moves into the third spot after the Bearcats dominated Fort Hays State, 56-7, and moved its record to 7-1. No. 4 Bloomsburg is 8-0 on the season after a 43-7 win over Cheyney. Delta State rounds out the new Top 5. The Statesmen upset then-No. 2 North Alabama, 34-28, to take sole possession of first place in the Gulf South Conference.

California (Pa.) and Minnesota-Duluth tied for the sixth spot this week. The Vulcans beat Gannon, 42-24, while the Bulldogs handed St. Cloud State a 38-21 loss. North Alabama fell six places to No. 8 after its loss to Delta State. Valdosta State beat Harding, 21-13, and moved up one spot to No. 9, as did Central Washington, who moved to No. 10 after a 34-14 win over Humboldt State.

West Texas A&M tumbled seven places to No. 11 after its loss to Abilene Christian. Tuskegee handed then-No. 20 Albany State a 33-20 loss and stays in the 12th position. For the second week in a row, Chadron State and Pittsburg State are tied at No. 13. The Eagles beat Fort Lewis, 48-7, while the Gorillas defeated then-No. 22 Nebraska-Omaha, 35-28. Edinboro jumped up a spot to No. 15 after a 35-14 win over Slippery Rock.

Tarleton State is up to No. 16 after handily defeating Eastern New Mexico, 42-21. Carson-Newman dominated Lenoir-Rhyne, 62-21, and rose one spot to No. 17, while Central Missouri jumped three places to No. 18 after a 47-14 victory over Missouri Southern State. American International made the biggest move in the poll, moving from No. 24 to No. 19 after a 42-20 win over Pace. Wingate fell five places to No. 20 after its 32-21 loss to Newberry.

Indiana (Pa.) beat Mercyhurst, 42-10, and jumped two places to No. 21, while West Virginia State moved up three spots to No. 22 after a 34-24 win over West Liberty State. Ashland, West Chester and Midwestern State all re-enter the poll this week. No. 23 Ashland beat Saginaw Valley State, 31-28. West Chester handed Shippensburg a 25-7 loss and Midwestern State defeated Texas A&M-Kingsville, 38-16.

Conference Breakdown: Pennsylvania State Athletic-5 (Bloomsburg, California (Pa.), Edinboro, Indiana (Pa.), West Chester); Lone Star-4 (Abilene Christian, West Texas A&M, Tarleton St., Midwestern St.); Gulf South-3 (Delta St., North Alabama, Valdosta St.); MIAA-3 (Northwest Missouri St., Pittsburg St., Central Missouri); South Atlantic-2 (Carson-Newman, Wingate); Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic-2 (Grand Valley St., Ashland); Great Northwest Athletic-1 (Central Washington); Northeast 10-1 (American International); Northern Sun Intercollegiate-1 (Minnesota-Duluth); Rocky Mountain Athletic-1 (Chadron St.); Southern Intercollegiate Athletic-1 (Tuskegee); West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic-1 (West Virginia St.).

Head-to-Head
Three games featuring teams ranked in the AFCA Division II Coaches’ Poll highlight this weekend’s action. The first Top 25 match-up has No. 1 Grand Valley State hosting No. 23 Ashland. The Lakers have won 11 straight against the Eagles with Ashland’s last victory coming in 1993, 29-14. The second match-up sees No. 16 Tarleton State traveling to No. 2 Abilene Christian. ACU is playing its second straight ranked opponent as it tries to get a stranglehold on the Lone Star Conference South Division. The Wildcats have won three of the last four meetings with Tarleton State, including a 70-63 shootout last season. The final Top 25 match-up has No. 8 North Alabama hosting No. 9 Valdosta State. UNA holds the series advantage over the Blazers, 15-13-1, but Valdosta State won last year’s meeting, 27-24.

VALDOSTA STATE STILL HOLDS TOP SPOT IN DIVISION II COACHES’ POLL

WACO, TEX.-- Valdosta State defeated then-No. 20 Newberry, 14-9, moving its record to 2-0 and holding down the top spot in the American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches’ Poll with 22 first place votes.

Grand Valley State still sits second in the poll and will start its season against Indianapolis on Saturday. No. 3 North Alabama routed Southern Arkansas 57-14, while No. 4 Carson-Newman beat Concord 77-14. Those two schools will meet each other on Thursday night in Jefferson City, Tennessee, for a Top 5 showdown. California (Pa.) handed then-No. 16 West Chester a 44-32 loss, and rounds out the Top 5.

Abilene Christian moved up two spots to No. 6 after scoring 30 unanswered points in a 44-27 upset of then-No. 3 Northwest Missouri State. Nebraska-Omaha stays at No. 7 as it prepares to open its season against Nebraska-Kearney on Saturday. No. 8 Chadron State beat Mary, 37-17, and moved up one spot in the Coaches’ Poll, as did No. 9 West Texas A&M, who handed then-No. 20 Mesa State a 23-20 loss. Delta State climbed into the Top 10 despite not playing a game. The Statesmen play McNeese State on Saturday.

No. 11 Central Washington stays in the same position after going to overtime to beat Dixie State, 44-38. Northwest Missouri State falls nine spots to No. 12 after its loss to Abilene Christian. No. 13 Shepherd won a close game against Shippensburg, 20-16, as did No. 14 Pittsburg State, who edged Central Oklahoma 16-12. Tuskegee is ranked No. 15 this week and begins its season against Miles on Saturday.

Indiana (Pa.) was idle and moved up five spots to No. 16. The Crimson Hawks will start its season against new conference member C.W. Post on Saturday. No. 17 Minnesota-Duluth blanked Concordia-St. Paul, 40-0, and jumped up five spots while Bloomsburg moved up six places to No. 18 after upsetting then-No. 15 Ashland, 49-42. Tarleton State comes into the Coaches’ Poll at No. 19 after handing Southeastern Oklahoma State a 51-10 loss. Southern Connecticut State edged past West Virginia Wesleyan, 26-21, and rounds out the Top 20.

No. 21 Newberry fell just one spot after its loss to No. 1 Valdosta State. Washburn enters the Coaches’ Poll at No. 22 after beating Colorado School of Mines, 27-3. West Chester dropped seven spots to No. 23 after its loss to California, while Ashland fell nine positions to No. 24 after its loss to Bloomsburg. Albany State beat Shaw, 27-10, and jumps into the Coaches’ Poll at No. 25.

Conference Breakdown: MIAA-4 (Nebraska-Omaha, Northwest Missouri St., Pittsburg St., Washburn); Pennsylvania State Athletic-4 (California (Pa.), Indiana (Pa.), Bloomsburg, West Chester); Lone Star-3 (Abilene Christian, West Texas A&M, Tarleton St.); Gulf South-3 (Valdosta St., North Alabama, Delta St.); Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic-2 (Grand Valley St., Ashland); South Atlantic-2 (Carson-Newman, Newberry); Southern Intercollegiate Athletic-2 (Tuskegee, Albany St.); Great Northwest Athletic-1 (Central Washington); Northeast 10-1 (Southern Connecticut St.); Northern Sun Intercollegiate-1 (Minnesota-Duluth); Rocky Mountain Athletic-1 (Chadron St.); West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic-1 (Shepherd).

Head-to-Head
There are three games featuring teams ranked in the AFCA Division II Coaches’ Poll that highlight this weekend’s action.
The first match-up is a Top 5 tilt as No. 3 North Alabama travels to No. 4 Carson-Newman. UNA holds the all-time series lead at 6-1, with five of those contest coming in the NCAA Division II playoffs.

The second Top 25 match-up sees No. 18 Bloomsburg hosting No. 5 California (Pa.). The Huskies hold a 10-7-2 advantage against California (Pa.) in the all-time series, but the Vulcans handed Bloomsburg a 31-13 loss last season.

The final Top 25 match-up this week has No. 14 Pittsburg State traveling to No. 8 Chadron State, which is the first meeting between those two schools.

Poll Points
No. 1 Valdosta State’s defense held then-No. 20 Newberry to just 70 yards of total offense ... No. 3 North Alabama scored 57 points in its victory over Southern Arkansas, which is the 10th most points scored in a game in Lions history. UNA also racked up 624 yards of total offense ... No. 6 Abilene Christian snapped then-No. 3 Northwest Missouri State’s 17-game home winning streak with a come-from-behind victory, 44-27. ACU finished the game on a 37-6 scoring run after trailing 21-7 at the end of the fist quarter ... No. 4 Carson-Newman racked up 722 yards of total offense, just nine short of the school record, in the Eagles 77-14 win over Concord ... No. 17 Minnesota-Duluth handed Concordia-St. Paul its first shutout loss in 91 games, 40-0, dating back to 1999.

DEFENDING NATIONAL CHAMPION VALDOSTA STATE BEGINS THE 2008 SEASON AT NO. 1 IN THE FIRST AFCA DIVISION II COACHES’ POLL

WACO, TEX.-- Defending national champion Valdosta State opens the season at No. 1 in the 2008 preseason American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches’ Poll.

Valdosta State received 17 of a possible 26 first place votes and will look to win their third national title in five years in 2008. A semifinalist from last year, Grand Valley State received six first place votes and begins the season at No. 2. Last year’s national runner-up, Northwest Missouri State starts off 2008 at No. 3 and received one first place vote. North Alabama begins this year the same as it did last season, at No. 4. California (Pa.) comes in at No. 5 after its semifinal run in the 2007 NCAA playoffs.

Carson-Newman received two first place votes and sits No. 6 in the Coaches’ preseason poll. No. 7 Nebraska-Omaha begins its season on Sept. 6 hosting Nebraska-Kearney, while No. 8 Abilene Christian has a Top 10 matchup against No. 3 Northwest Missouri State on Aug. 30. No. 9 Chadron State is picked to win the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference for a third consecutive year. West Texas A&M begins this season at No. 10 and looks to improve on its second round appearance in the 2007 playoffs.

Central Washington starts 2008 in the same place it ended last season, at No. 11. Defending Gulf South Conference champion, Delta State, is ranked No. 12, while four-time defending WVIAC champion, Shepherd, sits 13th in the preseason Coaches’ Poll. Tuskegee comes in at No. 14 after finishing 2007 at 12-0 and earning the Sheridan Broadcasting Network Black College National Championship. No. 15 Ashland begins the 2008 season with a Top 25 matchup against No. 25 Bloomsburg on Aug. 30.

No. 16 West Chester starts its season by traveling to No. 5 California (Pa.), while No. 17 Pittsburg State travels to Central Oklahoma. No. 18 Texas A&M-Commerce looks to improve on its 5-6 record from a year ago. Catawba and conference rival Newberry start this year’s poll at No. 19 and No. 20, respectively.

No. 21 Indiana (Pa.) starts off its 2008 season by playing new conference member C.W. Post on Sept. 6. Minnesota-Duluth is ranked No. 22 after being picked to win the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference in its first season in the league. Mesa State ended 2007 with a 10-2 mark and starts out at No. 23 in the Coaches’ Poll. No. 24 Southern Connecticut State is the preseason favorite to take the Northeast 10 title, while No. 25 Virginia Union is picked to win the Eastern Division of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association.

Conference Breakdown: Pennsylvania State Athletic-4 (California (Pa.), West Chester, Indiana (Pa.), Bloomsburg); Lone Star-3 (Abilene Christian, West Texas A&M, Texas A&M-Commerce); Gulf South-3 (Valdosta St., North Alabama, Delta St.); MIAA-3 (Northwest Missouri St., Nebraska-Omaha, Pittsburg St.); South Atlantic-3 (Carson-Newman, Catawba, Newberry); Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic-2 (Grand Valley St., Ashland); Rocky Mountain Athletic-2 (Chadron St., Mesa St.); Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association-1 (Virginia Union); Great Northwest Athletic-1 (Central Washington); Northeast 10-1 (Southern Connecticut St.); Northern Sun Intercollegiate-1 (Minnesota-Duluth); Southern Intercollegiate Athletic-1 (Tuskegee); West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic-1 (Shepherd).

The Poll
The AFCA Division II Coaches’ Poll follows the same format as the Football Bowl Subdivision and Division III polls. A Division II Board of Coaches, made up of 26 AFCA-member head coaches from NCAA Division II schools around the country, will vote each Sunday for the top 25 teams in the division. All Division II football-playing conferences are represented on the voting board, as well as independent schools. The poll will be released on Tuesdays during the regular season, see the results at www.afca.com.

Poll Points
Forty-two schools spent at least one week ranked in the 2007 AFCA Coaches’ Poll ... Fifteen schools were ranked in the Top 25 all 14 weeks the poll was released in 2007 (Abilene Christian, California (Pa.), Carson-Newman, Chadron St., Delta St., Grand Valley St., Midwestern St., Nebraska-Omaha, North Alabama, North Dakota, Northwest Missouri St., Shepherd, Valdosta St., West Chester, West Texas A&M) ... Eventual 2007 national champion Valdosta St. was ranked No. 6 at the beginning of the 2007 season ... Since the AFCA Division II Coaches’ Top 25 debuted in 2000, Grand Valley State has been ranked No. 1 for 68 weeks ... The other six schools which have appeared No. 1 in the AFCA Division II Coaches’ Top 25 poll are Northwest Missouri State (12 weeks), Valdosta State (11), Delta State (seven), Pittsburg State (four), Saginaw Valley State (three) and North Dakota (one) ... Pittsburg State’s record of consecutive weeks being ranked in the Division II Top 25 Poll ended on Nov. 6, 2007, stopping their mark at 105 straight weeks.

American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches’ Poll

Rank School (1st votes) 2007 Rec. Pts. 2007 Rank*
Season Opener Head Coach

1.Valdosta St. (Ga.) (17) 13-1 627 1
Aug. 23 vs. Fort Valley St. (Ga.) David Dean

2.Grand Valley St. (Mich.) (6) 12-1 608 3
Sept. 6 vs. Indianapolis (Ind.) Chuck Martin

3.Northwest Missouri St. (1) 12-2 596 2
Aug. 30 vs. No. 8 Abilene Christian (Texas) Mel Tjeerdsma

4. North Alabama 10-2 517 6
Aug. 28 vs. Southern Arkansas Mark Hudspeth

5. California (Pa.) 13-1 501 4
Aug. 30 vs. No. 16 West Chester (Pa.) John Luckhardt

6. Carson-Newman (Tenn.) (2) 10-1 466 14
Aug. 28 at Concord (W.Va.) Ken Sparks

7. Nebraska-Omaha 10-1 453 7
Sept. 6 vs. Nebraska-Kearney Pat Behrns

8. Abilene Christian (Texas) 10-3 405 15
Aug. 30 at No. 3 Northwest Missouri St. Chris Thomsen

9. Chadron St. (Neb.) 12-1 382 5
Aug. 28 at Mary (N.D.) Bill O'Boyle

10. West Texas A&M 12-1 337 8
Aug. 28 at No. 23 Mesa St. (Colo.) Don Carthel

11. Central Washington 10-3 281 11
Aug. 30 at Dixie St. (Utah) Blaine Bennett

12. Delta St. (Miss.) 10-2 274 10
Sept. 6 at McNeese St. (La.) Ron Roberts

13. Shepherd (W.Va.) 10-2 268 13
Aug. 30 at Shippensburg (Pa.) Monte Cater

14. Tuskegee (Ala.) 12-0 256 16
Sept. 6 vs. Miles (Ala.) Willie Slater

15. Ashland (Ohio) 8-2 246 22
Aug. 30 vs. No. 25 Bloomsburg (Pa.) Lee Owens

16. West Chester (Pa.) 9-3 213 17
Aug. 30 at No. 5 California (Pa.) Bill Zwaan

17. Pittsburg St. (Kan.) 8-3 190 NR
Aug. 30 at Central Oklahoma Chuck Broyles

18. Texas A&M-Commerce 5-6 166 NR
Aug. 30 at Northwestern St. (La.) Scotty Conley

19. Catawba (N.C.) 11-2 165 12
Aug. 30 vs. St. Augustine’s (N.C.) Chip Hester

20. Newberry (S.C.) 9-2 163 20
Aug. 30 vs. No. 1 Valdosta St. (Ga.) Zak Willis

21. Indiana (Pa.) 9-3 155 18
Sept. 6 at C.W. Post (N.Y.) Lou Tepper

22. Minnesota-Duluth 4-6 154 NR
Aug. 30 at Concordia-St. Paul (Minn.) Bob Nielson

23. Mesa St. (Colo.) 10-2 119 19
Aug. 28 vs. No. 10 West Texas A&M Joe Ramunno

24. Southern Connecticut St. 9-4 103 NR
Aug. 30 at West Virginia Wesleyan Rich Cavanaugh

25T. Bloomsburg (Pa.) 7-3 95 NR
Aug. 30 at No. 15 Ashland (Ohio) Danny Hale

25T. Virginia Union 9-3 95 NR
Aug. 28 at East Stroudsburg (Pa.) Greg Richardson

*– Ranking in final AFCA Division II Poll of 2007

Others Receiving Votes: Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.), 82; Winona St. (Minn.), 81; Albany St. (Ga.), 79; Washburn (Kan.), 64; Tarleton St. (Texas), 49; Shaw (N.C.), 31; Southeastern Oklahoma St., 29; Missouri Western St., 23; Bentley (Mass.), 20; Slippery Rock (Pa.), 19; Central Missouri, 18; Tusculum (Tenn.), 14; Western Oregon, 14; Northwood (Mich.), 12; C.W. Post (N.Y.), 11; West Liberty St. (W.Va.), 10; Edinboro (Pa.), 9; Midwestern St. (Texas), 9; Henderson St. (Ark.), 7; Hillsdale (Mich.), 7; Harding (Ark.), 6; Nebraska-Kearney, 6; Missouri S&T, 4; Tiffin (Ohio), 3; Colorado School of Mines, 2; Fort Valley St. (Ga.), 2; Kentucky St., 2; St. Cloud State (Minn.), 2.

GRAND VALLEY STATE FINISHES THE REGULAR SEASON AT NO. 1 IN DIVISION II COACHES’ POLL

WACO, TEXAS--Grand Valley State started the season at No. 1, and that is how they finished up the regular season portion of the schedule. The Lakers are the unanimous No. 1 team in the AFCA Division II Coaches’ Top 25 Poll after handing Northern Michigan a 44-14 loss and moving its record to 10-0.

No. 2 Chadron State blanked Adams State, 58-0, winning its second straight Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference title. No. 3 Nebraska-Omaha claimed the North Central Conference outright with a 59-21 win over then-No. 16 Central Washington. No. 4 West Texas A&M beat then-No. 13 Tarleton State, 39-14, to take home its third straight Lone Star Conference title. Northwest Missouri State stayed in the fifth position after dominating Missouri Southern State, 49-14.

No. 6 California (Pa.) is 11-0 after a 30-9 win over Shippensburg. No. 7 North Dakota snapped South Dakota’s 23-game home winning streak with a 31-27 victory. No. 8 Valdosta State beat West Georgia, 35-10, moving its record to 9-1, as did No. 9 Delta State after a dominating, 51-14 win over Arkansas-Monticello. North Alabama rounds out the Top 10 after handing West Alabama a 49-20 loss and moving its record to 9-1.

No. 11 Carson-Newman ended its season on a high note, beating Tusculum, 63-24. No. 12 Catawba beat Lenoir-Rhyne, 45-0, and earned a trip to the playoffs where they will face Albany State. No. 13 Tuskegee is 10-0 after a 72-3 win over George Mason. No. 14 Shepherd was idle, and has a first-round bye in the playoffs. Abilene Christian beat then-No. 19 Midwestern State, 42-41, and jumped two spots to No. 15.

No. 16 West Chester moved up four spots in this week’s poll after handing Cheyney a 35-13 loss. Mesa State also jumped four spots, from No. 21 to No. 17, after its 30-7 win over New Mexico Highlands. No. 18 Newberry ended its season with a 17-6 decision over Brevard, while No. 19 Winona State earned a spot in the playoffs after beating Wayne State (Neb.), 59-34. Tarleton State fell seven spots to No. 20 after ending its season with a loss to No. 4 West Texas A&M.

Central Washington lost to No. 3 Nebraska-Omaha and tumbled to No. 21 in the poll. Ashland jumps into the poll for the first time this season at No. 22. The Eagles are 8-1 after a 62-7 rout of Gannon. Indiana (Pa.) lost to Bloomsburg, 41-35, and fell five spots to No. 23, as did Midwestern State, who fell from No. 19 to No. 24 after its loss to No. 15 Abilene Christian. Washburn jumps back into the poll at No. 25 after the Ichabods beat Southwest Baptist, 37-14, and moved its record to 8-3.

Conference Breakdown: Lone Star-4 (West Texas A&M, Tarleton St., Abilene Christian, Midwestern St.); Gulf South-3 (Valdosta St., Delta St., North Alabama); North Central-3 (Nebraska-Omaha, North Dakota, Central Washington); Pennsylvania State Athletic-3 (California (Pa.), West Chester, Indiana (Pa.)); South Atlantic-3 (Carson-Newman, Catawba, Newberry); Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic-2 (Grand Valley St., Ashland); MIAA-2 (Northwest Missouri St., Washburn); Rocky Mountain Athletic-2 (Chadron St., Mesa St.); Northern Sun Intercollegiate-1 (Winona St.); Southern Intercollegiate Athletic-1 (Tuskegee); West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic-1 (Shepherd).

Head-to-Head
Five games featuring teams ranked in the AFCA Division II Coaches’ Poll highlight the first weekend of playoff action. The first match-up pits No. 4 West Texas A&M vs. No. 25 Washburn. The Buffs are making their third straight postseason appearance while Washburn is making its second appearance in three years.

No. 7 North Dakota plays host to No. 19 Winona State in the second Top 25 match-up. The Fighting Sioux are 5-0 against Winona State, including a 49-2 decision at the
Alerus Center last season.

The third match-up sees No. 15 Abilene Christian hosting No. 17 Mesa State. It will be ACU’s first time to host a playoff game since 1977. Mesa State is making its third Division II playoff appearance under head coach Joe Ramunno.

The fourth match-up has familiar foes as No. 23 Indiana (Pa.) travels to No. 16 West Chester. These Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference rivals have faced each other 15 times with Indiana holding the series advantage at 9-6. West Chester won the last meeting, 30-20, in 2005. The final match-up has No. 22 Ashland traveling to No. 21 Central Washington. Ashland is making its first appearance in the playoffs since 1997 while Central Washington is making its second Division II playoff appearance.

Poll Points
Grand Valley State enters the playoffs with a Division II record 38-game winning streak. The Lakers’ 38 straight wins is also the longest active winning streak in college football.

WHEATON AND RENSSELAER BOTH TUMBLE IN AFCA DIVISION III COACHES’ POLL

WACO, TEXAS— Wheaton fell 10 positions after its loss to Carthage while Rensselaer dropped 11 spots after its loss Rochester, causing a reshuffling of teams in the AFCA Division III Coaches’ Top 25 Poll.

No. 1 Mount Union is still pitching shutouts, this time downing John Carroll, 53-0. St. John’s (Minn.) was idle and still claims the No. 2 position as it awaits a Top 25 match-up with No. 16 Bethel. No. 3 Wisconsin-Whitewater downed Wisconsin-Stout, 26-10, and claimed its third consecutive Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title. No. 4 Central (Iowa) was idle, but moved up one spot in the poll, as did No. 5 Washington & Jefferson, who beat Thomas More, 42-0, and clinched the Presidents’ Athletic Conference title.

No. 6 Mary Hardin-Baylor won the American Southwest Conference championship with a 72-7 win over East Texas Baptist, while No. 7 Wabash claimed the North Coast Athletic Conference with its 42-0 shutout of Denison. No. 8 Wesley and No. 9 St. John Fisher were both idle this past week. St. Norbert and Muhlenberg both come in ranked at No. 10 this week. The Green Knights had to rally for a 31-24 win over Illinois College while Muhlenberg beat Ursinus, 31-7, to clinch its first outright Centennial Conference title.

Wartburg beat Cornell, 35-7, and jumped two spots to No. 12, as did Salisbury, who moved from No. 15 to No. 13 despite being idle. Wheaton sits in the 14th position after its loss to Carthage, 35-27. No. 15 Trinity (Texas) didn’t need a miracle finish to win this week, as they beat Centre, 34-6.

Bethel (Minn.) moved up another notch this week to No. 16 after handing Augsburg a 44-35 loss. College of New Jersey also moved up one spot to No. 17 as the Lions extended its winning streak to eight games with a 27-14 win over Buffalo State. No. 18 Case Western Reserve clinched its first outright University Athletic Association championship after the Spartans beat Washington (Mo.), 35-27. No. 19 Capital edged past Muskingum, 19-13, while No. 20 Mount St. Joseph shutout Bluffton, 28-0.

No. 21 Franklin beat Defiance, 55-22, and clinched its first playoff berth since 1972. Curry is one of three newcomers to the Coaches’ Poll this week. The Colonels are No. 22 and 10-0 this season after a 40-25 win over Massachusetts-Dartmouth. Occidental also jumps into the poll at No. 23 after beating Chapman, 21-15, in overtime. Rensselaer fell 11 spots to No. 24 after its 25-21 loss to Rochester. Whitworth makes its appearance in the poll at No. 25 after its upset win over then-No. 19 Linfield, 10-6.

Conference Breakdown: Ohio (Mount Union, Capital), Wisconsin (Wisconsin-Whitewater), Atlantic Central (Salisbury, Wesley), Heartland (Mount St. Joseph, Franklin), Iowa (Central {Iowa}, Wartburg), Minnesota (St. John’s, Bethel), America Southwest (Mary Hardin-Baylor), Centennial (Muhlenberg), Empire 8 (St. John Fisher), Illinois-Wisconsin (Wheaton), Liberty (Rensselaer), Midwest (St. Norbert), New England (Curry), New Jersey (College of New Jersey), North Coast (Wabash), Northwest (Whitworth), Presidents (Washington & Jefferson), Southern California (Occidental), Southern Collegiate (Trinity), UAA (Case Western Reserve).

Head-to-Head
Two games featuring teams ranked in the AFCA Division III Coaches’ Top 25 highlight this weekend’s action.
The first match-up is for the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship as No. 2 St. John’s (Minn.) visits No. 16 Bethel (Minn.). The Johnnies lead the all-time series with a 25-3 mark, but Bethel took last year’s contest, 28-13.

The second Top 25 match-up also has conference title implications as No. 12 Wartburg plays host to No. 4 Central (Iowa), with the winner taking home the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship. The Dutch own the all-time series lead at 39-16 and have won the last two meetings.

Poll Points
Mount Union blanked John Carroll, 53-0, marking the Raiders’ fifth consecutive and sixth overall shutout this season to tie the Division III record for shutouts in a season (6) set by Mount Union in 2003. The Purple Raiders have now gone 22 quarters without being scored on ... Whitworth’s Phil Entel tied a school record by picking off three passes, including one he returned 32 yards for a touchdown, in a 10-6 win over Linfield ... With its 31-24 win over Illinois College, St. Norbert extended its Midwest Conference winning streak to 25 games and claimed its second straight undefeated regular season ... Case Western Reserve is 9-0 for the first time since 1984 after its win over Washington (Mo.), 35-27 ... Franklin set a new school record for points scored in a season at 399.

THREE TEAMS IN DIVISION II COACHES' POLL REACH 10-WIN PLATEAU

WACO, TEXAS--There are only six undefeated teams left in the AFCA Division II Coaches' Top 25 Poll, and three of those teams have reached the 10-win plateau, No. 2 Chadron State, No. 4 West Texas A&M and No. 6 California (Pa.).

No. 1 Grand Valley State is only one game behind those three teams with a 9-0 record. The Lakers edged past Saginaw Valley State, 21-10. Chadron State is still No. 2 after its dominating 50-17 win over Western State. No. 3 Nebraska-Omaha moved its record to 9-0 after a 41-14 win over South Dakota. No. 4 West Texas A&M blanked Central Oklahoma, 31-0, to reach its 10-0 mark, while No. 5 Northwest Missouri State clinched the MIAA championship with a 24-7 win over Emporia State.

California (Pa.) drops one spot to No. 6 despite its 30-14 win over then-No. 11 West Chester. No. 7 North Dakota, No. 8 Valdosta State, No. 9 Delta State and No. 10 North Alabama all stay in their respective positions this week. The Fighting Sioux are 8-1 after a 59-14 win over St. Cloud State, while Valdosta State reached the same record with a 63-28 blowout of Arkansas-Monticello. Delta State beat West Alabama, 20-9, and North Alabama handed West Georgia a 65-17 loss.

South Atlantic Conference foes Carson-Newman and Catawba both jumped one spot each to 11th and 12th, respectively. The Eagles defeated Wingate, 58-27, while Catawba beat Brevard, 56-21. Tarleton State jumped three spots to No. 13 after a 38-10 win over Angelo State. Tuskegee still sits at No. 14 despite blanking Clark Atlanta, 51-0. No. 15 Shepherd beat West Virginia State, 42-7, and clinched its fourth-straight West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title.

No. 16 Central Washington moved its record to 8-1 with a 17-10 win over Minnesota State-Mankato, while No. 17 Abilene Christian sits 8-2 after a 59-31 win over Texas A&M-Kingsville. No. 18 Indiana (Pa.) blanked its second opponent in 2007 when the Crimson Hawks beat Shippensburg, 30-0. Midwestern State jumped two to No. 19 after its 63-7 win over Eastern New Mexico while West Chester fell nine spots to No. 20 after its loss to California (Pa.).

Mesa State climbed up a notch to No. 21 after blanking Colorado School of Mines, 18-0, as did Newberry, who moved from No. 23 to No. 22 after a 24-0 shutout of Lenoir-Rhyne. No. 23 Winona State survived a shootout, 49-46, over Southwest Minnesota State. No. 24 Virginia Union earned a spot in the CIAA Championship game after a 34-17 win over Fayetteville State. Hillsdale makes its first-ever appearance in the AFCA Division II Coaches' Poll at No. 25. The Chargers are 8-2 after a 45-7 win over Findlay.

Conference Breakdown: Lone Star-4 (West Texas A&M, Tarleton St., Abilene Christian, Midwestern St.); Gulf South-3 (Valdosta St., Delta St., North Alabama); North Central-3 (Nebraska-Omaha, North Dakota, Central Washington); Pennsylvania State Athletic-3 (California (Pa.), West Chester, Indiana (Pa.)); South Atlantic-3 (Carson-Newman, Catawba, Newberry); Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic-2 (Grand Valley St., Hillsdale); Rocky Mountain Athletic-2 (Chadron St., Mesa St.); CIAA-1 (Virginia Union); MIAA-1 (Northwest Missouri St.); Northern Sun Intercollegiate-1 (Winona St.); Southern Intercollegiate Athletic-1 (Tuskegee); West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic-1 (Shepherd).

Head-to-Head

There are three games featuring teams ranked in the AFCA Division II Coaches' Poll that highlight this weekend's action.

In the first match-up, No. 3 Nebraska-Omaha travels to No. 16 Central Washington. With a win, the Mavericks will take the North Central Conference title outright, but a Central Washington win would cause a possible three-way tie between those two teams and North Dakota, if the Fighting Sioux can earn a win against South Dakota.

The second Top 25 match-up also has conference title implications as No. 13 Tarleton State plays host to No. 4 West Texas A&M. The Buffs can win the Lone Star Conference championship outright with a win. A Tarleton State win could cause a three-way tie between the Texans, the Buffs and No. 17 Abilene Christian, if the Wildcats beat No. 19 Midwestern State, which is the third Top 25 match-up this week.

Poll Points

Pittsburg State fell out of the Division II Coaches' Poll for the first time since the poll's inception on August 28, 2000, snapping a streak of 106 straight weeks ranked in the Top 25 ... Shepherd runningback Dervon Wallace earned WVIAC Co-Offensive Player of the Week honors after he piled up a school-record 311 yards on 27 carries in less than three quarters of work in the Rams' 42-7 victory over West Virginia State. Wallace became the school's all-time leader in points scored (398), touchdowns (66), and rushing touchdowns (64) ... With its 31-0 win over Central Oklahoma, West Texas A&M is 10-0 for the first time in school history.

WISCONSIN-WHITEWATER WINS TOP 5 MATCH-UP WITH MARY HARDIN-BAYLOR TO SHAKE UP AFCA DIVISION III COACHES’ POLL

WACO, TEXAS— The Top 5 in this week’s AFCA Division III Coaches’ Poll has a new look this week after Wisconsin-Whitewater downed Mary Hardin-Baylor in a late-season non-conference match-up of highly-ranked teams on Saturday.

The homestanding Warhawks defeated UMHB 41-14 to move up one spot to No. 3 in this week’s rankings. Mount Union remains in firm possession of the top spot after pitching its fourth consecutive shutout, a 37-0 blanking of then-No. 14 Capital. St. John’s (Minn.) climbs one spot to No. 2 after downing arch rival St. Thomas, 51-34. Wheaton moves up one spot to No. 4 after rolling past Elmhurst, 48-7. Central (Iowa) rounds out the Top 5 after the Dutch pushed their record to 9-0 with a 40-14 win over Cornell (Iowa).

Washington & Jefferson climbs one spot to No. 6 this week after slipping by then-No. 21 Waynesburg, 22-21. Mary Hardin-Baylor falls to No. 7 after its loss to Whitewater. No. 8 Wabash is 8-0 following the Little Giants’ 21-0 win over Wooster. Wesley is up two spots to No. 9 after downing then-No. 8 Salisbury, 20-13. St. John Fisher remains at No. 10 after the Cardinals beat Utica, 38-0.

St. Norbert is up four spots to No. 11 after the Green Knights dispatched Beloit, 55-9. Muhlenberg made a five-spot jump to No. 12 with a 29-24 victory over Dickinson. Rensselaer climbs three spots to No. 13 after winning a double-overtime thriller, 20-14, over Worcester Tech. Wartburg is up four spots to No. 14 after a 41-5 win over Simpson. Salisbury tumbles seven spots to No. 15 after its loss to Wesley.

Trinity (Texas) climbs four spots to No. 16 after the Tigers scored a miraculous 28-24 win over Millsaps. Trinity successfully completed 15 laterals on the game’s final play to score the winning touchdown. Bethel (Minn.) is up six spots to No. 17 after a 28-10 win over Hamline. The College of New Jersey also jumped up seven spots to No. 18 after a 30-0 win over Cortland State. Linfield is up five to No. 19 after a 37-6 win over Menlo. Capital tumbles six spots to No. 20 after its loss to Mount Union.

No. 21 Case Western Reserve is one of three new teams in this week’s Top 25. The Spartans are 8-0 after a 35-3 win over Chicago. Alfred falls nine spots to No. 22 after its 41-22 loss to Hobart. Mount St. Joseph returns to the rankings this week at No. 23 after a 10-0 win over Defiance. Franklin makes its first appearance in the Top 25 this year at No. 24 after a 52-33 win over Manchester. Waynesburg falls four spots to No. 25 after its loss to Washington & Jefferson.

Conference Breakdown: Ohio (Mount Union, Capital), Wisconsin (Wisconsin-Whitewater), Atlantic Central (Salisbury, Wesley), Heartland (Mount St. Joseph, Franklin), Iowa (Central {Iowa}, Wartburg), Minnesota (St. John’s, Bethel), America Southwest (Mary Hardin-Baylor), Centennial (Muhlenberg), Empire 8 (St. John Fisher, Alfred), Illinois-Wisconsin (Wheaton), Liberty (Rensselaer), Midwest (St. Norbert), New Jersey (College of New Jersey), North Coast (Wabash), Northwest (Linfield), Presidents (Washington & Jefferson, Waynesburg), Southern Collegiate (Trinity), UAA (Case Western Reserve).

Head-to-Head
There are no match-ups of Top 25 teams this week.

Poll Points
Mount Union is surrendering an average of 3.0 points per game and has not allowed a touchdown since its second game of the season ... St. John’s quarterback Alex Kofoed became the 18th Division III player to pass for more than 10,000 yards in his career on Saturday ... Wisconsin-Whitewater scored 24 points off of five turnovers in its win over Mary Hardin-Baylor ... Wheaton held Elmhurst to -10 yards rushing in the Thunder’s 48-7 win ... Central quarterback Tim Connell threw for a career high 325 yards and four touchdowns in Central’s win over Cornell ... Wabash linebacker Adrian Pynenberg had 13 tackles in the Little Giants’ win over Wooster ... Wesley’s Sean Matthews had 14 tackles in the Wolverines’ overtime win over Salisbury ... Muhlenberg quarterback Eric Santagato threw a career-high four touchdown passes to rally the Mules from a 17-0 deficit to a 29-24 win over Dickinson ... Rensselaer’s 21-14 win over Worcester Tech was the 101st meeting between the two schools. RPI has won the the last 11 meetings and leads the all-time series 53-43-5 ... Wartburg rolled up 459 yards in total offense in the Knights’ win over Simpson ... Bethel quarterback Ben Wetzell moved to fourth place on the school’s all-time passing list on Saturday ... The College of New Jersey recorded its first shutout since 2004 when it blanked Cortland State, 30-0, on Saturday ... Linfield extended its college football-record string of winning seasons to 52 with its victory on Saturday.

LOSSES BY TWO TOP TEN TEAMS CAUSE SHAKE-UP IN AFCA DIVISION II COACHES’ POLL

WACO, TEXAS--No. 2 North Alabama lost to No. 11 Valdosta State and No. 8 Tarleton State fell to No. 19 Abilene Christian, causing a shake-up in the 2007 American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches’ Poll in the 10th week of action.

Grand Valley State is still the undisputed No. 1 team as the Lakers posted a 34-7 victory over Ferris State. Chadron State jumps up to No. 2 this week after the Eagles won a close game over then-No. 18 Mesa State, 7-6. No. 3 Nebraska-Omaha is 8-0 on the season after a 13-3 win over St. Cloud State. No. 4 West Texas A&M is 9-0 for the first time in school history after the Buffs beat Angelo State, 38-17. California (Pa.) handed then-No. 24 Slippery Rock a 22-13 loss and moved up one spot to No. 5.

Northwest Missouri State is up one spot to No. 6 after the Bearcats escaped with a 28-27 win over Washburn. No. 7 North Dakota is 7-1 on the season after handing Minnesota-Duluth a 31-14 loss. Valdosta State moved up three spots to No. 8 after upsetting then-No. 2 North Alabama, 27-24. Delta State dominated West Georgia, 41-9, and is up to No. 9 while North Alabama tumbled eight positions to No. 10 after its loss to Valdosta State.

West Chester is No. 11 this week after the Golden Rams went out of conference to beat St. Joseph’s (Ind.), 34-20. Carson-Newman moved up a spot to No. 12 after beating Brevard, 52-13, while Catawba jumped two to No. 13 after its 45-20 victory over Wingate. No. 14 Tuskegee is 8-0 on the season after a 49-10 win over Kentucky State. Shepherd stays in the 15th position despite its 38-21 win over West Liberty State.

Tarleton State fell eight spots to No. 16 after its 70-63 loss to No. 19 Abilene Christian. The 63 points scored by the Texans set a new NCAA Division II record for most points scored by a losing team in regulation. Central Washington is still ranked No. 17 after a 27-16 win over Augustana (S.D.). Pittsburg State moved up a notch to No. 18 after blanking Fort Hays State, 35-0. No. 19 Abilene Christian jumped up two spots after its 70-63 shootout win over then-No. 8 Tarleton State, while Indiana stays at No. 20 after beating Clarion, 38-31.

Midwestern State moved up two to No. 21 after a dominating 41-19 win over Southeastern Oklahoma State. Mesa State fell to No. 22 after its loss to Chadron State. Newberry jumped two spots to No. 23 after the Indians handed Tusculum its first conference loss of the season in a 17-14 decision. Winona State makes its first appearance in the Coaches’ Poll this season at No. 24. The Warriors are 8-1 after blanking Minnesota-Crookston, 37-0. Virginia Union is back in the poll at No. 25 after a two-week layoff as the Panthers beat Virginia State, 42-27.

Conference Breakdown: Lone Star-4 (West Texas A&M, Tarleton St., Abilene Christian, Midwestern St.); Gulf South-3 (Valdosta St., Delta St., North Alabama); North Central-3 (Nebraska-Omaha, North Dakota, Central Washington); Pennsylvania State Athletic-3 (California (Pa.), West Chester, Indiana (Pa.)); South Atlantic-3 (Carson-Newman, Catawba, Newberry); MIAA-2 (Northwest Missouri St., Pittsburg St.); Rocky Mountain Athletic-2 (Chadron St., Mesa St.); CIAA-1 (Virginia Union); Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic-1 (Grand Valley St.); Northern Sun Intercollegiate-1 (Winona St.); Southern Intercollegiate Athletic-1 (Tuskegee); West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic-1 (Shepherd).

Head-to-Head
There is only one game featuring teams ranked in the AFCA Division II Coaches’ Poll in this weekend’s action. In the match-up, the two top teams in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference face off as No. 12 West Chester hosts No. 5 California (Pa.). These two teams have only met four times, with West Chester winning all four contest. The Golden Rams won their last meeting, 25-24, in 1995.

Poll Points
With California’s (Pa.) 22-13 win over Slippery Rock, the Vulcans tied team records for most wins in a season (nine) and most wins to start a season (nine), both set by the 1946 squad in its first season after a four-year hiatus because of World War II ... Abilene Christian runningback Bernard Scott was named Lone Star Conference South Division Offensive Player of the Week after he set the school’s single-game rushing record with 283 yards in a 70-63 win over Tarleton State. He scored six touchdowns on 29 carries, completed a 66-yard halfback pass and caught five passes for 54 yards as he accounted for 403 of the Wildcats’ 715 yards of total offense ... West Texas A&M runningback Keithon Fleming tied an NCAA and Lone Star Conference record with a 99-yard touchdown run in the Buffs’ 38-17 victory over Angelo State ... West Chester wide receiver Mike Washington set the school’s all-time receiving yardage record in the Golden Rams’ 34-20 victory over St. Joseph’s. He finished the day with 162 yards on nine catches and two touchdowns, and now has 3,287 yards receiving in two-plus seasons.

ONLY NINE UNDEFEATED TEAMS LEFT IN DIVISION II COACHES’ POLL

WACO, TEXAS-- Losses from Delta State and Catawba this past Saturday leave only nine undefeated teams left in the 2007 American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches’ Poll, but seven of the top eight teams still have unblemished marks after nine weeks of play.

No. 1 Grand Valley State still continues its winning ways as the Lakers beat Northwood, 51-20. North Alabama still sits in the second position after its 28-17 win over then-No. 5 Delta State. No. 3 Chadron State is 8-0 on the season after the Eagles beat Nebraska-Kearney, 28-16. No. 4 Nebraska-Omaha handed Minnesota-Duluth a 42-17 loss, while West Texas A&M jumped into the No. 5 spot after beating then-No. 12 Abilene Christian, 41-31.

California (Pa.) is up to its highest ranking ever in the AFCA Coaches’ Poll at No. 6 after the Vulcans downed Edinboro, 26-8. Northwest Missouri State beat Fort Hays State, 17-10, and jumped two spots to No. 7, as did Tarleton State, who moved from No. 10 to No. 8 after a 40-10 victory over Eastern New Mexico. North Dakota was idle, but moves up to No. 9 this week as the Fighting Sioux prepare to face Minnesota-Duluth on Saturday. Delta State falls five spots to No. 10 after its loss to No. 2 North Alabama.

No. 11 Valdosta State rebounded from its first loss of the season to blank West Alabama, 37-0. No. 12 West Chester doubled-up East Stroudsburg, 30-15, while No. 13 Carson-Newman dominated Lenior-Rhyne, 56-13. No. 14 Tuskegee is 7-0 on the season after the Golden Tigers beat then-No. 25 Albany State, 40-28. Catawba and Shepherd share the No. 15 spot this week. Catawba lost to Tusculum, 31-28, and fell eight positions, while Shepherd jumped up two spots after its 36-28 win over West Virginia Wesleyan.

Central Washington is up to No. 17 this week after the Wildcats won their third straight “Battle in Seattle” with a 24-7 victory over Western Washington. No. 18 Mesa State is 8-0 on the season after scoring 28 unanswered points in the second half to defeat Adams State, 34-21. No. 19 Pittsburg State beat Southwest Baptist, 42-23, and jumped two spots, as did No. 20 Indiana (Pa.), who beat Lock Haven, 44-13.

Abilene Christian fell nine places to No. 21 after its loss to No. 5 West Texas A&M. Tiffin dominated Lincoln, 57-6, and moved up two to No. 22. Midwestern State beat Texas A&M-Kingsville, 73-6, and stays in the 23rd position. Slippery Rock enters the poll at No. 24 for the first time since 2001. The Rock beat Shippensburg, 38-34, and moved its record to 7-1. Newberry re-enters the Coaches’ Poll at No. 25 after a two-week layoff. The Indians handed then-No. 18 Wingate a 31-23 loss.

Conference Breakdown: Lone Star-4 (West Texas A&M, Tarleton State, Abilene Christian, Midwestern State); Pennsylvania State Athletic-4 (California (Pa.), West Chester, Indiana (Pa.), Slippery Rock); Gulf South-3 (North Alabama, Delta State, Valdosta State); North Central-3 (Nebraska-Omaha, North Dakota, Central Washington); South Atlantic-3 (Catawba, Carson-Newman, Newberry); MIAA-2 (Northwest Missouri State, Pittsburg State); Rocky Mountain Athletic-2 (Chadron State, Mesa State); Great Lakes Football-1 (Tiffin); Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic-1 (Grand Valley State); Southern Intercollegiate Athletic-1 (Tuskegee); West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic-1 (Shepherd).

Head-to-Head
Four games featuring teams ranked in the AFCA Division II Coaches’ Poll highlight this weekend’s action. In the first match-up, No. 2 North Alabama will be facing its second-straight Top 25 opponent when the Lions travel to No. 11 Valdosta State. The Blazers will be looking for revenge after a 31-24 overtime loss to UNA last season. The second Top 25 match-up is for the top spot in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference as No. 3 Chadron State plays host to No. 18 Mesa State. Both teams are tied atop the RMAC standings with 5-0 records and 8-0 overall.

The third Top 25 match-up has No. 6 California (Pa.) traveling to No. 24 Slippery Rock. The Vulcans sit atop the PSAC Western Division with a 4-0 mark, with Slippery Rock right behind them at 2-1. The final match-up has No. 21 Abilene Christian facing its second-straight Top 10 team as the Wildcats travel to No. 8 Tarleton State. ACU has won two of the last three against Tarleton State while the Texans are looking to keep pace with West Texas A&M for the Lone Star Conference lead.

Poll Points
Grand Valley State claimed a 51-20 victory over Northwood Saturday and in the process made NCAA Division II history by winning its 35th consecutive game. GVSU’s 35 straight wins passes the previous record held by Hillsdale College (1954-57) … Midwestern State handed Texas A&M-Kingsville its worst loss in school history in terms of margin of victory with its 73-6 victory this past Saturday.

THREE TOP TEN TEAMS LOSE, CAUSING SHAKEUP IN DIVISION II POLL

WACO, TEXAS-- North Dakota, Valdosta State and Carson-Newman all lost to lower ranked teams, causing a big shakeup in the 2007 American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches' Poll in the eighth week of action.

Grand Valley State received all 28 first place votes and continued in the top spot after dominated Indianapolis, 41-17. North Alabama jumps into the No. 2 spot with a 46-27 win over Arkansas-Monticello. New No. 3 Chadron State is 7-0 after a 31-9 victory over Fort Lewis. Nebraska-Omaha moves up two positions to No. 4 after handing then-No. 2 North Dakota a 28-17 loss. Delta State moves up three to No. 5 after its 35-31 win over then-No. 5 Valdosta State.

West Texas A&M jumps four spots to No. 6 after outscoring Eastern New Mexico, 62-31. Catawba makes the biggest move this week, moving up five positions to No. 7 after ending then-No. 7 Carson-Newman's undefeated season with a 55-49 loss. California (Pa.) is ranked No. 8 this week after beating Lock Haven, 27-3, while Northwest Missouri State stayed at No. 9 after edging Central Missouri, 28-26. Tarleton State jumps to No. 10 after giving then-No. 16 Midwestern State its second straight loss, 44-32.

North Dakota falls nine spots to No. 11 after its loss to Nebraska-Omaha. No. 12 Abilene Christian dominated Angelo State, 52-28, as it prepares for a Top 25 match-up this Saturday against No. 6 West Texas A&M. Valdosta State tumbles to No. 13 this week after its loss to Delta State. West Chester moved up to No. 14 after blanking Kutztown, 21-0. Carson-Newman is now No. 15 this week after its loss to Catawba.

Tuskegee, Shepherd and Wingate all moved up one notch in the poll this week. No. 16 Tuskegee made its move after beating Stillman, 35-7, while No. 17 Shepherd handed Concord a 41-17 loss. No. 18 Wingate moved its record to 6-1 after a 31-13 victory over Lenoir-Rhyne. No. 19 Central Washington beat Western Oregon, 49-14, and moved up two spots, while No. 20 Mesa State edged Western State, 30-27, and moved up one position. The Mavericks are 7-0 on the season and tied with Chadron State for the top spot in the RMAC.

Pittsburg State blanked Truman State, 40-0, and jumps from No. 23 to No. 21 this week. No. 22 Indiana (Pa.) also moved up two spots after beating conference rival Edinboro, 27-7. Midwestern State falls seven spots to No. 23 after its loss to Tarleton State. No. 24 Tiffin is 6-1 after its 17-13 win over St. Joseph's, 17-13. Albany State returns to the poll after a six-week layoff at No. 25 this week. The Golden Rams beat Clark Atlanta, 17-14, and moved its record to 6-1.

Conference Breakdown: Lone Star-4 (West Texas A&M, Tarleton State, Abilene Christian, Midwestern State); Gulf South-3 (North Alabama, Delta State, Valdosta State); North Central-3 (Nebraska-Omaha, North Dakota, Central Washington); Pennsylvania State Athletic-3 (California (Pa.), West Chester, Indiana (Pa.)); South Atlantic-3 (Catawba, Carson-Newman, Wingate); MIAA-2 (Northwest Missouri State, Pittsburg State); Rocky Mountain Athletic-2 (Chadron State, Mesa State); Southern Intercollegiate Athletic-2 (Tuskegee, Albany State); Great Lakes Football-1 (Tiffin); Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic-1 (Grand Valley State); West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic-1 (Shepherd).

Head-to-Head

Three games featuring teams ranked in the AFCA Division II Coaches' Poll highlight this weekend's action. The first match-up has first place in the Gulf South Conference on the line as No. 5 Delta State travels to No. 2 North Alabama. The Lions will be looking to rebound from a 27-10 loss to Delta State in the playoffs last season.

The second Top 25 match-up is a key Lone Star Conference showdown as No. 12 Abilene Christian plays host to No. 6 West Texas A&M. The Buffs have won two of three from ACU in the past two years, including 30-27 decision in the playoffs last year. The final Top 25 match-up has No. 16 Tuskegee traveling to No. 25 Albany State. First place is on the line in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference with both schools sporting a 5-0 conference mark.

Poll Points

With their 41-17 win over Indianapolis, Grand Valley State has tied Hillsdale for the longest winning streak in Division II history at 34 games. The Lakers last lost on November 27, 2004 to North Dakota in the playoffs ƒ Nebraska-Omaha runningback Brian McNeill rushed for 237 yards and three touchdowns in helping the Mavericks beat North Dakota, 28-17 ƒ Delta State overcame a 24-0 deficit in the third quarter to beat Valdosta State, 35-31 ... A school and Lone Star Conference record 23,276 people watched West Texas A&M beat Eastern New Mexico, 62-31, to claim the Wagon Wheel traveling trophy in Canyon, Texas.

FEW CHANGES AT THE TOP IN AFCA DIVISION III COACHES’ POLL

WACO, TEXAS— The first 13 spots in this week’s AFCA Division III Coaches’ Poll remain unchanged from a week ago as the nation’s top teams all scored impressive victories over the weekend.

The Mount Union Purple Raiders remain the No. 1 team in the country after rolling past Wilmington, 59-0, on Saturday. Mount Union is averaging 60 points per game on offense through six games this season. No. 2 Mary Hardin-Baylor also improved to 6-0 with a 70-14 win over Louisiana College. No. 3 St. John’s blanked Gustavus Adolphus, 40-0, to up its record to 7-0. No. 4 Wisconsin-Whitewater is 5-1 after a 26-14 win over Wisconsin-Oshkosh. No. 5 Wheaton slipped past CCIW rival Augustana (Ill.), 28-24.

Capital remains at No. 6 after taking down No. 15 Ohio Northern, 24-6. No. 7 Central (Iowa) is 7-0 after a 24-17 win over Coe. No. 8 Washington & Jefferson stormed past Westminster (Pa.), 58-18 to move to 6-0 on the year. No. 9 Salisbury also topped the 50-point mark with a 56-20 win over Morrisville State. No. 10 Wabash edged Wittenberg, 24-17.

St. John Fisher holds steady at No. 11 after a 48-2 win over Norwich. No. 12 Wesley improves to 6-1 with a 50-7 win over Newport News. No. 13 Occidental is 5-0 after downing LaVerne 45-7. Alfred moves up two spots to No. 14 with a 35-7 win over Utica. St. Olaf is 6-1 after surviving a 52-51 shootout against Concordia-Moorhead.

Wisconsin-Stevens Point jumps six spots to No. 16 after a 26-23 win over Wisconsin-Stout. Idle Rensselaer is up one spot to No. 17 and will meet Merchant Marine this weekend. St. Norbert also moved up one spot to No. 18 with a 26-24 win over Midwest Conference rival Carroll (Wis.). Wartburg is up two spots to No. 19 after a 13-7 win over Loras upped its record to 5-1. Bridgewater (Va.) moves up three spots to No. 20 after a convincing 76-28 win over Guilford.

Unbeaten Muhlenberg climbs four spots to No. 21 after blanking McDaniel, 43-0 on Saturday. Trinity (Texas) moves up two spots to No. 22 after rebounding from its first loss a week ago to defeat DePauw, 43-28. Montclair State is the first of three newly-ranked teams this week at No. 23. The Red Hawks defeated Kean, 27-12. Whitworth breaks into the rankings at No. 24 after a 48-7 win over Lewis & Clark. Waynesburg rounds out this week’s poll at No. 25 after downing Bethany (WVa.), 45-7.

Conference Breakdown: Ohio (Mount Union, Capital), Wisconsin (Wisconsin-Whitewater, Wisconsin-Stevens Point), Atlantic Central (Wesley, Salisbury), Iowa (Central {Iowa}, Wartburg), Minnesota (St. John’s, St. Olaf), America Southwest (Mary Hardin-Baylor), Centennial (Muhlenberg), Empire 8 (St. John Fisher, Alfred), Illinois-Wisconsin (Wheaton), Liberty (Rensselaer), Midwest (St. Norbert), New Jersey (Montclair State), North Coast (Wabash), Northwest (Whitworth), Old Dominion (Bridgewater), Presidents (Washington & Jefferson, Waynesburg), Southern California (Occidental), Southern Collegiate (Trinity).

Head-to-Head
No. 4 Wisconsin-Whitewater visits No. 16 Wisconsin-Stevens Point in a battle for first place in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

Whitewater won last year’s meeting 31-13 at Whitewater leads the all-time series 56-30.

Poll Points
Mount Union has held its first six opponents to an average of 4.0 points per game and has outscored its last four opponents 227-3. The Purple Raiders have not surrendered a point in their last 10 quarters of play ... Montclair State runningback Jeff Bliss rushed for a career-best 165 yards and a touchdown in the Red Hawks’ 27-12 win over Kean ... Whitworth ran for 395 yards and six touchdowns in the Pirates’ 48-7 win over Lewis & Clark ... Waynesburg is 6-0 for the first time since 1967 ... Mary Hardin-Baylor rushed for 420 yards and eight touchdowns in its 70-14 win over Louisiana College ... St. Norbert has won 24 consecutive regular season games ... St. Olaf receiver Horace Gant broke the school’s career records for receptions and receiving yards and needs one more touchdown catch to break the career mark in that category ... Muhlenberg is 6-0 for the first time since 1946 ... With 3.5 sacks against Newport News, Wesley’s Bryan Robinson became the school’s career leader in sacks with 44.5 ... Occidental rolled up 498 yards in total offense in its 45-7 win over LaVerne ... Salisbury has topped the 40-point mark four times this season ... St. John Fisher held Norwich to just 77 yards in total offense.

TOP THREE UNCHANGED IN AFCA DIVISION III COACHES’ POLL

WACO, TEXAS— Mount Union, Mary Hardin-Baylor and St. John’s (Minn.) posted victories against big conference rivals this weekend to remain the top three teams in the AFCA Division III Coaches’ Poll this week.

Mount Union passed its first major test of 2007 with a convincing 44-0 win over then-No. 8 Ohio Northern on Saturday. Mary Hardin-Baylor handed American Southwest Conference arch-rival Hardin-Simmons a 47-14 loss while No. 3 St. John’s rallied from a 26-17 second-half deficit to defeat then-No. 14 St. Olaf. Wisconsin-Whitewater moves up one spot to No. 4 after a 38-12 win over Wisconsin-River Falls. Wheaton slips to No. 5 despite a 28-24 win over North Central.

Capital remains at No. 6 after a 37-13 win over John Carroll. No. 7 Central (Iowa) improves to 6-0 after a 28-21 win over Simpson. Washington & Jefferson is up one spot to No. 8 following a 28-12 win over Thiel. Salisbury is up four spots to No. 9 after defeating Geneva, 20-7. Wabash is up five spots to No. 10 after the Little Giants defeated Allegheny, 28-20.

St. John Fisher climbs seven spots to No. 11 after a convincing 45-7 win over Brockport State. Wesley jumps up four spots after rolling past Frostburg State, 45-0. No. 13 Occidental improves to 4-0 after a 28-21 win over Redlands. Mount St. Joseph is up six spots to No. 14 after a 56-21 win over Hanover. Ohio Northern tumbles to No. 15 following its loss to Mount Union.

No. 16 Alfred climbed six spots this week after the Saxons defeated Hartwick, 46-26. St. Olaf falls three spots to No. 17 after nearly upsetting No. 3 St. John’s on the Johnnies’ home field. Rensselaer is up five spots to No. 18 after taking down St. Lawrence, 28-10. No. 19 St. Norbert also made a five-spot jump after the Green Knights defeated Monmouth (Ill.), 42-28. Wisconsin-Eau Claire vaults into the national rankings for the first time this season after a 31-29 win over then-No. 12 Wisconsin-La Crosse.

Wartburg falls 11 spots to No. 21 after dropping a 14-13 non-conference decision to Augsburg. Wisconsin-Stevens Point enters the Top 25 this week at No. 22 after a 34-31 win over Wisconsin-Platteville. The Pointers are now 5-0 on the season. Idle Bridgewater (Va.) moves up two spots to No. 23 and will return to action this week against Guilford. Trinity (Texas) falls 13 spots to No. 24 after a 27-13 upset loss at Rhodes. Muhlenberg is the third newcomer to this week’s poll, checking in at No. 25 after rolling past Juniata, 44-3.

Conference Breakdown: Ohio (Mount Union, Capital, Ohio Northern), Wisconsin (Wisconsin-Whitewater, Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Wisconsin-Stevens Point), Atlantic Central (Wesley, Salisbury), Iowa (Central {Iowa}, Wartburg), Minnesota (St. John’s, St. Olaf), America Southwest (Mary Hardin-Baylor), Centennial (Muhlenberg), Empire 8 (St. John Fisher, Alfred), Heartland (Mount St. Joseph), Illinois-Wisconsin (Wheaton), Liberty (Rensselaer), Midwest (St. Norbert), North Coast (Wabash), Old Dominion (Bridgewater), Presidents (Washington & Jefferson), Southern California (Occidental), Southern Collegiate (Trinity).

Head-to-Head
No. 6 Capital hosts No. 15 Ohio Northern in the lone Top 25 match-up this week.

The 15th-ranked Polar Bears are looking to rebound from their 44-0 loss to top-ranked Mount Union while Capital will be trying to remain tied with Mount Union atop the Ohio Athletic Conference standings.

Poll Points
Mount Union has averaged 60.8 points per game through five games this season ... Mary Hardin-Baylor linebacker Eric Henri recorded 11 tackles and a safety in UMHB’s 47-14 win over Hardin-Simmons ... St. John’s (Minn.) quarterback Alex Kofoed tied a school record with the eighth 300-yard passing game of his career in the Johnnies’ win over St. Olaf ... Wisconsin-Whitewater’s Justin Beaver posted his school record seventh 200-yard rushing game in the Warhawks win over Wisconsin-River Falls ... Wheaton quarterback Sean Norris completed 13 of 14 passes for 204 yards and three touchdowns as the Thunder rallied to beat North Central ... Capital has given up just 23 points in five games this season, an average of 4.6 points per game ... Central’s defense forced two goal line turnovers against Simpson in the Dutch’s 28-21 win ... Wabash’s Adrian Pynenberg had 14 tackles in the Little Giants’ win over Allegheny ... Rob Kramer threw for a career-high 312 yards and three touchdowns in St. John Fisher’s win over Brockport State ... Occidental’s 28-21 win over Redlands was the 150th of head coach Dale Widolff’s career.

LOSSES IN BOTTOM 15 CAUSE RESHUFFLING IN DIVISION II COACHES’ POLL

WACO, TEXAS -- Five losses among teams in the bottom half of the AFCA Division II Coaches’ Top 25 Poll caused a reshuffling of rankings after the seventh week of action. Grand Valley State still claims the top spot after a 59-7 win over Mercyhurst.

No. 2 North Dakota scored two touchdowns in the final six minutes of play to come from behind and beat Minnesota State-Mankato, 38-34, and remain undefeated on the year. North Alabama dismantled Ouachita Baptist, 40-7, and remained in the third position. No. 4 Chadron State extended its record to 6-0 after blanking Western New Mexico, 21-0, while No. 5 Valdosta State moved to 5-0 with a 33-21 win over Southern Arkansas.

Nebraska-Omaha was idle and stays in the sixth spot. No. 7 Carson-Newman beat Mars Hill, 49-28, as it prepares for a Top 25 clash against No. 12 Catawba this Saturday. Delta State remained in the eighth position after a 43-14 win over Arkansas Tech. No. 9 Northwest Missouri State scored a touchdown on fourth and one to beat then-No. 16 Pittsburg State, 37-34 in overtime, at the Fall Classic at Arrowhead. No. 10 West Texas A&M handed then-No. 12 Midwestern State is first loss of the season, in a 25-20 decision.

No. 11 California (Pa.) is 6-0 on the season after beating then-No. 18 Indiana (Pa.), 38-12. No. 12 Catawba beat then-No. 19 Newberry, 28-18, and moves up one spot in the poll, as did No. 13 Tarleton State, who defeated Texas A&M-Kingsville, 31-21, for the first time in Kingsville, Texas. No. 14 Abilene Christian handed Northeastern State a 58-7 loss in a Lone Star Conference crossover game. West Chester is up two positions to No. 15 this week after the Golden Rams beat Millersville, 42-14.

Midwestern State tumbled four spots to No. 16 after its loss to No. 10 West Texas A&M, while Tuskegee moved up three rungs to No. 17 as the Golden Tigers moved to 5-0 with a 33-10 victory over Morehouse. No. 18 Shepherd beat Charleston, 49-13, and moved to second place in the WVIAC. No. 19 Wingate beat future South Atlantic Conference member Brevard, 51-7, while No. 20 Virginia Union moved its record to 6-0 with a 30-17 win over Johnson C. Smith.

Mesa State and Coaches’ Poll newcomer Central Washington are tied at No. 21 this week. The Mavericks are 6-0 after 38-13 win over Dixie State, while CWU held on to upset then-No. 22 South Dakota in a 45-40 shootout. Pittsburg State fell seven spots to No. 23 after its loss to No. 9 Northwest Missouri State, while No. 24 Indiana (Pa.) tumbled six positions after its loss to No. 11 California (Pa.). No. 25 Tiffin beat Kentucky Wesleyan, 35-17, and reappears in the Coaches’ Poll after a three-week layoff.

Conference Breakdown: Lone Star-4 (West Texas A&M, Tarleton State, Abilene Christian, Midwestern State); Gulf South-3 (North Alabama, Valdosta State, Delta State); North Central-3 (North Dakota, Nebraska-Omaha, Central Washington); Pennsylvania State Athletic-3 (California (Pa.), West Chester, Indiana (Pa.)); South Atlantic-3 (Carson-Newman, Catawba, Wingate); MIAA-2 (Northwest Missouri State, Pittsburg State); Rocky Mountain Athletic-2 (Chadron State, Mesa State); Central Intercollegiate Athletic-1 (Virginia Union); Great Lakes Football-1 (Tiffin); Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic-1 (Grand Valley State); Southern Intercollegiate Athletic-1 (Tuskegee); West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic-1 (Shepherd).

Head-to-Head
Four games featuring teams ranked in the AFCA Division II Coaches’ Poll highlight this weekend’s action. The first match-up is a Top 10 tilt as No. 2 North Dakota hosts No. 6 Nebraska-Omaha. UNO has won the last three meetings, but the Sioux have the all-time series lead with a 19-16 mark. In the second Top 10 match-up, No. 5 Valdosta State plays host to No. 8 Delta State. The Statesmen ended a five-game losing streak to Valdosta State with a 35-28 win last season, but have not won in Valdosta since 2000.

The lead in the South Atlantic Conference title chase is on the line in the third Top 25 match-up as No. 12 Catawba travels to No. 7 Carson-Newman. The Eagles own the series lead by a 31-8-1 mark, but Catawba took last year’s contest, 24-22. The final Top 25 match-up is another key Lone Star Conference tilt as No. 13 Tarleton State plays host to No. 16 Midwestern State. The Texans look to stay unbeaten and keep pace with conference leader West Texas A&M, while Midwestern State will look to rebound after their first loss of the season to the previously mentioned WTAM Buffaloes.

Poll Points
Chadron State’s Danny Woodhead became college football’s all-time leading rusher while leading the Eagles to a 21-0 victory over Western New Mexico. Woodhead carried 34 times for 208 yards to increase his career rushing total to 7,441 yards, 88 more than R. J. Bowers of Grove City (Pa.) accumulated from 1997 through 2000.

UPSETS RESHUFFLE AFCA DIVISION III COACHES’ POLL

WACO, TEX.— Losses by six teams in last week’s Top 25 have caused a major shake-up in the AFCA Division III Coaches’ Poll.

The top three are unchanged as No. 1 Mount Union rolled past Heidelberg, 62-2. No. 2 Mary Hardin-Baylor improved to 4-0 with a convincing 61-19 win over McMurry (Texas). No. 3 St. John’s (Minn.) is 5-0 after escaping with a 10-7 win over Carleton. Wheaton moves up two spots to No. 4 with a 29-7 win over Millikin. Wisconsin-Whitewater jumps from No. 8 to No. 5 after downing then-No. 4 Wisconsin-La Crosse, 35-28.

Capital is up one spot to No. 6 after the Crusaders downed Marietta, 27-0. Central (Iowa) is up two spots to No. 7 following a 31-14 win over Buena Vista. Ohio Northern climbs three spots to No. 8 after a 27-14 win over Otterbein. Washington & Jefferson vaults to No. 9 after the Presidents dispatched St. Vincent, 64-6 on Saturday. Wartburg climbs six spots to No. 10 this week after the Knights handed Iowa Conference rival Dubuque its first loss of the year, 34-17.

No. 11 Trinity (Texas) is 4-0 and climbs three spots to No. 11 after a 44-14 win over Birmingham-Southern. Wisconsin-La Crosse tumbles to No. 12 after its loss to Wisconsin-Whitewater. No. 13 Salisbury jumps up five spots and improves to 5-0 after a 62-14 win over Newport News. St. Olaf also climbs five notches to No. 14 after rolling past Concordia-Moorhead, 59-19. No. 15 Wabash moves up five spots after a 54-20 win over Earlham.

No. 16 Wesley rebounded from its first loss of the year a week ago to blank Huntingdon, 28-0. No. 17 Rowan is 3-1 after a 40-18 win over Western Connecticut. St. John Fisher tumbles from No. 5 to No. 18 after the Cardinals were upset by Hartwick, 31-28. No. 19 Occidental improved to 3-0 with a 28-27 win over Claremont-Mudd-Scripps on Saturday night. Mount St. Joseph is up three spots to No. 20 after a convincing 37-0 win over Anderson.

No. 20 Baldwin-Wallace fell 11 spots this week after dropping a 20-17 overtime decision to John Carroll. No. 22 Alfred is the first of three consecutive newcomers to this week’s rankings. The Saxons defeated Norwich, 45-21 on Saturday. No. 23 Rensselaer debuts this week after its 37-14 win over Susquehanna. St. Norbert vaults into the Top 25 at No. 24 after a 49-14 win over Knox. No. 25 Bridgewater falls 10 spots this week after a 38-31 upset at the hands of Hampden-Sydney.

Conference Breakdown: Ohio (Mount Union, Capital, Baldwin-Wallace, Ohio Northern), Wisconsin (Wisconsin-Whitewater, Wisconsin-La Crosse), Atlantic Central (Wesley, Salisbury), Iowa (Central {Iowa}, Wartburg), Minnesota (St. John’s, St. Olaf), New Jersey (Rowan), America Southwest (Mary Hardin-Baylor), Empire 8 (St. John Fisher, Alfred), Heartland (Mount St. Joseph), Illinois-Wisconsin (Wheaton), Liberty (Rensselaer), Midwest (St. Norbert), North Coast (Wabash), Old Dominion (Bridgewater), Presidents (Washington & Jefferson), Southern California (Occidental), Southern Collegiate (Trinity).

Head-to-Head
No. 1 Mount Union visits No. 8 Ohio Northern and No. 3 St. John’s (Minn.) hosts No. 14 St. Olaf in this week’s match-ups of ranked teams.

Ohio Northern is the last team to defeat Mount Union in the regular season. The Polar Bears defeated the Purple Raiders, 21-14, at Mount Union in 2005, snapping Mount’s 11-year regular season winning streak. Mount Union won last year’s meeting, 49-7.

No. 3 St. John’s hosts up-and-coming No. 14 St. Olaf in Collegeville, Minn. this weekend. The winner will hold at least a share of first place in the MIAC.

St. John’s won last year’s meeting, 37-21.

Poll Points
Mary Hardin-Baylor rolled up 509 yards in total offense in its 61-19 win over McMurry on Saturday ... Wheaton cornerback Pete Ittersagen recorded a team-high 12 tackles in addition to four pass break-ups and a forced fumble in the Thunder’s 29-7 win over Millikin ... Wisconsin-Whitewater rallied from a 28-10 deficit to defeat Wisconsin-La Crosse, 35-28 ... Capital’s defense has yet to allow a touchdown this season. The lone touchdown scored on the Crusaders was on a fumble return ... Central (Iowa) quarterback Tim Connell threw for three touchdowns and ran for another in the Dutch’s 31-14 win over Buena Vista ... Bobby Swallow threw for 323 yards and four touchdowns in Washington & Jefferson’s 64-6 win over St. Vincent.