WACO, Texas – For the first time this season, the Tiger football team did not receive votes in the latest AFCA Division II Poll released on Monday (Oct. 12). The Tigers received votes in the poll in each of the first five regular season polls, but a 26-21 loss to Missouri Western slid FHSU out of the receiving votes list.
The MIAA has five schools referenced in the poll, three in the top 25 and two receiving votes. Northwest Missouri State held steady at No. 3, but Emporia State jumped from No. 18 to No. 13 this week with a 46-42 win over last week’s No. 13 team, Pittsburg State. With the loss, Pittsburg State slipped to No. 22 this week. Central Missouri (13 votes) and Missouri Western (1 vote) are in the receiving votes list this week.
Fort Hays State sits at 4-2, tied with three other teams for third in the MIAA standings. Those three teams include Pittsburg State, Central Missouri, and Missouri Western. Northwest Missouri State and Emporia State both have two games of clearance from the third place teams, both at 6-0. Fort Hays State looks to put the first blemish on Emporia State’s record this year on Saturday in Hays at 2 pm, while Northwest Missouri State and Pittsburg State meet in a top 25 matchup.
Each game from here on out could be critical to Fort Hays State’s postseason chances. Seven teams make the NCAA Playoffs in Super Region 3 this year. There is still plenty of football to be played with five weeks remaining in the season, but FHSU has an opportunity to get wins over ranked opponents the next two weeks as they host No. 13 Emporia State this week and then travel to No. 3 Northwest Missouri State the following week.
Below is the AFCA Division II Poll for October 12, 2015.
| Rank |
School (1st votes) |
Record |
Points |
Previous |
| 1. |
Minnesota St. (28) |
6-0 |
795 |
1 |
| 2. |
West Georgia (4) |
6-0 |
763 |
2 |
| 3. |
Northwest Missouri St. |
6-0 |
737 |
3 |
| 4. |
Ferris St. (Mich.) |
5-0 |
703 |
4 |
| 5. |
Sioux Falls (S.D.) |
6-0 |
673 |
5 |
| 6. |
Colorado St.-Pueblo |
5-1 |
599 |
7 |
| 7. |
Colorado School of Mines |
6-0 |
596 |
8 |
| 8. |
Ashland (Ohio) |
6-0 |
574 |
9 |
| 9. |
Shepherd (W.Va.) |
5-0 |
518 |
10 |
| 10. |
Humboldt St. (Calif.) |
5-0 |
496 |
11 |
| 11. |
Midwestern St. (Texas) |
6-0 |
464 |
12 |
| 12. |
Michigan Tech |
5-0 |
457 |
14 |
| 13. |
Emporia St. (Kan.) |
6-0 |
407 |
18 |
| 14. |
Texas A&M-Commerce |
5-1 |
367 |
15 |
| 15. |
Delta St. (Miss.) |
5-1 |
363 |
17 |
| 16. |
Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) |
5-1 |
323 |
19 |
| 17. |
North Alabama |
4-1 |
306 |
6 |
| 18. |
Grand Valley St. (Mich.) |
5-1 |
256 |
24 |
| 19. |
Henderson St. (Ark.) |
5-1 |
134 |
NR |
| 20. |
Slippery Rock (Pa.) |
5-1 |
131 |
NR |
| 21. |
Minnesota-Duluth |
4-2 |
123 |
25 |
| 22. |
Pittsburg St. (Kan.) |
4-2 |
100 |
13 |
| 23. |
Tuskegee (Ala.) |
5-1 |
92 |
NR |
| 24. |
Arkansas Tech |
5-1 |
73 |
NR |
| 25. |
Angelo St. (Texas) |
4-2 |
63 |
16 |
Others Receiving Votes: Colorado Mesa, 59; Valdosta St. (Ga.), 40; Wingate (N.C.), 40; North Carolina-Pembroke, 37; Charleston (W.Va.), 30; Indianapolis (Ind.), 21; Virginia Union, 16; Central Missouri, 13; Bowie St. (Md.), 10; Clarion (Pa.), 6; Concord (W.Va.), 4; Harding (Ark.), 4; Indiana (Pa.), 2; Southwest Minnesota St., 2; Assumption (Mass.), 1; East Central (Okla.), 1; Missouri Western St., 1.
