By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
WACO, Texas – With the NCAA Division II Football season now in the books, the AFCA released its final Top 25 Poll for 2018 on Monday (Dec. 17). Fort Hays State finished at No. 22 in the poll with its 9-3 overall record, while making a second-straight NCAA Playoff appearance.
Fort Hays State held a Top 25 ranking in nine of the 13 polls released by the AFCA this season. The Tigers ranked as high as No. 5 in the nation, holding that post in the preseason and first regular season release of the poll. The Tigers were in the Top 25 for the first five regular season polls before dropping to the receiving votes for four consecutive weeks. The Tigers jumped back into the Top 25 following the 10th week of play with their win at Northwest Missouri State and remained there for the final regular season release and postseason release.
Fort Hays State fell in the opening round of the NCAA Playoffs to then No. 12 ranked University of Indianapolis by a score of 38-27. Indianapolis moved up to No. 11 in the final release of the poll.
Fort Hays State earned its second-straight MIAA Championship in 2018, going 9-2 in the regular season. The Tigers were a perfect 11-0 in MIAA play in 2017.
Valdosta State (Ga.) finishes the year at No. 1 after entering the playoffs at No. 3 in the nation. The Blazers defeated Ferris State (Mich.) in a thrilling NCAA Championship game by a score of 49-47. Ferris State went into the playoffs ranked No. 2 and remained there in the final poll.
Below is the final AFCA Division II Top 25 Poll for 2018.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Post-season Results | Head Coach |
| 1. | Valdosta St. (Ga.) (33) | 14-0 | 825 | 3 | D. No. 2 Ferris St. (Mich.), 49-47, in championship | Kerwin Bell |
| 2. | Ferris St. (Mich.) | 15-1 | 792 | 2 | Lost to No. 3 Valdosta St. (Ga.), 49-47, in championship | Tony Annese |
| 3. | Minnesota St. | 13-1 | 750 | 1 | Lost to No. 2 Ferris St. (Mich.), 42-25, in semifinals | Todd Hoffner |
| 4. | Notre Dame (Ohio) | 13-1 | 699 | 11 | Lost to No. 3 Valdosta St. (Ga.), 30-24, in semifinals | Mike Jacobs |
| 5. | Tarleton St. (Texas) | 12-1 | 670 | 6 | Lost to No. 1 Minnesota St., 13-10, in quarterfinals | Todd Whitten |
| 6. | Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) | 12-1 | 662 | 4 | Lost to No. 2 Ferris St. (Mich.), 37-14, in quarterfinals | Todd Knight |
| 7. | Colorado St.-Pueblo | 11-2 | 546 | 9 | Lost to No. 1 Minnesota St., 24-10, in second round | John Wristen |
| 8. | Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) | 12-2 | 497 | 17 | Lost to No. 3 Valdosta St. (Ga.), 61-21, in quarterfinals | Drew Cronic |
| 9. | Texas A&M-Commerce | 10-3 | 482 | 15 | Lost to No. 6 Tarleton St. (Texas), 34-28, in second round | Colby Carthel |
| 10. | Northwest Missouri St. | 10-3 | 475 | 18 | Lost to No. 2 Ferris St. (Mich.), 27-21, in second round | Rich Wright |
| 11. | Indianapolis (Ind.) | 10-2 | 462 | 12 | Lost to No. 4 Ouachita Baptist (Ark.), 35-7, in second round | Bob Bartoloemeo |
| 12. | Slippery Rock (Pa.) | 11-3 | 412 | NR | Lost to No. 11 Notre Dame (Ohio), 21-17, in quarterfinals | Shawn Lutz |
| 13. | Minnesota-Duluth | 11-1 | 408 | 5 | Lost to No. 15 Texas A&M-Commerce, 33-17, in first round | Curt Wiese |
| 14. | Grand Valley St. (Mich.) | 10-2 | 395 | 7 | Lost to No. 18 Northwest Missouri St., 42-17, in first round | Matt Mitchell |
| 15. | Hillsdale (Mich.) | 10-3 | 301 | 23 | Lost to No. 11 Notre Dame (Ohio), 19-14, in second round | Keith Otterbein |
| 16. | West Georgia | 10-2 | 293 | 10 | Lost to Wingate (N.C.), 41-31, in first round | David Dean |
| 17. | West Chester (Pa.) | 10-1 | 281 | 8 | Lost to New Haven (Conn.), 35-28, in first round | Bill Zwaan |
| 18. | Colorado School of Mines | 10-2 | 256 | 14 | Lost to No. 10 Colorado St.-Pueblo, 37-17, in first round | Gregg Brandon |
| 19. | Bowie St. (Md.) | 10-3 | 232 | 25 | Lost to No. 3 Valdosta St. (Ga.), 66-16, in second round | Damon Wilson |
| 20. | Harding (Ark.) | 9-3 | 229 | 21 | Lost to No. 2 Ferris St. (Mich.), 21-19, in first round | Paul Simmons |
| 21. | LIU-Post (N.Y.) | 10-1 | 189 | 13 | Lost to Slippery Rock (Pa.), 20-14, in first round | Bryan Collins |
| 22. | Fort Hays State (Kan.) | 9-3 | 180 | 19 | Lost to No. 12 Indianapolis (Ind.), 38-27, in first round | Chris Brown |
| 23. | New Haven (Conn.) | 9-3 | 177 | NR | Lost to Slippery Rock (Pa.), 59-20, in second round | Chris Pincince |
| 24. | Wingate (N.C.) | 9-4 | 137 | NR | Lost to No. 17 Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.), 21-17, in second round | Joe Reich |
| 25. | Midwestern St. (Texas) | 8-2 | 119 | 16 | DNQ Playoffs | Bill Maskill |
Others Receiving Votes: Kutztown (Pa.), 105; West Alabama, 43; Ohio Dominican, 32; Azusa Pacific (Calif.), 21; Fairmont St. (W.Va.), 14; Missouri S&T, 11; Florida Tech, 8; Indiana (Pa.), 7; Pittsburg St. (Kan.), 6; Chadron St. (Neb.), 3; Central Washington, 2; Virginia Union, 2; Ashland (Ohio), 1; Tiffin (Ohio), 1