Winston-Salem Rams Moves to #3 in AFCA Division II Poll

WACO, Texas  --  With its 23-20 win over Southern Arkansas, Harding (Ark.) moved its record to 5-0 and jumped into the AFCA Division II Coaches’ Top 25 Poll for the first time since September 20, 2005, at No. 23. Pittsburg State (Kan.) still sits at No. 1 with 29 first-place votes after a 30-21 victory over Central Missouri. Colorado State-Pueblo still sits No. 2, but a loss by then-No. 3 Grand Valley State (Mich.) causes some change with the rest of the Top 5.

Winston-Salem State (N.C.) moves up to No. 3, followed by No. 4 Missouri Western State and No. 5 New Haven (Conn.).

Grand Valley State (Mich.) fell 11 spots to No. 14 after its 40-24 loss to Ferris State (Mich.). West Alabama, Sioux Falls (S.D.) and Humboldt State (Calif.) all fell out of the poll this week after losses, causing two more teams to join Harding (Ark.) as newcomers this week.

North Carolina-Pembroke enters the poll at No. 24 after a 20-10 victory over Tusculum (Tenn.), moving its record to 5-1. The last time the Braves were in the Top 25 was October 4, 2010. Shepherd (W.Va.) is the final newcomer this week. The Rams re-enter the poll at No. 25 after a five week layoff. They beat West Virginia Wesleyan, 37-6, to move their record to 5-1.

2012 American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches’ Poll – October 8, 2012

Rank	School (1st votes)	Rec.	Pts.	Prev.	Week Six	Next Game
1.	Pittsburg St. (Kan.) (29)	5-0	749	1	D. Central Missouri, 30-21	Oct. 13 vs. No. 7 Northwest Missouri St.
2.	Colorado St.-Pueblo	6-0	708	2	D. Chadron St. (Neb.), 45-38 OT	Oct. 13 at Colorado School of Mines
3.	Winston-Salem St. (N.C.) (1)	6-0	681	4	D. Johnson C. Smith (N.C.), 63-7	Oct. 13 vs. St. Augustine’s (N.C.)
4.	Missouri Western St.	6-0	658	5	D. Northeastern St. (Okla.), 45-31	Oct. 13 vs. Missouri Southern St.
5.	New Haven (Conn.)	5-0	632	6	D. Assumption (Mass.), 65-7	Oct. 13 at Bentley (Mass.)
6.	Bloomsburg (Pa.)	6-0	600	7	D. Millersville (Pa.), 38-14	Oct. 13 vs. East Stroudsburg (Pa.)
7.	Northwest Missouri St.	5-1	540	8	D. Central Oklahoma, 70-7	Oct. 13 vs. No. 1 Pittsburg St. (Kan.)
8.	Ashland (Ohio)	6-0	538	9	D. Ohio Dominican, 44-21	Oct. 13 vs. Walsh (Ohio)
9.	Minnesota-Duluth	5-1	472	10	D. Minnesota St.-Moorhead, 45-14	Oct. 13 at Minot St. (N.D.)
10.	Minnesota St.-Mankato	6-0	458	12	D. Augustana (S.D.), 52-14	Oct. 13 vs. Southwest Minnesota St.
11.	Ouachita Baptist (Ark.)	5-0	456	11	D. Southwestern Oklahoma St., 33-12	Oct. 13 at Arkansas-Monticello
12.	Henderson St. (Ark.)	6-0	388	14	D. Arkansas-Monticello, 71-0	Oct. 13 at No. 23 Harding (Ark.)
13.	Midwestern St. (Texas)	4-1	370	13	D. No. 18 West Alabama, 42-27	Oct. 13 vs. Angelo St. (Texas)
14.	Grand Valley St. (Mich.)	5-1	335	3	Lost to Ferris St. (Minn.), 40-24	Oct. 13 at Northern Michigan
15.	California (Pa.)	5-1	296	16t	D. Clarion (Pa.), 41-22	Oct. 13 vs. Lock Haven (Pa.)
16.	Shippensburg (Pa.)	6-0	293	16t	D. LIU Post (N.Y.), 36-20	Oct. 13 at Kutztown (Pa.)
17.	Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.)	5-1	286	15	D. Northwood (Mich.), 28-20	Oct. 11 vs. No. 18 Wayne St. (Mich.)
18.	Wayne St. (Mich.)	4-1	247	19	D. Hillsdale (Mich.), 24-21	Oct. 11 at No. 17 Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.)
19.	Washburn (Kan.)	5-1	209	20	D. Lincoln (Mo.), 51-18	Oct. 13 vs. Truman St. (Mo.)
20.	West Texas A&M	5-1	197	21	D. Angelo St. (Texas), 35-9	Oct. 13 vs. Abilene Christian (Texas)
21.	Emporia St. (Kan.)	6-0	162	25	D. Southwest Baptist (Mo.), 19-15	Oct. 13 vs. Lindenwood (Mo.)
22.	Indiana (Pa.)	5-1	153	22	D. Slippery Rock (Pa.), 33-16	Oct. 13 at Edinboro (Pa.)
23.	Harding (Ark.)	5-0	132	NR	D. Southern Arkansas, 23-20	Oct. 13 vs. No. 12 Henderson St. (Ark.)
24.	North Carolina-Pembroke	5-1	39	NR	D. Tusculum (Tenn.), 20-10	Oct. 13 vs. Charleston (W.Va.)
25.	Shepherd (W.Va.)	5-1	24	NR	D. West Virginia Wesleyan, 37-6	Oct. 13 at West Liberty (W.Va.)

Dropped Out: West Alabama (18), Sioux Falls (S.D.) (23), Humboldt St. (Calif.) (24)

Others Receiving Votes: Bentley (Mass.), 20; Miles (Ala.), 17; Michigan Tech, 16; West Alabama, 16; Indianapolis (Ind.), 14; Sioux Falls (S.D.), 13; New Mexico Highlands, 8; North Alabama, 6; Tuskegee (Ala.), 5; Hillsdale (Mich.), 4; St. Cloud State (Minn.), 3; Southern Arkansas, 3; American International (Mass.), 2.