Thursday, October 6, 2016

Tuskegee vaults into top 10 in AFCA poll

Waco, Texas (October 3, 2016) | The sixth installment of the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) poll looks a little different in the top 10 then it did one week ago, as several teams fell over the weekend and allowed the Golden Tigers of Tuskegee University to jump into the top 10 this week.

Tuskegee (5-0) used a 21-point fourth quarter comeback to defeat then-21st ranked UNC Pembroke 21-16 last Saturday to move up three spots in this week's poll, and took advantage of several losses by ranked teams last week. 


Then-third ranked West Georgia was beaten by North Alabama, dropping the Wolves to 12th-ranked and raising the Lions to 11th this week. Ashland (Ohio) had the biggest drop, falling from fifth to 17th after its loss to Tiffin (Ohio), 35-32, while California (Pa.) had the biggest jump, going from 24th to 15th after its 52-26 win over then-ninth ranked Slippery Rock (Pa.).

The Golden Tigers earned 528 votes this week, over 100 more than last week, and remain the only SIAC-member school receiving votes in the poll.

The only teams not changing places in the top 10 were Northwest Missouri State (one) and Grand Valley State (two), while the remainder of the top 10 includes Shepherd, Texas A&M-Commerce, Henderson State, Indiana (Pa.), Midwestern State, Tuskegee, Sioux Falls and Azusa Pacific.

There will be another shake-up in the poll next week with six top 25 matchups in store. The biggest game is a top 10 battle as No. 7 Midwestern State (Texas) travels to No. 4 Texas A&M-Commerce with first place in the Lone Star Conference on the line. Other teams ahead of Tuskegee that will be playing a ranked team this week include Grand Valley State against 14th-ranked Ferris State, Henderson State against 16th-ranked Harding, and Indiana (Pa.) traveling to 15th-ranked California (Pa.).

Tuskegee is one of five teams from the region ranked in this week's edition of the AFCA poll, and are the highest ranked team of anyone in the region. The Golden Tigers are joined by 11th-ranked North Alabama, 12th-ranked West Georgia, 23rd-ranked Florida Tech, 24th-ranked UNC Pembroke and 25th-ranked Valdosta State.

The Golden Tigers travel to Columbus (Ga.) to face Morehouse College in the 81st annual Tuskegee-Morehouse Classic at AJ McClung Stadium on Saturday. The game kicks off at 2 pm (est) and can been seen on ASPiRE TV, and can also be heard on the Tuskegee Digital Network.

For more information on Tuskegee University athletics, follow us on Twitter/Snapchat/Instagram @MyTUAthletics and like us on Facebook.

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