Lenoir-Rhyne Moves to No. 7 in AFCA and D2Football.com National Polls
October 25, 2023
The Lenoir-Rhyne Bears moved up to No. 7 in the most recent American Football Coaches' Association (AFCA) Division II National Poll and jumped to No. 7 in the latest D2Football.com National Poll.
The Bears defeated Newberry 24-10 last week.
AFCA Division II Coaches' Poll - October 23, 2023
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week 8 | Next Game | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colorado School of Mines (28) | 8-0 | 724 | 1 | D. Black Hills St. (S.D.), 42-17 | Oct. 28 vs. No. 9 Western Colorado | |
| 2 | Pittsburg St. (Kan.) | 8-0 | 693 | 2 | D. Northwest Missouri St., 28-7 | Oct. 28 vs. Sioux Falls (S.D.) | |
| 3 | Grand Valley St. (Mich.) | 6-1 | 652 | 4 | D. Northern Michigan, 73-14 | Oct. 28 vs. Michigan Tech | |
| 4 | Harding (Ark.) | 8-0 | 635 | 6 | D. Southern Arkansas, 54-20 | Oct. 28 at Southeastern Oklahoma St. | |
| 5 | Benedict (S.C.) | 8-0 | 567 | 8 | D. Kentucky St., 63-14 | Oct. 28 at Savannah St. | |
| 6 | Slippery Rock (Pa.) (1) | 8-0 | 552 | 7 | D. California (Pa.), 42-21 | Oct. 28 vs. Clarion (Pa.) | |
| 7 | Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) | 8-0 | 520 | 10 | D. Newberry (S.C.), 24-10 | Oct. 28 vs. Wingate (N.C.) | |
| 8 | Ferris St. (Mich.) | 5-2 | 505 | 9 | D. Michigan Tech, 35-21 | Oct. 28 vs. American International (Mass.) | |
| 9 | Western Colorado | 8-0 | 475 | 12 | D. New Mexico Highlands, 62-0 | Oct. 28 at No. 1 Colorado School of Mines | |
| 10 | Indianapolis (Ind.) | 7-0 | 459 | 11 | D. Quincy (Ill.), 24-14 | Oct. 28 vs. Upper Iowa | |
| 11 | Davenport (Mich.) | 7-0 | 408 | 13 | D. Mary (N.D.), 44-34 | Oct. 28 vs. Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.) | |
| 12 | Augustana (S.D.) | 8-0 | 397 | 17 | D. No. 3 Minnesota St., 28-10 | Oct. 28 at Wayne St. (Neb.) | |
| 13 | Minnesota St. | 7-1 | 333 | 3 | Lost to No. 17 Augustana (S.D.), 28-10 | Oct. 28 vs. Southwest Minnesota St. | |
| 14 | Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) | 7-1 | 329 | 14 | D. Arkansas Tech, 31-24 | Oct. 26 at Southern Nazarene (Okla.) | |
| 15 | Central Missouri | 7-1 | 321 | 16 | D. No. 24 Emporia St. (Kan.), 77-27 | Oct. 28 at Missouri Southern St. | |
| 16t. | Bemidji St. (Minn.) | 6-1 | 295 | 15 | D. Concordia (Minn.), 38-3 | Oct. 28 at No. 25 Minnesota-Duluth | |
| 16t. | Delta St. (Miss.) | 7-1 | 295 | 5 | Lost to No. 18 West Florida, 24-21 | Nov. 4 at West Georgia | |
| 18 | West Florida | 6-2 | 292 | 18 | D. No. 5 Delta St. (Miss.), 24-21 | Oct. 28 vs. No. 24 Valdosta St. (Ga.) | |
| 19 | Tiffin (Ohio) | 8-0 | 196 | 23 | D. Kentucky Wesleyan, 37-12 | Oct. 28 vs. Walsh (Ohio) | |
| 20 | Shepherd (W.Va.) | 7-1 | 192 | 22 | D. West Chester (Pa.), 59-21 | Oct. 28 at Bloomsburg (Pa.) | |
| 21 | Truman St. (Mo.) | 7-1 | 133 | 25 | D. William Jewell (Mo.), 31-10 | Oct. 28 at Southwest Baptist (Mo.) | |
| 22 | Texas-Permian Basin | 7-1 | 115 | NR | D. No. 19 Angelo St. (Tex.), 28-23 | Oct. 28 vs. Western Oregon | |
| 23 | Virginia Union | 7-1 | 113 | NR | D. Lincoln (Pa.), 57-0 | Oct. 28 at Bluefield St. (W.Va.) | |
| 24 | Valdosta St. (Ga.) | 7-1 | 81 | NR | D. Shorter (Ga.), 42-14 | Oct. 28 at No. 18 West Florida | |
| 25 | Minnesota-Duluth | 7-1 | 56 | NR | D. Minot St. (N.D.), 42-7 | Oct. 28 vs. No. 16t Bemidji St. (Minn.) |
Dropped Out: Angelo St. (Tex.) (19), Virginia St. (20), Assumption (Mass.) (21), Emporia St. (Kan.) (24)
Others Receiving Votes: Virginia St., 28; Missouri Western St., 20; Central Washington, 11; Fort Hays St. (Kan.), 10; Assumption (Mass.), 9; Henderson St. (Ark.), 4; Mars Hill (N.C.), 2; Angelo St. (Tex.), 1; Colorado St.-Pueblo, 1; Southern Arkansas, 1.
D2Football.com Poll - October 23, 2023
