Northwest Missouri State’s football program will begin its national title defense as the top-ranked team in the nation according to the American Football Coaches’ Association (AFCA) preseason poll. It is the third time in program history the Bearcats will begin the year number one and all three followed national championships.
It is the 12th time the Bearcats will start in the top 10 and eighth time the team begins in the top five. Northwest has been ranked in every AFCA poll since the start of the 2004 season.
The Bearcats received 22 of 26 first-place votes. Grand Valley State, the national runners-up, received three first-place votes and will start No. 2. North Alabama took the remaining first-place vote and is No. 3. Minnesota-Duluth (No. 4) and Central Washington (No. 5) round out the top five.
Washburn (No. 10), Nebraska-Omaha (No. 15) and Missouri Western (No. 20) give the MIAA four programs in the top 20.
AFCA Preseason Division II Coaches’ Poll
1. Northwest Missouri State (22)….. 645
2. Grand Valley State (Mich.) (3)….. 621
3. North Alabama (1)…………………. 580
4. Minnesota-Duluth…………………. 549
5. Central Washington……………….. 499
6. California (Pa.)………………………. 489
7. Abilene Christian (Texas)…………. 435
8. West Liberty (W. Va.)……………… 420
9. Carson-Newman (Tenn.)…………. 400
10. Washburn (Kan.)……………………. 339
11. West Texas A&M…………………… 337
12. West Alabama………………………. 313
13. Nebraska-Kearney…………………. 296
14. Saginaw Valley State (Mich.)……. 235
15. Nebraska-Omaha…………………… 232
16. Texas A&M-Kingsville……………… 216
17. Tuskegee (Ala.)……………………… 210
18. Hillsdale (Mich.)…………………….. 188
19. Midwestern State (Texas)……….. 163
20. Missouri Western………………….. 160
21. Minnesota State……………………. 127
22. West Chester (Pa.)…………………. 122
23. North Carolina-Pembroke……….. 115
24. Delta State (Miss.)…………………. 93
25. East Stroudsburg (Pa.)…………….. 74
