Northwest Missouri State University will open the 2011 football season ranked No. 3 as announced by the American Football Coaches Association preseason top 25 poll.
The Bearcats sit behind last year’s national champion, Minnesota-Duluth, and national runner-up, Delta State. The Bulldogs eliminated Northwest in the national semifinals a year ago, 17-13, and received 28 of 29 first-place votes while the Bearcats picked up the final tally.
The Mules finished 11-3 a season ago and were ranked No. 5in the final AFCA poll. The 11 wins were the most in a single-season in school history to go along with the first home playoff game and first playoff win as UCM advanced to the national quarterfinals. The Mules return 16 starters and 48 lettermen from last season’s squad.
| 1. | Minnesota-Duluth (28) |
15-0 |
724 |
1 |
| 2. | Delta St. (Miss.) |
11-4 |
657 |
2 |
| 3. | Northwest Missouri St. (1) |
12-2 |
624 |
3 |
| 4. | Abilene Christian (Texas) |
11-1 |
607 |
8 |
| 5. | Grand Valley St. (Mich.) |
11-2 |
579 |
10 |
| 6. | North Alabama |
9-4 |
468 |
22 |
| 7. | Texas A&M-Kingsville |
10-2 |
437 |
9 |
| 8. | Augustana (S.D.) |
11-2 |
426 |
6 |
| 9T. | Albany St. (Ga.) |
11-1 |
379 |
4 |
| 9T. | Bloomsburg (Pa.) |
10-3 |
379 |
15 |
| 11. | Shepherd (W.Va.) |
12-2 |
377 |
7 |
| 12. | California (Pa.) |
10-2 |
369 |
14 |
| 13. | St. Cloud State (Minn.) |
10-3 |
346 |
12 |
| 14. | Wingate (N.C.) |
9-3 |
284 |
20 |
| 15. | Central Missouri |
11-3 |
270 |
5 |
| 16. | Nebraska-Kearney |
9-2 |
242 |
23 |
| 17. | Mercyhurst (Pa.) |
10-3 |
207 |
11 |
| 18. | Washburn (Kan.) |
8-4 |
201 |
NR |
| 19. | West Texas A&M |
8-4 |
186 |
18 |
| 20. | Valdosta St. (Ga.) |
8-3 |
184 |
17 |
| 21. | Wayne St. (Mich.) |
9-2 |
177 |
21 |
| 22. | Central Washington |
8-3 |
164 |
NR |
| 23. | Kutztown (Pa.) |
10-2 |
144 |
13 |
| 24. | Henderson St. (Ark.) |
7-4 |
139 |
NR |
| 25T. | Hillsdale (Mich.) |
9-3 |
91 |
16 |
| 25T. | Shaw (N.C.) |
9-3 |
91 |
NR |
