The regional rankings are coming, and this week saw several DII football games that will affect that projected field of 32. Ferris State took care of business, taking down Grand Valley State 38-31 in the Anchor-Bone Classic and remains atop the DII football world… or at least the Power 10 rankings.Â
DII football 101: Week 7 Power 10 | Player of the year watchlist | DII in the NFLÂ
Now, on to the Power 10. Your weekly disclaimer: These are my rankings, which means there is no voting committee. It is just me, my spreadsheets, and endless notes from coaches and other media members. I try to combine the selection metrics — like KPI, strength of schedule and common opponents, just to name a few — with the eye test for a ranking that falls somewhere between the national media polls and the regional rankings that come out in November.
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The DII football Power 10: Week 8
Kevin McDermott | Ferris State Athletics
No. 1 Ferris State | Previous: 1. That was a big one for the Bulldogs. Grand Valley State gave Ferris State its toughest challenge in weeks in a back-and-forth battle that went down to the final minutes. Can we talk about Carson Gulker for a minute? The former quarterback led all receivers with six receptions for 85 yards, completed a 20-yard pass, and ran for 28 yards. Don’t worry about the stats, this is one of the most gifted athletes in DII, who was moved from the starting quarterback job and rolled with it, becoming one of the most unique players in DII.
No. 2 Harding | Previous: 2. The Bisons posted their third shutout of the season, pummeling Arkansas-Monticello 55-0. Harding mounted up 590 yards rushing, highlighted by Josh Strickland Jr.’s first career 100-yard game as the junior ran for 152 yards on just seven carries and punched in a touchdown. The defense sacked the quarterback six times and held the Boll Weevils to 165 total yards. This team is utterly dominant once again and may arguably be getting better.
No. 3 Kutztown | Previous: 3. Another week, another big win for Kutztown. This week, the Golden Bears downed West Chester 41-7. That’s the fifth time in eight tries that this defense has held opponents to one score or less. The special team scored yet another touchdown on a blocked punt and quarterback Judd Novak led the offensive barrage, passing for 227 yards and two touchdowns and rushing for one more. This team is rolling, and it doesn’t look like there is a single team in the PSAC that can slow them down.
No. 4 West Florida | Previous: 4. The Argos had the rare out-of-super-region matchup and dominated West Virginia State, 55-6. The offense has been consistent all season, and the connection of Marcus Stokes to Corey Scott is one of the best in DII. Having TJ Lane and Jay Sharp share the backfield is a nice combo. Next week is the unofficial GSC championship… if West Florida beats Delta State, its bid to the postseason is a lock.
No. 5 Pittsburg State | Previous: 5. The Gorillas are on their six-game winning streak and got a much-needed rest on a bye. The Gorillas stand at 6-2 overall after facing a schedule with five nationally ranked opponents. A big one awaits to close the season against the red-hot Northwest Missouri State Bearcats.
No. 6 Central Washington | Previous: 6. Kennedy McGill had another big game, throwing for 98 yards and two touchdowns and rushing for 175 yards and two more touchdowns as the Wildcats lit up Midwestern State 56-13. Next week is a big matchup against nationally ranked Angelo State and a win there would be one step closer to the LSC title and an automatic bid. If you had Western Oregon and Central Washington potentially playing for the LSC championship on the final day of the season on your bingo card, congrats, because here we are.
No. 7 Western Colorado | Previous: 7. This was the Mountaineers’ biggest win of the season, taking down a surging Colorado School of Mines 40-17. Per usual, Drew Nash did it all, passing for 234 yards and three touchdowns and rushing for 119 yards and another touchdown. They have yet to play a game that they haven’t beaten their opponent by at least two scores, making them one of the most balanced teams offensively and defensively in Super Region Four.
No. 8 Minnesota Duluth | Previous: 8. We will get to the show that Kyle Walljasper put on this past Saturday later (spoiler alert!), but this was another dominant win by the Bulldogs. They are through the toughest part of the schedule and a 0.296 SoS remaining, which they should easily romp through. That loss to Northern State could cost them the North if it comes down to the tiebreaker, but there is no questioning how strong this team has been from start to finish.
No. 9 CSU Pueblo | Previous: 9. The ThunderWolves had a week off as they prepare for the big Week 9 RMAC showdown against Western Colorado. This team has been so tough all season and is a field goal away from a perfect record.
No. 10 Northwest Missouri State | Previous: First five out. Are you curious why the Bearcats were able to leap over Augustana (SD) and claim their first Power 10 appearance in two years? The Bearcats have won seven in a row since their opening weekend loss to Minnesota State, and have defeated three teams — Fort Hays State, Central Oklahoma and Nebraska-Kearney — that all got love in the national rankings at some point this season. They have a higher SoS and are in the top 10 in KPI. If selections were being made today, the Bearcats would have a higher seed, and thus, we welcome them back to the Power 10 party.
The first five (ish) out (in alphabetical order)
- Augustana (SD): The Vikings have not played the strongest schedule and have their three toughest opponents all season remaining over the final three weeks. But 8-0 in the NSIC is still impressive.
- Findlay: The Oilers improved to 8-0 with a 27-20 win over a very pesky Ohio Dominican team. A win next week over Northwood would push their chances of making the bracket, no matter the result of the big showdown with Ashland in two weeks.
- UIndy: Greyhounds were on a bye, but this offense looks tough. They have a real chance to win out.
- Virginia Union: The Panthers only won by 17, and Curtis Allen only ran for 198 yards and one touchdown. Of course, both of those facts were mentioned with utter sarcasm, as the Panthers and Allen have been putting up otherworldly numbers of late. This team is plenty good.
- Wingate: This was a really tough pick, mainly because it drops Minnesota State all the way out of the Power 10 conversation for now. Ashland was also considered. But the Bulldogs are in because they have played the third-toughest schedule in DII and have landed major victories against UNC Pembroke, Catawba and Emory & Henry, which gives them the edge in the SAC, a conference that has six teams in the bracket hunt.
Player of the week
Offensive players of the week: Kyle Walljasper and Luke Dehnicke, Minnesota Duluth. There were an abundance of big numbers put up this week — like Eastern New Mexico’s Jarius Stewart, who ran for 373 yards and five touchdowns — so it was very hard to choose. However, when you are responsible for seven touchdowns, it certainly gives you the edge. Walljasper threw for 256 yards and six touchdowns on 13-16 passing and ran for 90 yards and another score. Remarkably, 208 of those passing yards went to Dehnicke on just seven receptions, four of which were touchdowns, all of which were 20 or more yards.
Defensive player of the week: Tyrell Gainey, Albany State (GA). Really, this goes to the entire Golden Rams defense. There may have been larger individual stats, but the importance of this win was significant, making Gainey’s three-tackle, two-interception day tremendous. The Golden Rams held Darius Ocean to just 154, touchdown-less yards passing, while completing just nine of his 31 pass attempts. The win leaves Albany State as the lone undefeated team in the SIAC and one step closer to that automatic bid.Â
Freshman of the week: Connor Ackerley, Western New Mexico. It was just another week for the freshman sensation. Ackerley threw for 315 yards and four touchdowns without an interception and ran for 47 yards and another score. It was Ackerley’s sixth game of the season eclipsing at least 300 yards, and his seventh-straight game throwing at least three touchdowns. He’s also done that all completing an impressive 66.3 percent of his passes with just nine interceptions, which is not that many when you consider he is throwing the ball 41.5 times per game.
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