*** Information provided by the University of Sioux Falls

WACO, TEXAS – For the first time in program history, the University of Sioux Falls Football Team (8-0, 4-0 NSIC South), which ranks third in total offense and second in rushing in NCAA DII, has moved up to #4 in the AFCA Division II Top-25 Coaches Poll which was released. The #4 ranking by USF is its highest in the AFCA poll since the Cougars moved into DII in 2011. The previous high ranking was last Oct. 19, 2015 when the Cougars were ranked fifth.

The Cougars, directed by head football coach Jed Stugart, now has been ranked by the AFCA in 31 straight polls and in the top 10 for the fourth straight week.  USF, which was ranked #23 in the AFCA preseason poll, jumped to #17 on Sept. 19, #15 on Sept. 12, #14 on Sept. 19, #12 on Sept. 26, #9 on Oct. 3, #6 on Oct. 10 and up to #4 this week. The Cougars jumped 53 poll points this week to 649, an increase of 514 poll points since the preseason rankings.

At #4, USF, which moved to 58-5 all-time at Bob Young Field after a 51-17 victory over Concordia-St. Paul on Oct. 22, is the highest ranked NSIC school with Minnesota-Duluth (7-1) moving up from #24 to #21.

Defending national champion Northwest Missouri State (8-0) continued to hold the #1 spot in the poll, receiving all 30 first place votes and 750 vote points. Grand Valley State (8-0) remains at #2 (717 points) as did Shepherd (7-0) at #3.

The Cougars are one of the most productive offense in the country at 544.1 yards per game and rank second in DII in rushing at 341.4 yards per game. The Cougars been ranked in every AFCA poll since opening at #24 on Sept. 22, 2014.

USF's had a run of six straight top-10 rankings in 2015 in the AFCA Poll and now have four more this year which gives USF 10 top-10 rankings in the DII era.
USF, 28-4 over the last two seasons, is ranked #6 in the D2Football.com poll which will be released on Tuesday. The Cougars have won 181 games since the turn of the Century (16 years) and 423 in school history.  On Saturday, USF will travel to face Minnesota State at Blakeslee Stadium in Mankato, Minn., at 1 p.m.
AFCA Coaches Poll – Regular Season #8

(Ranking, team, first place votes, poll points, previous ranking)
1. Northwest Missouri State (30), 7-0, 750, 1
2. Grand Valley State (Mich.), 8-0, 717, 2
3. Shepherd (W. Va.), 7-0, 692, 3

4 Sioux Falls, 8-0, 649, 6

  1. Harding (Ark.), 8-0, 614, 7
  2. California (Pa.), 7-0, 598, 8
  3. North Alabama, 5-1, 541, 10
  4. Texas A&M Commerce, 6-1, 540, 9
  5. Ashland (Ohio), 7-1, 507, 11
  6. Emporia State (Kan.), 7-1, 448, 12
  7. LIU Post (N.Y.), 8-0, 432, 14
  8. Indiana (Pa.), 6-1, 414, 13
  9. Midwestern State (Texas), 6-1, 361, 4
  10. Valdosta State (Ga.), 6-1, 350, 16
  11. Azusa Pacific (Calif.), 7-1, 325, 17
  12. Assumption (Mass.), 7-1, 285, 18
  13. Tuskegee (Ala.), 6-1, 258, 5
  14. North Carolina-Pembroke, 7-1, 253, 20
  15. Wayne State (Mich.), 7-1, 221, 22
  16. Fairmont State (W. Va.), 8-0, 201, 23
  17. Minnesota Duluth, 7-1, 174, 24
  18. Ferris State (Mich.), 6-2, 115, 25
  19. Newberry (S.C.), 7-1, 98, NR
  20. Wingate (N.C.), 7-1, 55, NR
  21. Notre Dame (Ohio), 7-1, 27, NR
  22. Southwest Baptist (Mo.), 7-1, 27, NR

Dropped Out: Henderson State (Ark.), 15; Florida Tech, 19; Bemidji State (Minn.), 21.

Others Receiving Votes:  Central Missouri, 20; Colorado School of Mines, 19; Henderson State (Ark.), 19; Edinboro (Pa.), 8; Bemidji State (Minn.), 7; Central Washington, 6; Fort  Hays State (Kan.), 6; West Alabama, 5 ; Florida Tech, 4; Southern Arkansas, 2; Colorado Mesa, 1; Truman State (Mo.), 1

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