WACO, TX--Tuskegee University, the defending SIAC Football Champions, will open up the season as the 24th ranked team in the nation, as the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Division II Preseason Top 25 poll was released today.
The Golden Tigers received 124 votes to earn the ranking and will open its 2013 season on September 7 against Alabama A&M at the Louis Crews Classic in Huntsville, Ala.
Albany State (51), Miles (14), and Fort Valley State (4) also received nomination for the Preseason Top 25 pool.
Valdosta State (Ga.), fresh off of their third Division II national championship in 2012, opens up 2013 as the preseason favorite to win the national championship. This is the third time since the AFCA Division II Coaches’ Poll started in 2000 that the Blazers have begun the season ranked No. 1. Minnesota State-Mankato comes in at No. 2 with three first place votes, followed by West Texas A&M, Northwest Missouri State and last year’s national runner-up, Winston-Salem State (N.C.), rounding out the Top 5.
There will be three Top 25 matchups in the first week of the 2013 season, highlighted by No. 4 Northwest Missouri State playing host to No. 22 Saginaw Valley State (Mich.), and No. 7 Shippensburg (Pa.) traveling to No. 25 Shepherd (W.Va.).
2013 American Football Coaches Association Preseason Division II Coaches’ Poll – August 19, 2013
2012 2012
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Rank* Season Opener
1. Valdosta St. (Ga.) (26) 12-2 766 1 Sept. 7 vs. Fort Valley St. (Ga.)
2. Minnesota St.-Mankato (3)13-1 726 3 Sept. 7 at Mary (N.D.)
3. West Texas A&M (1) 12-3 707 4 Sept. 7 at Western St. (Colo.)
4. Northwest Missouri St. (1)10-3 616 10 Sept. 5 vs. No. 22 Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.)
5. Winston-Salem St. (N.C.)14-1 599 2 Sept. 5 at North Carolina-Pembroke
6. Missouri Western St. 12-2 586 5 Sept. 5 at Central Missouri
7. Shippensburg (Pa.) 11-2 559 14 Sept. 7 at No. 25 Shepherd (W.Va.)
8. Colorado St.-Pueblo 12-1 522 6 Sept. 7 at Northern Colorado
9. Ashland (Ohio) 11-1 506 9 Sept. 7 at No. 19 Indianapolis (Ind.)
10. Indiana (Pa.) (1) 12-2 416 7 Sept. 7 at Southern Connecticut St.
11. Minnesota-Duluth 10-2 410 12 Sept. 7 vs. Sioux Falls (S.D.)
12. New Haven (Conn.) 10-1 407 8 Sept. 7 at West Chester (Pa.)
13. Henderson St. (Ark.) 10-1 371 11 Sept. 7 vs. Southern Nazarene (Okla.)
14. Grand Valley St. (Mich.) 8-3 361 NR Sept. 7 vs. Azusa Pacific (Calif.)
15. Midwestern St. (Texas) 9-2 319 16 Sept. 14 vs. Tarleton St. (Texas)
16. West Alabama 9-4 297 21 Sept. 7 vs. Clark Atlanta (Ga.)
17. Carson-Newman (Tenn.) 9-3 290 13 Sept. 5 vs. Wayne St. (Mich.)
18. Bloomsburg (Pa.) 10-2 227 17 Sept. 7 vs. Stonehill (Mass.)
19. Indianapolis (Ind.) 10-3 212 15 Sept. 7 vs. No. 9 Ashland (Ohio)
20. Chadron St. (Neb.) 9-3 195 18 Sept. 5 at Missouri S&T
21. Pittsburg St. (Kan.) 7-3 165 NR Sept. 7 vs. Northeastern St. (Okla.)
22. Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.)8-3 141 NR Sept. 5 at No. 4 Northwest Missouri St.
23. Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) 9-3 140 20 Sept. 7 vs. Concord (W.Va.)
24. Tuskegee (Ala.) 10-2 124 23 Sept. 7 at Alabama A&M
25. Shepherd (W.Va.) 8-3 108 25 Sept. 7 vs. No. 7 Shippensburg (Pa.)
*– Ranking in final AFCA Division II Poll of 2012
Others Receiving Votes: Harding (Ark.), 106; Winona St. (Minn.), 77; Albany St. (Ga.), 51; North Alabama, 39; Michigan Tech, 38; Central Washington, 34; Central Missouri, 31; St. Cloud State (Minn.), 30; Delta St. (Miss.), 26; American International (Mass.), 21; Charleston (W.Va.), 21; Ferris St. (Mich.), 21; Emporia St. (Kan.), 20; West Chester (Pa.), 20; Hillsdale (Mich.), 14; Miles (Ala.), 14; Colorado School of Mines, 11; Elizabeth City St. (N.C.), 11; Mercyhurst (Pa.), 11; Washburn (Kan.), 8; Ohio Dominican, 6; Fort Valley St. (Ga.), 4; Tarleton St. (Texas), 3; California (Pa.), 2; Missouri S&T, 2; New Mexico Highlands, 2; North Carolina-Pembroke, 2; Southern Arkansas, 2; Texas A&M-Kingsville, 2; Wayne St. (Mich.), 1.