ACU Drops to 4th in Region, 9th in Nation
By: Lance Fleming/ACU Sports Information
Updated: October 19, 2009
ABILENE – The ACU Wildcats dropped three spots in this week's NCAA Division II Super Region Four poll, which was released Monday afternoon.
The Wildcats – who were the region's top-ranked team in each of the first two polls – dropped to No. 4 in the region after last Saturday's 32-21 loss to West Texas A&M. The top six teams in the final regional poll of the season (released on Nov. 8) will earn invitations to the NCAA Division II playoffs.
Central Washington -- which narrowly escaped last Saturday with a 23-21 win over rival Western Oregon -- moved up one spot to No. 1 in the Super Region Four rankings with Northwest Missouri State sliding up one spot to No. 2. Missouri Western checks in at No. 3 in the regional rankings, followed by ACU at No. 4, Washburn (Kan.) at No. 5 and Midwestern State at No. 6.
Texas A&M-Kingsville – which was hammered 38-7 at Midwestern State on Saturday – is No. 7 in the rankings, followed by Central Missouri at No. 8, Angelo State at No. 9 and Tarleton State at No. 10.
In the first national poll of the week, the Wildcats dropped eight places in the American Football Coaches' Association national poll, falling from No. 1 to No. 9 in the nation.
The Wildcats (7-1) saw their 17-game regular-season winning streak streak snapped last Saturday with the loss to unranked West Texas A&M. Undefeated North Alabama (8-0) garnered all 25 first-place votes in the poll and is the now the third team to hold the No. 1 ranking in the AFCA poll this season behind Grand Valley State and ACU.
Central Washington moved up one spot to No. 2 with Bloomsburg (Pa.) checking in at No. 3, Northwest Missouri State at No. 4 and Minnesota State-Mankato at No. 5.
Grand Valley State is up two spots to No. 6, followed by defending national champion Minnesota-Duluth at No. 7, Albany State (Ga.) at No. 8, ACU at No. 9 and Charleston (WVa.) at No. 10.
The Wildcats will be back on the field Saturday at 6 p.m. when they take on Tarleton State in a Lone Star Conference South Division battle that is critical to both teams' playoff hopes.
The Texans (7-1) are ranked No. 11 in this week's poll with Texas A&M-Kingsville (7-1) at No. 14 and Midwestern State (6-2) at No. 17. Midwestern State pummeled Kingsville, 38-7, last Saturday night in Wichita Falls.
