MANKATO, Minn. – Following a 31-30 setback against then-No. 22 Augustana on Senior Day, Minnesota State fell to No. 10 in the latest AFCA Division II Coaches Poll and slipped one spot to No. 4 in the latest NCAA Division II Super Region Three NPI rankings.
National Polls
- Minnesota State dropped from No. 3 to No. 10 in the AFCA Top 25 Poll.
- The Mavericks also fell from No. 3 to No. 7 in the D2Football.com Top 25 Poll.
- Augustana climbed from No. 22 to No. 16 in the AFCA rankings and sits No. 15 in the D2Football.com poll.
- Wayne State moved up one spot to No. 24 in the AFCA poll.
AFCA Top 10
- Ferris State (29 first-place votes)
- Harding
- CSU Pueblo
- Western Colorado
- Slippery Rock
- Northwood
- Northwest Missouri State
- Central Washington
- Findlay
- Minnesota State
D2Football.com Top 10
- Ferris State
- Harding
- CSU Pueblo
- Western Colorado
- Central Washington
- Slippery Rock
- Minnesota State
- Northwest Missouri State
- Northwood
- Kutztown
Super Region Three Picture
- Minnesota State is ranked No. 4 in the region after holding the No. 3 spot a week ago.
- Ferris State remains No. 1, followed by Northwood and Michigan Tech.
- The Mavericks are joined in the regional top 10 by:
- No. 5 Findlay
- No. 6 Augustana
- No. 7 Davenport
- No. 8 Minnesota Duluth
- No. 9 Wayne State
- No. 10 Northern State
National NPI Rankings
Minnesota State dropped from No. 6 to No. 14 nationally in the NPI standings. The national top five consists of:
- Ferris State
- Slippery Rock
- Harding
- Northwood
- CSU Pueblo
NCAA Playoff Outlook
If the postseason began today, Minnesota State would be projected to host Findlay in the opening round of the NCAA Division II Playoffs. A first-round victory would likely set up a second-round matchup against either No. 1-seeded Ferris State or the champion of the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC).
- Truman State currently represents the highest-ranked GLVC team, sitting No. 67 nationally in the NPI standings.
Postseason Tradition
Minnesota State owns a 20-16 all-time record in NCAA playoff games and is seeking its 17th postseason appearance. The Mavericks have advanced to the NCAA Division II National Championship Game twice, in 2014 and 2019. Their 20 playoff victories are tied for seventh among active Division II programs and rank ninth all-time in Division II history.
