Press Release

Aug. 9, 2010

It Begins Where It Ends

MARYVILLE, Mo.—Northwest Missouri State’s football program will begin its national title defense as the top-ranked team in the nation as the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) released its preseason poll Monday. It is the third time in program history the Bearcats will begin the year number one and all three occurrences have followed national championships.

Northwest has received a preseason ranking for the 14th consecutive season. It is the 12th time the Bearcats will start in the top 10 and eighth time the team begins in the top five. Northwest has been ranked in every AFCA poll since the start of the 2004 season.

The Bearcats received 22 of 26 first-place votes. Grand Valley State, the national runners-up, received three first-place votes and will start No. 2. North Alabama took the remaining first-place vote and is No. 3. Minnesota-Duluth (No. 4) and Central Washington (No. 5) round out the top five.

Washburn (No. 10), Nebraska-Omaha (No. 15) and Missouri Western (No. 20) give the MIAA four programs in the top 20. Other Super Region 4 teams found in the rankings include Central Washington (No. 5), Abilene Christian (No. 7), West Texas A&M (No. 11), Texas A&M-Kingsville (No. 16) and Midwestern State (No. 19). Northwest opens its 2010 campaign at home against Kingsville Sept. 2.

Top 25 Season Openers:
Aug. 28
No. 4 Minnesota-Duluth at No. 5 Central Washington

Sept. 2
No. 16 Texas A&M-Kingsville at No. 1 Northwest Missouri State
No. 11 West Texas A&M at No. 2 Grand Valley State

Sept. 4
No. 6 California (Pa.) at No. 14 Saginaw Valley State
No. 7 Abilene Christian at No. 10 Washburn

 2010 AFCA Preseason Division II Coaches' Poll

     School                           Pts.
  1. Northwest Missouri State (22)... 645
  2. Grand Valley State (3).......... 621
  3. North Alabama (1)............... 580
  4. Minnesota-Duluth................ 549
  5. Central Washington.............. 499
  6. California (Pa.)................ 489
  7. Abilene Christian............... 435
  8. West Liberty.................... 420
  9. Carson-Newman................... 400
 10. Washburn........................ 339
 11. West Texas A&M.................. 337
 12. West Alabama.................... 313
 13. Nebraska-Kearney................ 296
 14. Saginaw Valley State............ 235
 15. Nebraska-Omaha.................. 232
 16. Texas A&M-Kingsville............ 216
 17. Tuskegee........................ 210
 18. Hillsdale....................... 188
 19. Midwestern State................ 163
 20. Missouri Western................ 160
 21. Minnesota State................. 127
 22. West Chester.................... 122
 23. North Carolina-Pembroke......... 115
 24. Delta State..................... 93
 25. East Stroudsburg................ 74

Northwest 2010 opponents in bold