Division II Football Notes and Thoughts on College Football Every Day

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October 24th:

  • The 16th edition of the Coal Bowl brings together IUP and California (Pa.), two teams looking to return to the PSAC championship game and California (PA) looks to capture the Coal Bowl for the fourth time in five years. As for the playoffs, this is a must win for both teams. There is not much wiggle room in Super Region One, and both of these teams already have two losses.

  • Ashland University’s 20th ranked football team (6-1 overall, 5-0 Great Midwest Athletic Conference) will take a five-game winning streak into its final regular-season road game of 2025, at Tiffin (5-2, 4-1) in a pivotal conference showdown. This one is pretty simple for the home team Dragons. A win keeps them in the hunt for the G-MAC and more importantly, keeps them alive in the Super Region Three mix. A loss, and Ashland is another step closer to a home seed, while Tiffin may very well be eliminated from the conversation.

  • Essentially, for Delta State and West Alabama the postseason has already begun, because every win matters from here on out. West Alabama dropped a big game to West Florida last weekend, so this is a must-win if the Tigers want to try and stay alive in the quest for the GSC automatic bid - while Delta State has been cruising since its loss to UNC-Pembroke.

  • I have to mention the in-state matchup this weekend in Kansas, Fort Hays State at Washburn. I love Washburn’s nickname (Ichabods), and they lead the all-time series, with the Tigers, 46-29-3 in 78 all-time meetings. Three of the last five meetings between these teams in Topeka have gone to overtime, with the Ichabods winning two of those three.

October 23rd:

  • Four coaches in Division II are still looking for their first-ever win as head coaches: Lee Hays (Sul Ross State - TX), Chad Walker (Pace - NY), Levi Gallas (Adams State - CO) and Stanley Conner (Lane - TN)

  • Benedict (SC) remains the only unbeaten HBCU team in the country after their last-minute win over Edward Waters last week. Now it appears as though the only team between them and their 3rd SIAC title in four years is Albany State (6-1, 5-0). The Golden Rams, whose only loss this year was to Florida A&M, lead the all-time series 17-5, but the Tigers have won the last two meetings.

  • In what should be a great game, Top-10 matchups the last two years, Colorado School of Mines (5-2, 3-2) will visit Western Colorado (7-0, 5-0). This will be the 100th meeting between these two teams. The home team Mountaineers lead the all-time series 53-44-2, but the Orediggers have won 14 of the last 17 games going back to 2007. This matchup is Colorado's longest unbroken football series.

October 22nd:

  • This Saturday, top-ranked Ferris State (7-0) will host rival Grand Valley State (4-2) in the annual Anchor-Bone Classic, aiming to extend their program-record winning streak to 22 games. The Bulldogs have been dominant all season, leading the nation in scoring offense (53.9 PPG) and ranking third in scoring defense (8.71 PPG). Grand Valley State enters the matchup looking to rebound from a surprising home loss to Saginaw Valley State, their first GLIAC defeat to a team other than Ferris State since 2019. The Lakers will need a strong performance to disrupt Ferris State’s dominance and reclaim momentum in this storied rivalry. A victory by the Lakers is essential to keeping their playoff hopes alive in a very competitive super region.

  • In the same conference, for the 98th time in over 100 years, Michigan Tech will meet Northern Michigan for the 23rd installment of the Miner's Cup. Michigan Tech holds the series lead, 51-41-5, with the Huskies currently holding the second-longest win streak in series history, at 14 consecutive wins. The Wildcats' last win came in 2009. In fact, Northern Michigan enjoyed its first win since Nov. 12, 2022, last weekend with a 42-21 pummeling of second-year GLIAC affiliate Roosevelt!

  • The oldest Division II series being played this weekend: Emporia State at Central Missouri. The home team Mules are coming off a 37-17 loss to Washburn - a game where they outgained their opponent 465-370, but UCM turned the ball over eight times! Saturday's game against the Hornets will mark the 70th meeting in the all-time series dating all the way back to 1901. UCM leads the series, 44-21-4, but the series has been close the last fifteen meetings (8-7 in favor of the Mules).

  • It has been 22 years since Southern Arkansas and Ouachita Baptist have met where the Muleriders are ranked and the Tigers are not. SAU comes into the week ranked number 25 in the latest AFCA Coaches Poll while the Tigers are unranked. A big game for Southern Arkansas to win on the road, especially since they have lost 9 out of the last ten to the Tigers.

September 4th:

  • Just discovered today that Western Oregon is resuming their old in-state rivalry with Southern Oregon (NAIA) for at least one season. These former rivals, who first met in 1927 (Southern Oregon’s first year as a program), are meeting for the first time since 2010. Western Oregon has won nine straight against the Raiders and lead the all-time series, 47-26-1.

  • Bob Stitt will be making his return to the sidelines for the first time since 2017 when he leads Colorado School of Mines for the second time when they take on West Texas A&M. Stitt coached the Orediggers from 2000 through 2014 before leaving to take the head coaching job at Montana.