WACO, TEX.– Salisbury (Md.) is off to a commanding start this season with a perfect 3-0 record thanks to two straight wins over ranked opponents. Although they trailed at halftime, 13-10, to No. 6 Johns Hopkins (Md.), the Sea Gulls’ defense and offense rose to the occasion in the second half. The defense delivered a shutout, while the offense scored an impressive 24 points, allowing Salisbury to run away with a 41-13 road victory. Starting the season unranked in the AFCA Division III Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl, Salisbury has steadily climbed from No. 25 last week to No. 13. With the loss, Johns Hopkins dropped 14 spots to No. 20.
North Central (Ill.) remains undefeated following a dominant 63-0 victory over Carthage (Wis.), solidifying their position at No. 1. Cortland (N.Y.) continues to trail closely at No. 2 after a thrilling 40-38 win against No. 11 Susquehanna (Pa.). Mary Hardin-Baylor (Tex.) has made its way into the top 25 for the first time this season, landing at No. 18 after a significant 35-17 triumph over then-No. 3 Wisconsin-Whitewater, who has now dropped to No. 11t.
2024 AFCA Division III Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl – September 23, 2024
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week 3 | Next Game |
| 1 | North Central (Ill.) (33) | 2-0 | 1231 | 1 | D. Carthage (Wis.), 63-0 | Sept. 28 vs. Washington (Mo.) |
| 2 | Cortland (N.Y.) (15) | 3-0 | 1210 | 2 | D. No. 11 Susquehanna (Pa.), 40-38 | Oct. 5 vs. Morrisville (N.Y.) |
| 3 | Mount Union (Ohio) (1) | 2-0 | 1109 | 4 | D. John Carroll (Ohio), 37-31 | Sept. 28 at Baldwin Wallace (Ohio) |
| 4 | St. John’s (Minn.) | 2-0 | 1013 | 7 | Idle | Sept. 28 at Bethel (Minn.) |
| 5 | Wisconsin-La Crosse (1) | 2-1 | 1012 | 5 | Lost to Grand Valley St. (Mich.), 20-13 | Oct. 5 vs. No. 23 Wisconsin-Platteville |
| 6 | Wisconsin-River Falls | 2-0 | 985 | 8 | D. Greenville (Ill.), 66-7 | Sept. 28 at Mount St. Joseph (Ohio) |
| 7 | Grove City (Pa.) | 2-0 | 905 | 10 | D. St. Vincent (Pa.), 56-7 | Sept. 28 vs. Allegheny (Pa.) |
| 8 | Hardin-Simmons (Tex.) | 2-0 | 863 | 12 | Idle | Sept. 28 vs. North American (Tex.) |
| 9 | Endicott (Mass.) | 3-0 | 704 | 14 | D. Hilbert (N.Y.), 58-0 | Sept. 28 vs. Rensselaer (N.Y.) |
| 10 | Susquehanna (Pa.) | 2-1 | 630 | 11 | Lost to No. 2 Cortland (N.Y.), 40-38 | Sept. 28 at Western New England (Mass.) |
| 11t. | Carnegie Mellon (Pa.) | 3-0 | 626 | 16 | D. Bethany (W.Va.), 66-0 | Sept. 28 at Washington & Jefferson (Pa.) |
| 11t. | Wisconsin-Whitewater | 2-1 | 626 | 3 | Lost to Mary Hardin-Baylor (Tex.), 35-17 | Oct. 5 vs. No. 19 Wisconsin-Oshkosh |
| 13 | Salisbury (Md.) | 3-0 | 567 | 25 | D. No. 6 Johns Hopkins (Md.), 41-13 | Oct. 5 vs. Christopher Newport (Va.) |
| 14 | DePauw (Ind.) | 3-0 | 523 | 18 | D. Wooster (Ohio), 51-14) | Sept. 28 vs. Oberlin (Ohio) |
| 15 | Alma (Mich.) | 2-1 | 481 | 17 | D. Northern Michigan, 44-27 | Sept. 28 vs. Hope (Mich.) |
| 16 | Wartburg (Iowa) | 2-1 | 480 | 15 | D. Central (Iowa), 10-6 | Sept. 28 vs. Nebraska Wesleyan |
| 17 | Whitworth (Wash.) | 3-0 | 440 | 19 | D. Chapman (Calif.), 35-28 | Oct. 5 at Pacific Lutheran (Wash.) |
| 18 | Mary Hardin-Baylor (Tex.) | 2-1 | 436 | NR | D. No. 3 Wisconsin-Whitewater, 35-17 | Sept. 28 vs. John Melvin (La.) |
| 19 | Wisconsin-Oshkosh | 2-1 | 379 | 13 | Lost to Michigan Tech, 44-7 | Oct. 5 at No. 11t Wisconsin-Whitewater |
| 20 | Johns Hopkins (Md.) | 2-1 | 291 | 6 | Lost to No. 25 Salisbury (Md.), 41-13 | Oct. 4 vs. Rowan (N.J.) |
| 21 | Linfield (Ore.) | 2-1 | 276 | 21 | D. Redlands (Calif.), 45-0 | Oct. 5 at Willamette (Ore.) |
| 22 | Aurora (Ill.) | 2-1 | 275 | 20 | D. St. Norbert (Wis.), 49-0 | Sept. 28 vs. Concordia (Ill.) |
| 23 | Wisconsin-Platteville | 3-0 | 258 | 23 | D. Wabash (Ind.), 42-21) | Oct. 5 at No. 5 Wisconsin-La Crosse |
| 24 | Wheaton (Ill.) | 1-1 | 204 | 22 | D. Augustana (Ill.), 42-3 | Sept. 28 at Carroll (Wis.) |
| 25 | Randolph-Macon (Va.) | 2-1 | 196 | 9 | Lost to Berry (Ga.), 28-24 | Oct. 5 at Shenandoah (Va.) |
Dropped Out: Bethel (Minn.) (24)
Others Receiving Votes: Bethel (Minn.), 186; Washington & Jefferson (Pa.), 60; Coe (Iowa), 48; Springfield (Mass.), 47; Berry (Ga.), 36; Washington (Mo.), 27; Hope (Mich.), 23; Marietta (Ohio), 23; John Carroll (Ohio), 19; Case Western Reserve (Ohio), 14; Trinity (Tex.), 14; Lake Forest (Ill.), 13; Muhlenberg (Pa.), 11; Ursinus (Pa.) 4; Wabash (Ind.), 3; Baldwin Wallace (Ohio), 1; Central (Iowa), 1.
