WACO, TEX.– West Florida scored 10 points in the fourth quarter of their top 25 matchup against West Alabama to force the game into overtime. Both teams scored touchdowns in the first and second overtimes, but West Alabama’s Ishmael Naylor batted the Argonauts’ two-point conversion attempt down allowing the Tigers to escape with a 35-33 victory. The win moved West Alabama up to No. 17 in this week’s AFCA Division II Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl, while West Florida fell to No. 21.
West Alabama doesn’t have long to savor their victory as they travel to No. 3 Valdosta State (Ga.) in a big Gulf South Conference matchup. Likewise, West Florida needs to rebound quickly as they have a long road trip at No. 2 Grand Valley State (Mich.). It’s not just the No. 2 and No. 3 teams that have a top 25 matchup in the final weekend of September as No. 1 Harding (Ark.) will play host to No. 20 Henderson State (Ark.).
Virginia Union and Wingate (N.C.) fell out of the top 25, making room for No. 23 Central Oklahoma and No. 25 Indiana (Pa.). This is UCO’s first appearance in the AFCA top 25 since September 7, 2009.
2024 AFCA Division II Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl – September 23, 2023
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week 3 | Next Game |
| 1 | Harding (Ark.) (29) | 3-0 | 725 | 1 | D. Arkansas-Monticello, 63-3 | Sept. 28 vs. No. 20 Henderson St. (Ark.) |
| 2 | Grand Valley St. (Mich.) | 3-0 | 687 | 2 | D Wisconsin-La Crosse, 20-13 | Sept. 28 vs. No. 21 West Florida |
| 3 | Valdosta St. (Ga.) | 4-0 | 661 | 3 | D. Erskine (S.C.), 73-0 | Sept. 28 vs. No. 17 West Alabama |
| 4 | Colorado School of Mines | 3-0 | 632 | 4 | D. Chadron St. (Neb.), 13-12 | Sept. 28 vs. Black Hills St. (S.D.) |
| 5 | Ferris St. (Mich.) | 2-1 | 594 | 5 | Idle | Sept. 28 at American International (Mass.) |
| 6 | Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) | 3-0 | 562 | 6 | D. Mars Hill (N.C.), 29-21 | Sept. 28 vs. Tusculum (Tenn.) |
| 7 | Minnesota St. | 4-0 | 523 | 8 | D. Minot St. (N.D.), 40-6 | Sept. 28 at Concordia (Minn.) |
| 8 | Kutztown (Pa.) | 3-0 | 508 | 7 | D. Gannon (Pa.), 37-7 | Sept. 28 at East Stroudsburg (Pa.) |
| 9 | Slippery Rock (Pa.) | 3-0 | 481 | 9 | D. Shippensburg (Pa.), 33-7 | Sept. 28 vs. Edinboro (Pa.) |
| 10 | Pittsburg St. (Kan.) | 3-1 | 474 | 10 | D. Washburn (Kan.), 39-31 | Oct. 5 vs. Missouri Western St. |
| 11 | Emporia St. (Kan.) | 4-0 | 418 | 13 | D. Missouri Western St., 30-27 OT | Sept. 28 at Northwest Missouri St. |
| 12 | Central Missouri | 2-1 | 400 | 11 | D. Davenport (Mich.), 32-31 | Sept. 28 vs. Nebraska-Kearney |
| 13 | Central Washington | 2-1 | 346 | 14 | D. West Texas A&M, 45-3 | Sept. 28 vs. Western New Mexico |
| 14 | Western Colorado | 3-0 | 336 | 15 | D. Adams St. (Colo.), 38-0 | Sept. 28 at New Mexico Highlands |
| 15 | Indianapolis (Ind.) | 3-0 | 292 | 16 | D. Wayne St. (Mich.), 30-6 | Sept. 28 vs. Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.) |
| 16 | Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) | 3-0 | 282 | 17 | D. Southern Arkansas, 25-20 | Sept. 28 vs. Arkansas-Monticello |
| 17 | West Alabama | 4-0 | 272 | 23 | D. No. 12 West Florida, 35-33 2OT | Sept. 28 at No. 3 Valdosta St. (Ga.) |
| 18 | Augustana (S.D.) | 2-1 | 241 | 18 | D. Northern St. (S.D.), 41-7 | Sept. 28 at Minnesota St.-Moorhead |
| 19 | Charleston (W.Va.) | 3-0 | 200 | 19 | D. North Carolina-Pembroke, 58-36 | Sept. 28 at Concord (W.Va.) |
| 20 | Henderson St. (Ark.) | 3-0 | 170 | 20 | D. Arkansas Tech, 27-12 | Sept. 28 at No. 1 Harding (Ark.) |
| 21 | West Florida | 1-1 | 169 | 12 | Lost to No. 23 West Alabama, 35-33 2OT | Sept. 28 at No. 2 Grand Valley St. (Mich.) |
| 22 | Colorado St.-Pueblo | 3-1 | 160 | 22 | D. Colorado Mesa, 38-14 | Sept. 28 at Adams St. (Colo.) |
| 23 | Central Oklahoma | 3-0 | 107 | NR | D. Nebraska-Kearney, 32-17 | Sept. 28 vs. Fort Hays St. (Kan.) |
| 24 | Delta St. (Miss.) | 3-1 | 96 | 24t | D. Fort Valley St. (Ga.), 27-24 | Sept. 28 at Erskine (S.C.) |
| 25 | Indiana (Pa.) | 3-0 | 23 | NR | D. Millersville (Pa.), 42-14 | Sept. 28 vs. Clarion (Pa.) |
Dropped Out: Virginia Union (21), Wingate (N.C.) (24t)
Others Receiving Votes: Johnson C. Smith (N.C.), 17; Findlay (Ohio), 12; Bemidji St. (Minn.), 8; Carson-Newman (Tenn.), 7; Davenport (Mich.), 7; Southern Arkansas, 3; Clark Atlanta (Ga.), 2; East Stroudsburg (Pa.), 2; Fort Hays St. (Kan.), 2; Frostburg St. (Md.), 2; Virginia Union, 2; Angelo St. (Tex.), 1; New Haven (Conn.), 1.
