Northwest returns to top 10 at No. 8

By virtue of their 66-6 win over Northeastern State and three top 10 upsets, Northwest Missouri State climbed three spots to No. 8 in the latest AFCA Poll released Monday.

Winners of three straight by an average 37.3 points, the Bearcats (4-1, 3-1) are back in the top 10 for the first time since week two when they were ranked No. 3.

Northwest has moved up five spots in the last three weeks after a 31-21 loss to Central Missouri dropped them to No. 13.

The Bearcats remain the third-highest ranked MIAA team behind No. 1 Pittsburg State (4-0, 4-0) and No. 5 Missouri Western (5-0, 4-0) which moved up two spots.

The MIAA now has two top-five teams, three in the top 10 and five in the top 25.

Washburn (4-1, 4-1) held firm at No. 20. Emporia State (5-0, 5-0) entered the poll at No. 25, marking the first time the Hornets have been ranked since the end of the 2003 season.

Central Missouri (4-1, 4-1) remains on the very edge of being ranked, leading the others receiving votes category with 69.

Idle last week, Pitt State is the only top 10 team that kept its same ranking.

Former No. 2 Minnesota-Duluth lost to St. Cloud State 51-49, dropping the Bulldogs eight spots. Colorado St.-Pueblo took over the No. 2 spot, Grand Valley State is third and Winston Salem State (N.C.) is fourth with Western in fifth.

The final five spots in the top 10 belong to No. 6 New Haven (Conn.), No. 7 Bloomsburg (Pa.), No. 8 Northwest, No. 9 Ashland (Ohio) and No. 10 Minnesota-Duluth. Ashland took over the spot held by Humboldt St. (Calif.) which fell 15 spots to No 24 with a 31-3 loss to Central Washington.

Outside the top 10, Shippensburg (Pa.) made a five-spot jump to No. 16, tied with California (Pa.).

Sioux Falls, Northwest's week two opponent last year, is now ranked No. 23.

Former No. 24 Newberry (S.C.) was the only team to drop out of the poll, while Emporia was the only new entrant.

This week's slate of games includes one top 25 matchup—No. 13 Midwestern State against No. 18 West Alabama—on Thursday night.

Northwest takes on Central Oklahoma Saturday at 1 p.m. in Edmond, Okla.