Grand Valley State Football moved into the top-3 of the latest NCAA Division II football rankings after its 73-14 win over Northern Michigan in Week 7.

The Lakers (6-1) are rolling following their win earlier this month over then-No.1 Ferris State in the Anchor-Bone Classic, 48-28. GVSU is behind only No. 1 Colorado School of Mines (8-0) and Pittsburgh State (8-0). The Lakers host Michigan Tech, who gave No. 8 Ferris State a tight game in Week 8 before losing 35-21.

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After taking a tumble following its loss to GVSU, Ferris State is up a spot in the rankings. They play American International on Oct. 28.

It’s going to be quite the homestretch in GLIAC play as Ferris State, GVSU and Davenport, which is up two spots in the rankings at No. 11, are all vying for the league title. Ferris State can catch up with the two undefeated GLIAC squads in the closing weeks. Here’s the schedule: 

• Nov. 4: Ferris State at Davenport, Noon ET
• Nov. 11: Davenport at Grand Valley State, 1 p.m. ET

Lenoir-Rhyne Football On The Move

Lenoir-Rhyne of SAC was a big climber in the latest poll, moving three spots to be firmly in the top-10 at No. 7. The undefeated 8-0 Bears face Wingate on Oct. 28. 

Meanwhile, the GSC saw lots of changes in the rankings after Delta State, No. 5 last week, lost to then-No. 18-ranked West Florida 24-21. That loss sent them to tied at No. 16, one spot ahead of No. 18, West Florida. 

Valdosta State moved into the rankings at No. 24 during the week that they face West Florida on the road on Oct. 28. 

Here are the full rankings.

NCAA Division 2 Football Rankings For Week 9 (Oct. 23)

• No. 1 Colorado School of Mines (28)    8-0    724    
• No. 2 Pittsburg St. (Kan.)    8-0    693    
• No. 3 Grand Valley St. (Mich.)    6-1    652    
• No. 4 Harding (Ark.)    8-0    635    6    
• No. 5 Benedict (S.C.)    8-0    567    
• No. 6 Slippery Rock (Pa.) (1)    8-0    552    
• No. 7 Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.)    8-0    520    
• No. 8 Ferris St. (Mich.)    5-2    505    
• No. 9 Western Colorado    8-0    475    
• No. 10 Indianapolis (Ind.)    7-0    459    
• No. 11 Davenport (Mich.)    7-0    408    
• No. 12 Augustana (S.D.)    8-0    397    
• No. 13 Minnesota St.    7-1    333    3    
• No. 14 Ouachita Baptist (Ark.)    7-1    
• No. 15 Central Missouri    7-1    321    
• No. 16 Bemidji St. (Minn.)    6-1    295    
• No. 16 Delta St. (Miss.)    7-1    295    
• No. 18 West Florida    6-2    292    
• No. 19 Tiffin (Ohio)    8-0    196    
• No. 20 Shepherd (W.Va.)    7-1    192    2
• No. 21 Truman St. (Mo.)    7-1    133    
• No. 22 Texas-Permian Basin    7-1    115    
• No. 23 Virginia Union    7-1    113    
• No. 24 Valdosta St. (Ga.)    7-1    81    
• No. 25 Minnesota-Duluth    7-1    56    

Dropped Out: Angelo St. (Tex.) (19), Virginia St. (20), Assumption (Mass.) (21), Emporia St. (Kan.) (24)

Others Receiving Votes: Virginia St., 28; Missouri Western St., 20; Central Washington, 11; Fort Hays St. (Kan.), 10; Assumption (Mass.), 9; Henderson St. (Ark.), 4; Mars Hill (N.C.), 2; Angelo St. (Tex.), 1; Colorado St.-Pueblo, 1; Southern Arkansas, 1.

How Does The NCAA Division 2 Football Playoffs Work?

The 50th anniversary of the NCAA Division II Playoffs will feature 28 teams in a single elimination tournament. 

How Division II decides which teams go to the postseason, however, is through a completely different process than the postseasons of the FCS and Division III. 

The Super Region system is unique to Division II, where no conference has an automatic bid to the playoffs, and the postseason places are decided by the top-ranked teams in each of the four Super Regions – groups of conferences (and potentially independents) in a similar geographic area. 

• More On The NCAA Division II Playoffs: How Do The NCAA Division II Football Playoffs Work?

A top-10 Super Regional ranking of all the conference’s members in a particular Super Region is released each of the final three weeks of the regular season. At the end, the teams considered by the selection committee to make up the top 7 in each Super Region, qualify for their Super Region’s playoff bracket, where the No. 1 seed receives a first-round bye. 

For 2023, Super Region 1 mainly consists of Midwestern/eastern schools, Super Region 2 the southeast, Super Region 3 the Midwest, mid-south and Great Plains and Super Region 4 much of Division II’s northern and western membership, plus Texas. 

- Brian Napier

When Do The NCAA Division 2 Football Playoffs Start?

The first round of the playoffs begin on Nov. 18. 

When Is The NCAA Division 2 Football National Championship Game?

The NCAA Division II Football National Championship Game is Dec. 16 at McKinney Independent School District Stadium in McKinney, Texas.

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