There might have been some upsets and eventual games taking place in the FCS, but only a few could have the potential to measure up to the results across Division II.

Fireworks would be an understatement to describe the events that transpired this past week, as it should not come as a surprise to others if they point to this week at the end of the season as the most important leading into the playoffs.

• Subscribe To FloFootball To Watch The 2024 College Football Season
• Best D2 Football Players In 2024. Here's The Top 100
• NCAA Division II Football In Week 8

Biggest Upsets Of The Week

• Ouachita Baptist takes down Harding - The defending national champion and No. 1 for the first six weeks, Harding, finally lost a game against Ouachita Baptist after having won 25 straight wins dating back to the 2022 season. Coming into the game, Harding's offense had been viewed like a juggernaut with the high scoring performances, but give credit to the Tigers' defense; they held the Bisons to a season low of 13 points and shut them out in the second half for an eventual four-point win.

• Delta State defeats West Alabama - In week 7, Delta State came into the home of West Florida as the Argos had just dropped out of the weekly rankings but got themselves right back into them with a win over No. 19-ranked Delta State at the time, causing the Statesmen to fall out of the rankings. This past weekend, it was used as fuel for them after welcoming in West Alabama football a week out from becoming unranked and returning the favor by beating West Alabama and getting back into the rankings. Although the Tigers are still in the top 25, there was a massive drop from No. 10 to No. 18.

• Slippery Rock falls to unranked California (Pa) - This loss by Slippery Rock removes them as an unbeaten team and, more importantly, takes them out of the top ten with an embarrassing 28-7 loss to California (Pa) after not being able to get much going.

Grand Valley State Is The New Team To Beat

• How did they do it? - Grand Valley State football just became the new No. 1 team in Division II with a win against Saginaw Valley State, although it wasn't pretty a win is a win. This was the first one possession win by the lakers and the seventh win on the season to stay undefeated.

• Anchor Bone Classic - The win by both the Ferris State Bulldogs and Grand Valley State Lakers gives the matchup between the two teams more momentum than the game itself should already give them, as they will clash in the Anchor Bone Classic this week in practically a game for the No. 1 ranking. Will GSVU remain in the top spot, or will the Bulldogs ensure it is short-lived?

Top Ranked Matchups Heading Into Week 9

• Upcoming ranked games between top teams - Now that there are teams in new spots with the new rankings, it leaves for some great games outside of just the Anchor Bone Classic. Those games would include No. 6 Pittsburg State at No. 9 Central Oklahoma, No. 7 Harding vs. No. 22 Southern Arkansas, No. 8 Western Colorado at No. 10 Colorado School of Mines, and No. 13 Minnesota State vs. No. 25 Augustana (S.D.).

AFCA NCAA Division II Football Rankings In Week 9

1. Grand Valley St. (Mich.) (27) - Prev. 2
2. Valdosta St. (Ga.) (3) - Prev. 3
3. Ferris St. (Mich.) - Prev. 4
4. Kutztown (Pa.) - Prev. 5
5. Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) - Prev. 9
6. Pittsburg St. (Kan.) - Prev. 7
7. Harding (Ark.) - Prev. 1
8. Western Colorado - Prev. 8
9. Central Oklahoma - Prev. 11
10. Colorado School of Mines - Prev. 12
11. Charleston (W.Va.) - Prev. 13
12. Colorado St.-Pueblo - Prev. 14
13. Minnesota St. - Prev. 15
14. Emporia St. (Kan.) - Prev. 16
15. Slippery Rock (Pa.) - Prev. 6
16. Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) - Prev. 17
17. Carson-Newman (Tenn.) - Prev. 18
18. West Alabama - Prev. 10
19. Johnson C. Smith (N.C.) - Prev. 20
20. Central Washington - Prev. 21
21. Indianapolis (Ind.) - Prev. 19
22. Southern Arkansas - Prev. 24
23. West Florida - Prev. 23
24. Delta St. (Miss.) - Prev. NR
25. Augustana (S.D.) - Prev. NR

Dropped Out: Frostburg St. (Md.) (22), Henderson St. (Ark.) (25)

Others Receiving Votes: Angelo St. (Tex.), 22; Findlay (Ohio), 22; California (Pa.), 21; Virginia Union, 20; Wayne St. (Neb.), 16; Wingate (N.C.), 10; Sioux Falls (S.D.), 8; Colorado Mesa, 7; Indiana (Pa.), 7; New Haven (Conn.), 7; Davenport (Mich.), 6; Frostburg St. (Md.), 6; Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.), 4; Fort Hays St. (Kan.), 3; Ashland (Ohio), 2; Emory & Henry (Va.), 1; Western Oregon, 1.

When Is The Anchor Bone Classic

Division II football fans are now less than a month away from one of the biggest rivalry games in the sport. The Lakers will host Ferris State at 3 p.m. ETS on Oct. 26. The game is streaming on FloFootball and the FloSports app.