Mars Hill football jumped into the Division II national rankings this week, while Lenoir-Rhyne dropped several spots after its first loss of the season.
Mars Hill, which beat UVA Wise 49-18 on Saturday to improve to 7-1, slides into both the AFCA coaches poll and the D2Football.com media poll at No. 25 this week. The Lions received votes early in the season, but this is their first time cracking the top 25 in either poll.
Lenoir-Rhyne climbed as high as No. 7 in both D2 polls after winning its first eight games. But the Bears dropped to No,. 15 in the media poll and No. 16 in the coaches poll this week, the result of Saturday’s 34-30 defeat at unranked Wingate. The Bulldogs scored the winning touchdown with less than a minute to play in a game that saw six lead changes – four in the fourth quarter.
—> READ MORE: Recapping Week 9 across North Carolina
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NC Central, Western Carolina still in FCS polls
North Carolina Central continues its history making season, climbing to a program-best ninth nationally in the AFCA coaches poll for the FCS. The Eagles had been 10th last week before beating South Carolina State 62-28. NCCU moved up one spot to 12th in the Stats Perform media poll.
Western Carolina suffered its second straight defeat over the weekend but still has the love of pollsters. The Catamounts (5-3) enter this week 16th in the FCS media poll and 20th in the coaches rankings.
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Tar Heels cling to 25th after swoon
North Carolina and Duke have both hit a two-game slide after racing up the national polls early in the season. Both dropped out of the Associated Press media top 25. Duke also fell out of the coaches poll, but the Tar Heels got enough votes to stay No. 25.
—> Click here to see the complete AFCA coaches polls for FBS, FCS, D2 and D3.
—> Click here for the Stats Perform FCS top 25
—> Click here for the D2Football.com top 25
