Another national media outlet has put Wingate and Lenoir-Rhyne football in its preseason Division II top 25 rankings.
Wingate is listed 18th in the D2Football.com rankings, while Lenoir-Rhyne is 23rd. The Bulldogs and Bears also appear in the American Football Coaches Association preseason top 25, released last week – Wingate at 21 and Lenoir-Rhyne at 25.
Both the ‘Dogs and Bears compete in the South Atlantic Conference and are expected to contend for the Piedmont Division crown. Wingate finished 11-3 a year ago, advancing to the D2 playoff quarterfinals and finishing 12th in the final D2Football poll. Lenoir-Rhyne was 8-3 a year ago but unranked at season’s end.
Newberry, which plays in the SAC also, is missing from the D2Football poll. The Wolves are 24th in the AFCA preseason rankings.
Opening day is less than two weeks away for both teams. Wingate will host Albany State on Thursday, Aug. 31, while Lenoir-Rhyne will start Saturday, Sept. 2 at home against St. Augustine’s.
.
D2Football.com Preseason Top 25
| Rank | Team | Record | Last |
| 1 | Ferris State | 14-1 | 1 |
| 2 | Grand Valley | 12-1 | 2 |
| 3 | Pittsburg State | 12-1 | 5 |
| 4 | Colorado Mines | 13-3 | 3 |
| 5 | Northwest Missouri | 10-3 | 7 |
| 6 | Angelo State | 12-1 | 6 |
| 7 | Minnesota State | 10-3 | 11 |
| 8 | West Florida | 12-2 | 4 |
| 9 | Delta State | 11-2 | 9 |
| 10 | Bemidji State | 10-3 | 16 |
| 11 | Ouachita Baptist | 11-1 | 13 |
| 12 | IUP | 10-2 | 10 |
| 13 | Shepherd | 13-2 | 8 |
| 14 | Ashland | 10-2 | 14 |
| 15 | Harding | 9-2 | 18 |
| 16 | Slippery Rock | 10-3 | 15 |
| 17 | Emporia State | 9-3 | 22 |
| 18 | Wingate | 11-3 | 12 |
| 19 | West Georgia | 8-2 | 21 |
| 20 | Benedict | 11-1 | 17 |
| 21 | Indianapolis | 9-2 | 20 |
| 22 | Virginia Union | 9-2 | 19 |
| 23 | Lenoir-Rhyne | 8-3 | NR |
| 24 | Davenport | 8-3 | 25 |
| 25 | CSU-Pueblo | 8-4 | 24 |
.
More SAC Headlines from NC Football News
- Wingate all-conference quarterback Brooks Bentley plans to enter transfer portal
Sophomore went 16-3 as starter, led Bulldogs to 2024 conference title - Virginia Union rushes past Lenoir-Rhyne, ends D2 season in our state
Bears finish 10-3, last team standing in Division II playoffs - D2 Football Playoffs: Lenoir-Rhyne vs. Virginia Union Set for Epic Second-Round Clash
10-2 Bears host high-scoring CIAA rival Panthers in NCAA playoff showdown - Photo Gallery: Wingate football battles Virginia Union in D2 playoffs
VUU prevailed in an overtime thriller to advance to round two - Six North Carolina college football players named Harlon Hill Trophy nominees
Coveted D2 award finalists hail from UNCP, JCSU, WSSU, Catawba, Wingate and Shaw
