WACO, Texas – Following the most successful season in school history, the Benedict College Tigers are ranked 12
th in the final American Football Coaches Association Top 25 Poll for 2022.
The Tigers dropped five spots from their No. 7 ranking in the previous poll, the highest ranking ever in school history.
Benedict finished the season with a 11-1 record. The Tigers went undefeated in the regular season and won the 2022 SIAC Championship with a victory over Tuskegee. Benedict received the No. 1 ranking in Super Region 2 for the NCAA playoffs and received a bye for the first round. In the second round, Benedict fell to Wingate, ranked 15
th in the final poll.
For the second straight season, Ferris State (Mich.) takes home the NCAA Division II National Championship and with it, the No. 1 ranking in the final AFCA Division II Coaches' Top 25 Poll for 2022. The Bulldogs rolled through the playoffs, avenging their only loss this season by beating conference rival No. 3 Grand Valley State (Mich.) in the quarterfinals. Ferris State handed No. 4 West Florida a 38-17 loss in the semifinals, then dominated No. 2 Colorado School of Mines in the championship game, 41-14. The Orediggers rose eight places in the final poll thanks to their championship game appearance.
Shepherd (W.Va.) rose five places to end the season at No. 6 thanks to their run to the semifinals while Wingate (N.C.) jumped seven spots to No. 15 because of their appearance in the quarterfinals. Bemidji State (Minn.) reenters the poll at No. 24 after being ranked in the preseason poll, then falling out the rest of the regular season. The Beavers made an appearance in the second round and ended the season at 10-3.
2022 American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches' Poll – December 19, 2022
| Rank |
School (1st votes) |
Rec. |
Pts. |
Prev. |
Post-season |
Head Coach |
| 1 |
Ferris St. (Mich.) (28) |
14-1 |
725 |
5 |
D. No. 10 Colorado Mines, 41-14, in championship |
Tony Annese |
| 2 |
Colorado School of Mines |
13-3 |
690 |
10 |
Lost to No. 5 Ferris St. (Mich.), 41-14, in championship |
Brandon Moore |
| 3 |
Grand Valley St. (Mich.) |
12-1 |
649 |
1 |
Lost to No. 5 Ferris St. (Mich.), 24-21, in quarterfinals |
Matt Mitchell |
| 4 |
West Florida |
12-2 |
622 |
6 |
Lost to No. 5 Ferris St. (Mich.), 38-17, in semifinals |
Pete Shinnick |
| 5 |
Pittsburg St. (Kan.) |
12-1 |
581 |
4 |
Lost to No. 5 Ferris St. (Mich.), 17-14, in second round |
Brian Wright |
| 6 |
Shepherd (W.Va.) |
13-2 |
538 |
11 |
Lost to No. 10 Colorado Mines, 44-13, in semifinals |
Ernie McCook |
| 7 |
Angelo St. (Tex.) |
12-1 |
533 |
2 |
Lost to No. 10 Colorado Mines, 42-24, in quarterfinals |
Jeff Girsch |
| 8 |
Northwest Missouri St. |
10-3 |
495 |
8 |
Lost to No. 1 Grand Valley St. (Mich.), 13-8, in second round |
Rich Wright |
| 9 |
Delta St. (Miss.) |
11-2 |
458 |
9 |
Lost to No. 6 West Florida, 38-27, in second round |
Todd Cooley |
| 10 |
Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) |
11-1 |
408 |
3 |
Lost to No. 8 Northwest Missouri St., 47-17, in first round |
Todd Knight |
| 11 |
Indiana (Pa.) |
10-2 |
394 |
15 |
Lost to No. 11 Shepherd (W.Va.), 48-13, in quarterfinals |
Paul Tortorella |
| 12 |
Benedict (S.C.) |
11-1 |
388 |
7 |
Lost to No. 22 Wingate (N.C.), 23-6, in second round |
Chennis Berry |
| 13 |
Ashland (Ohio) |
10-2 |
372 |
12 |
Lost to No. 15 Indiana (Pa.), 19-13, in second round |
Lee Owens |
| 14 |
Minnesota St. |
10-3 |
341 |
19 |
Lost to No. 10 Colorado Mines, 48-45, in second round |
Todd Hoffner |
| 15 |
Wingate (N.C.) |
11-3 |
331 |
22 |
Lost to No. 6 West Florida, 45-14, in quarterfinals |
Joe Reich |
| 16 |
Slippery Rock (Pa.) |
10-3 |
296 |
20 |
Lost to No. 11 Shepherd (W.Va.), 37-27, in second round |
Shawn Lutz |
| 17 |
Indianapolis (Ind.) |
9-2 |
241 |
13 |
Lost to No. 4 Pittsburg St. (Kan.), 35-0, in first round |
Chris Keevers |
| 18 |
Virginia Union |
9-2 |
197 |
14 |
Lost to No. 22 Wingate (N.C.), 32-7, in first round |
Alvin Parker |
| 19 |
West Georgia |
8-2 |
171 |
16 |
DNQ Playoffs |
David Dean |
| 20 |
Davenport (Mich.) |
8-3 |
166 |
21 |
Lost to No. 5 Ferris St. (Mich.), 41-7, in first round |
Sparky McEwen |
| 21 |
Newberry (S.C.) |
9-2 |
109 |
18 |
DNQ Playoffs |
Todd Knight |
| 22 |
Harding (Ark.) |
9-2 |
103 |
17 |
DNQ Playoffs |
Paul Simmons |
| 23 |
Notre Dame (Ohio) |
9-3 |
94 |
24t |
Lost to No. 12 Ashland (Ohio), 20-13, in first round |
Garrett Mack |
| 24 |
Bemidji St. (Minn.) |
10-3 |
90 |
NR |
Lost to No. 2 Angelo St. (Tex.), 33-7, in second round |
Brent Bolte |
| 25 |
Truman St. (Mo.) |
9-2 |
72 |
23 |
D. Tiffin (Ohio), 28-27, in America's Crossroads Bowl |
Gregg Nesbitt |
Dropped Out: Emporia St. (Kan.) (24t)
Others Receiving Votes: Emporia St. (Kan.), 70; Wayne St. (Neb.), 68; Colorado St.-Pueblo, 57; Assumption (Mass.), 39; Fayetteville St. (N.C.), 24; New Haven (Conn.), 23; Limestone (S.C.), 15; Nebraska-Kearney, 15; Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.), 14; Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.), 12; Henderson St. (Ark.), 11; Concord (W.Va.), 5; Washburn (Kan.), 5; Winona St. (Minn.), 2; Kutztown (Pa.), 1.
