INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The NCAA has released its first edition of its National Power Index (NPI) for Division II football, and the Benedict Tigers are ranked third in Super Region 2 and 16^th nationally.
 
The Tigers (6-1 overall) have an NPI value of 59.078. The top three teams in Super Region 2 come from the SIAC. Edward Waters (5-2 overall, but 4-1 against D2 competition, which the NPI only factors) is the No. 1 team in the region despite its loss to Benedict on Saturday. Edward Waters has an NPI value of 59.566, 12^th-best in the nation.
 
Another SIAC school, Kentucky State, is second in the region with an NPI value of 59.533, 13^th-best in the nation.
 
The rest of the top 10-ranked teams in Super Region 2 include Carson-Newman out of the South Atlantic Conference, North Greenville from Conference Carolinas, West Alabama from the Gulf South Conference, Mars Hill from the South Atlantic Conference, Central State from the SIAC, Newberry from the South Atlantic Conference, Valdosta State from the Gulf South Conference, and Tuskegee from the SIAC.
 
The NCAA will select 32 total teams, with eight teams from Super Region 2, to advance to the NCAA Division 2 national championship tournament, on Sunday, Nov. 15. First-round games will be played Saturday, Nov. 21 at on-campus sites.
 
The NCAA Division II championship game will be Dec. 19 in McKinney, Texas.