COLUMBIA, S.C. – The Benedict College Tigers are ranked No. 22 nationally in the D2football.com media poll following Saturday's 32-10 victory over Johnson C. Smith.
The Tigers received votes in the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) top 25 poll, receiving 55 total points, to trail No. 25 Fort Hays State by seven points. Johnson C. Smith was ranked No. 23 in the AFCA preseason poll.
Benedict, 1-0, will look to keep its record unblemished and move up in both national polls when the Tigers travel to Rome, Georgia, this week to take on the Shorter Hawks. The game was originally scheduled for a 3 p.m. kickoff, but has been moved to a 5 p.m. kickoff due to weather and projected high temperatures.
D2Football.com Top 25 as of August 30, 2026
| 1. |
Ferris State |
(1-0) |
| 2. |
Harding |
(0-0) |
| 3. |
Minnesota State |
(1-0) |
| 4. |
Kutztown |
(0-0) |
| 5. |
Northwest Missouri State |
(1-0) |
| 6. |
Indianapolis |
(1-0) |
| 7. |
Grand Valley State |
(1-0) |
| 8. |
Central Washington |
(0-0) |
| 9. |
CSU Pueblo |
(1-0) |
| 10. |
Western Colorado |
(1-0) |
| 11. |
Pittsburg State |
(0-1) |
| 12. |
Ashland |
(0-0) |
| 13. |
Augustana |
(1-0) |
| 14. |
Western Oregon |
(1-0) |
| 15. |
Valdosta State |
(1-0) |
| 16. |
Frostburg State |
(0-0) |
| 17. |
Findlay |
(0-0) |
| 18. |
Northeastern State |
(1-0) |
| 19. |
Slippery Rock |
(1-0) |
| 20. |
Newberry |
(0-0) |
| 21. |
Lenoir-Rhyne |
(1-0) |
| 22. |
Benedict |
(1-0) |
| 23. |
Fort Hays State |
(1-0) |
| 24. |
Minnesota Duluth |
(0-1) |
| 25. |
Michigan Tech |
(1-0) |
AFCA D2 Poll
| Rank |
School (1st votes) |
Rec. |
Pts. |
Prev. |
| 1 |
Ferris St. (31) |
1-0 |
775 |
1 |
| 2 |
Harding |
0-0 |
743 |
2 |
| 3 |
Kutztown |
0-0 |
708 |
3 |
| 4 |
Minnesota St. |
1-0 |
671 |
5 |
| 5 |
CSU Pueblo |
1-0 |
645 |
6 |
| 6 |
Central Washington |
0-0 |
585 |
7 |
| 7 |
Grand Valley St. |
1-0 |
568 |
9t |
| 8 |
Northwest Missouri St. |
1-0 |
561 |
8 |
| 9 |
UIndy |
1-0 |
517 |
9t |
| 10 |
Pittsburg St. |
0-1 |
492 |
4 |
| 11 |
Western Colorado |
1-0 |
482 |
11 |
| 12 |
Ashland |
0-0 |
414 |
13 |
| 13 |
Newberry |
0-0 |
372 |
15 |
| 14 |
Frostburg St. |
0-0 |
310 |
17 |
| 15 |
Findlay |
0-0 |
296 |
16 |
| 16 |
Augustana (S.D.) |
1-0 |
262 |
20 |
| 17 |
Western Oregon |
1-0 |
258 |
22 |
| 18 |
Slippery Rock |
1-0 |
200 |
NR |
| 19 |
Minnesota-Duluth |
0-1 |
185 |
12 |
| 20 |
Ouachita Baptist |
0-0 |
161 |
24 |
| 21 |
Lenoir-Rhyne |
1-0 |
145 |
NR |
| 22 |
Indiana (Pa.) |
0-0 |
110 |
25 |
| 23 |
Valdosta St. |
1-0 |
94 |
NR |
| 24 |
Northeastern St. |
1-0 |
75 |
NR |
| 25 |
Fort Hays St. |
1-0 |
62 |
NR |
Dropped Out: Virginia Union (14), UT Permian Basin (18), Wingate (19), Albany St. (21), Johnson C. Smith (23)
Others Receiving Votes: Benedict, 55; UNC Pembroke, 47; UT Permian Basin, 41; Virginia Union, 38; Central Oklahoma, 36; Michigan Tech, 34; Albany St., 30; North Greenville, 22; Northwood, 18; Wingate, 18; California (Pa.), 11; Southern Arkansas, 9; East Stroudsburg, 6; Assumption, 5; Johnson C. Smith, 5; Davenport, 3; Carson-Newman, 2; Upper Iowa, 2; Charleston, 1; Virginia St., 1.
