20 Dec 2023 Harding finishes No. 1 in final AFCA Division II Coaches’ top 25
WACO, Texas — Colorado School of Mines scored on its first possession to take a 7-0 lead in the NCAA Division II National Championship game on Dec. 16. They would never see the endzone again as Harding (Ark.) scored on their next six straight possessions and sacked Oredigger quarterback John Matocha six times in a dominant 38-7 victory. The Bisons’ rushing attack racked up 502 yards, giving Harding their first national title. Harding ends the 2023 season ranked No. 1 in the final AFCA Division II Coaches’ Top 25 Poll while Colorado School of Mines drops to No. 2.
Two teams that lost to Harding in the playoffs finish the season at three and four. Grand Valley State (Mich.) lost a close game with the Bisons, 7-6, in the quarterfinals, while Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) had a tougher time in the semifinals, losing 55-14. Pittsburg State (Kan.) rounds out the top five after a second-round appearance and finishing with an 11-2 overall record.
Kutztown (Pa.), who wasn’t ranked at all during the regular season, jumps all the way to No. 7 in the final poll thanks to their semifinal run through the playoffs. The Bears fell to Colorado School of Mines, 35-7, but finish with a 12-3 overall mark.
Harding Notes: It was the ninth time Harding finished a season ranked in the top 25 … the previous high was No. 6 in both 2016 and 2017 … it is Harding’s sixth consecutive season to finish in the top 25.
2023 American Football Coaches Association Division II Poll – as of Dec. 18
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Postseason | Head Coach | |
| 1 | Harding (Ark.) (28) | 15-0 | 700 | 3 | D. No. 1 Colorado Mines, 38-7, in national championship | Paul Simmons | |
| 2 | Colorado School of Mines | 14-1 | 672 | 1 | Lost to No. 3 Harding (Ark.), 38-7, in national championship | Pete Sterbick | |
| 3 | Grand Valley St. (Mich.) | 11-2 | 612 | 2 | Lost to No. 3 Harding (Ark.), 7-6, in quarterfinals | Scott Wooster | |
| 4 | Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) | 13-2 | 571 | 11 | Lost to No. 3 Harding (Ark.), 55-14, in semifinals | Mike Jacobs | |
| 5 | Pittsburg St. (Kan.) | 11-2 | 525 | 7 | Lost to No. 2 Grand Valley St. (Mich.), 24-21, in second round | Brian Wright | |
| 6 | Central Missouri | 11-2 | 523 | 6 | Lost to No. 3 Harding (Ark.), 35-34, in second round | Josh Lamberson | |
| 7 | Kutztown (Pa.) | 12-3 | 506 | NR | Lost to No. 1 Colorado School of Mines, 35-7, in semifinals | Jim Clements | |
| 8 | Valdosta St. (Ga.) | 12-2 | 464 | 14 | Lost to No. 11 Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.), 35-7, in quarterfinals | Tremaine Jackson | |
| 9 | Ferris St. (Mich.) | 8-3 | 436 | 5 | Lost to No. 2 Grand Valley St. (Mich.), 21-14, in first round | Tony Annese | |
| 10 | Slippery Rock (Pa.) | 12-2 | 431 | 15 | Lost to Kutztown (Pa.), 28-16, in quarterfinals | Shawn Lutz | |
| 11 | Delta St. (Miss.) | 10-2 | 407 | 8 | Lost to No. 14 Valdosta St. (Ga.), 38-31, in second round | Todd Cooley | |
| 12 | Benedict (S.C.) | 11-1 | 404 | 4 | Lost to No. 11 Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.), 35-25, in second round | Chennis Berry | |
| 13 | Augustana (S.D.) | 11-2 | 307 | 16 | Lost to No. 1 Colorado School of Mines, 56-10, in second round | Jerry Olszewski | |
| 14 | Tiffin (Ohio) | 11-1 | 302 | 9 | Lost to No. 15 Slippery Rock (Pa.), 45-35, in second round | Cris Reisert | |
| 15 | Western Colorado | 10-2 | 266 | 10 | Lost to Central Washington, 16-13 OT, in first round | Jas Bains | |
| 16 | Bemidji St. (Minn.) | 9-3 | 264 | 21 | Lost to Central Washington, 21-17, in second round | Brent Bolte | |
| 17 | Central Washington | 9-4 | 262 | NR | Lost to No. 1 Colorado School of Mines, 38-14, in quarterfinals | Chris Fisk | |
| 18 | Texas-Permian Basin | 10-2 | 213 | 12 | Lost to No. 21 Bemidji St. (Minn.), 10-3, in first round | Kris McCullough | |
| 19 | Charleston (W.Va.) | 10-2 | 179 | 24 | Lost to Kutztown (Pa.), 32-31, in second round | Quinn Sanders | |
| 20 | Virginia Union | 10-2 | 161 | 13 | Lost to Kutztown (Pa.), 38-14, in first round | Alvin Parker | |
| 21 | Minnesota St. | 9-3 | 147 | 19 | Lost to No. 16 Augustana (S.D.), 51-24, in first round | Todd Hoffner | |
| 22 | Indianapolis (Ind.) | 9-2 | 141 | 17t | Lost to No. 7 Pittsburg St. (Kan.), 35-14, in first round | Chris Keevers | |
| 23 | West Florida | 8-4 | 113 | 23 | Lost to No. 8 Delta St. (Miss.), 49-14, in first round | Kaleb Nobles | |
| 24 | Henderson St. (Ark.) | 9-3 | 80 | 25 | Lost to No. 6 Central Missouri, 56-14, in first round | Scott Maxfield | |
| 25 | Minnesota-Duluth | 9-2 | 69 | 17t | DNQ Playoffs | Curt Wiese |
Dropped Out: Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) (20), Davenport (Mich.) (22)
Others Receiving Votes: Davenport (Mich.), 58; Ouachita Baptist (Ark.), 51; Shepherd (W.Va.), 38; Southern Arkansas, 37; New Haven (Conn.), 25; Emporia St. (Kan.), 23; Limestone (S.C.), 18; Missouri Western St., 16; Southern Nazarene (Okla.), 15; Ashland (Ohio), 14; McKendree (Ill.), 13; Colorado St.-Pueblo, 12; Angelo St. (Tex.), 11; Virginia St., 11; East Stroudsburg (Pa.), 2; Frostburg St. (Md.), 1.
