Texas A&M Commerce Lions Football Team Stays Atop National Rankings in AFCA Coaches’ Poll After 2OT win
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Following an exciting 37-36 double overtime victory in the season’s opening game, the Texas A&M University-Commerce football team is ranked No. 1 in the 2018 American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches’ Poll, as released Monday.
The Lions held off an upset-minded Texas A&M-Kingsville team in the opening contest of the season for the 37-36 victory, earning a one-point win in the season opener for the second straight year. A&M-Commerce scored the final 16 points of regulation to force the game into overtime on a field goal by Lone Star Conference Special Teams Player of the Week Kristov Martinez (Edinburg). A touchdown pass from Preston Wheeler (Austin – Bowie) to Marquis Wimberly (Duarte, Calif.) tied the game in the second overtime, and Martinez’ extra point won the game
Four Lion opponents for 2018 are in the top 25 or receiving votes. MSU Texas is ranked 1oth, Colorado State-Pueblo is ranked 12th, and Tarleton and Texas A&M-Kingsville are receiving votes.
A&M-Commerce has been ranked in 41 consecutive AFCA polls, dating back to the 2015 preseason poll. This is A&M-Commerce’s 47th all-time appearance in the AFCA poll since its inception in 2000.
In the polls recognized by Division II as the top rating system, the Lions have been recognized as a nationally ranked team 96 times since joining Division II in 1981. This is the third consecutive poll with a Division II No. 1 ranking for the Lions.
The Lions are on the road for their next two contests, starting with this Saturday’s game at William Jewell (0-0). That game is set to kick off at noon in Liberty, Mo., at WJC’s Greene Stadium.
2018 American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches’ Poll
September 3, 2018
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. |
| 1. | A&M-COMMERCE (21) | 1-0 | 797 | 1 |
| 2. | West Florida (6) | 1-0 | 775 | 2 |
| 3. | Minnesota St. (4) | 1-0 | 753 | 3 |
| 4. | Indiana (Pa.) (1) | 1-0 | 719 | 4 |
| 5. | Fort Hays St. (Kan.) | 1-0 | 676 | 5t |
| 6. | Northwest Missouri St. | 1-0 | 633 | 5t |
| 7. | Harding (Ark.) (1) | 1-0 | 625 | 7 |
| 8. | Grand Valley St. (Mich.) | 1-0 | 588 | 10 |
| 9. | Ferris St. (Mich.) | 1-0 | 551 | 8 |
| 10. | MSU Texas | 1-0 | 516 | 11 |
| 11. | West Alabama | 1-0 | 466 | 12 |
| 12. | Colorado St.-Pueblo | 1-0 | 450 | 14 |
| 13. | West Georgia | 1-0 | 412 | 19 |
| 14. | Sioux Falls (S.D.) | 1-0 | 312 | 20 |
| 15. | Winona St. (Minn.) | 1-0 | 276 | 21 |
| 16. | Central Washington | 0-1 | 261 | 9 |
| 17. | Ohio Dominican | 1-0 | 229 | 23 |
| 18. | Ashland (Ohio) | 0-1 | 216 | 15 |
| 19t. | Findlay (Ohio) | 1-0 | 197 | 25 |
| 19t. | Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) | 1-0 | 197 | 24 |
| 21. | Central Missouri | 0-1 | 124 | 18 |
| 22. | Indianapolis (Ind.) | 0-1 | 118 | 13 |
| 23. | West Chester (Pa.) | 1-0 | 114 | NR |
| 24. | Minnesota-Duluth | 1-0 | 91 | NR |
| 25. | Colorado Mesa | 1-0 | 82 | NR |
Dropped Out: Shepherd (W.Va.) (16), Assumption (Mass.) (17), Carson-Newman (Tenn.) (22)
Others Receiving Votes: Shepherd (W.Va.), 71; Notre Dame (Ohio), 56; Pittsburg St. (Kan.), 56; Carson-Newman (Tenn.), 50; Colorado Mines, 47; Tarleton (Texas), 41; Azusa Pacific (Calif.), 37; Assumption (Mass.), 36; Florida Tech, 28; Valdosta St. (Ga.), 25; Southern Arkansas, 22; Wingate (N.C.), 17; Emporia St. (Kan.), 8; Shippensburg (Pa.), 8; Fairmont St. (W.Va.), 6; Texas A&M-Kingsville, 6; Washburn (Kan.), 6; Bloomsburg (Pa.), 5; Delta St. (Miss.), 5; Edinboro (Pa.), 4; California (Pa.), 3; Hillsdale (Mich.), 3; Slippery Rock (Pa.), 3; Kutztown (Pa.), 2; Southeastern Oklahoma St., 1.
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