FHSU Sports Information Department
WACO, Texas – The Tiger football team continued its trend of bouncing in and out of the AFCA Division II Poll receiving votes section on Monday (Nov. 9). FHSU received three votes in last week’s edition, but dropped back out of the receiving votes section this week. FHSU dropped out of the receiving votes section following Week 6, jumped back in after Week 7, fell out after Week 8, jumped back in after Week 9, and now dipped back out again following Week 10 even with a win. They take on a No. 20 ranked Central Missouri squad on Saturday (Nov. 14) in Hays at 2:30 pm in the MIAA Television Network Game of the Week.
The MIAA has three schools referenced in the top 25. Northwest Missouri State is No. 1, Emporia State is No. 19, and Central Missouri is No. 20. The Tigers are 7-3 overall and have matched their win total from last season. FHSU will be looking for its first eight-win season since 1995 when it faces Central Missouri on Saturday.
A win could also vault the Tigers into their first postseason game since the same year. The Tigers were not in the most recent edition of the Super Region 3 Rankings, but they have been on the outside looking in and the No. 9 team in the region rankings lost Saturday. Central Missouri was No. 8 in the most recent rankings. The top seven teams are selected to the NCAA Playoffs.
Even if the Tigers come up short of a playoff selection, a win could possibly secure a Bowl Game bid. The highest finisher in the MIAA standings that does not make the playoffs gets an automatic selection to the Mineral Water Bowl in Excelsior Springs, Mo. A win would at least tie the Tigers for third place in the standings with Central Missouri, and possibly second pending on what happens with Emporia State on Saturday when it hosts Nebraska-Kearney. With a win, the Tigers would have the head-to-head advantage on Central Missouri in a two-way tie, and even Emporia State and UCM if there is a three-way tie for second. FHSU defeated a then No. 13 ranked Emporia State squad in Week 7 in Hays by a score of 27-24.
Below is the AFCA Division II Poll for November 9, 2015.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Record | Points | Previous Week |
| 1. | Northwest Missouri St. (29) | 10-0 | 796 | 2 |
| 2. | Ferris St. (Mich.) (2) | 9-0 | 768 | 3 |
| 3. | Ashland (Ohio) (1) | 10-0 | 712 | 5 |
| 4. | Colorado St.-Pueblo | 9-1 | 711 | 4 |
| 5. | Shepherd (W.Va.) | 9-0 | 672 | 6 |
| 6. | Minnesota St. | 9-1 | 636 | 7 |
| 7. | West Georgia | 9-1 | 568 | 1 |
| 8. | Henderson St. (Ark.) | 9-1 | 566 | 9 |
| 9. | Slippery Rock (Pa.) | 9-1 | 552 | 10 |
| 10. | Midwestern St. (Texas) | 9-1 | 520 | 11 |
| 11. | Texas A&M-Commerce | 8-2 | 449 | 12 |
| 12. | Humboldt St. (Calif.) | 8-1 | 444 | 13 |
| 13. | Indianapolis (Ind.) | 9-1 | 376 | 18 |
| 14. | Grand Valley St. (Mich.) | 8-2 | 364 | 17 |
| 15. | North Alabama | 7-2 | 319 | 19 |
| 16. | Charleston (W.Va.) | 9-1 | 312 | 20 |
| 17. | Sioux Falls (S.D.) | 8-2 | 274 | 8 |
| 18. | Valdosta St. (Ga.) | 7-2 | 224 | 23 |
| 19. | Emporia St. (Kan.) | 8-2 | 212 | 14 |
| 20. | Central Missouri | 8-2 | 199 | 24 |
| 21. | Colorado Mesa | 8-2 | 157 | 16 |
| 22. | Bowie St. (Md.) | 9-1 | 148 | 25 |
| 23. | Assumption (Mass.) | 9-1 | 116 | NR |
| 24. | Tuskegee (Ala.) | 8-2 | 93 | 15 |
| 25. | Carson-Newman (Tenn.) | 8-2 | 78 | NR |
Others Receiving Votes: Augustana (S.D.), 44; Catawba (N.C.), 36; Virginia Union, 20; Indiana (Pa.), 18; Florida Tech, 8; Michigan Tech, 4; North Greenville (S.C.), 2; McKendree (Ill.), 1; Western Oregon, 1.