FHSU Athletics
WACO, Texas - The Fort Hays State football team moved into the AFCA Top 25 this week, announced Wednesday by the coaches organization. The Tigers cracked the poll this week at No. 25 after being among the teams receiving votes in the preseason poll back on August 18.
The Tigers are back in the Top 25 for the first time since the 2024 season, when they also were tabbed No. 25 in the first regular season poll of that season. The last three times the Tigers have been among the Top 25 of the poll, they have held the No. 25 ranking. Prior to 2024, FHSU was also ranked 25th in the first regular season release of the poll in 2019.
Four of Fort Hays State's next six opponents are mentioned in the release, including No. 5 CSU-Pueblo, No. 8 Northwest Missouri State, No. 10 Pittsburg State and RV Central Oklahoma. All three games against nationally ranked teams will be played inside Lewis Field, with the Tigers hosting the Thunderwolves on Thursday (Sept. 3), the Gorillas two weeks later on Sept. 19 and the Bearcats in the middle of the season on Oct. 17. Fans can visit fhsuathletics.com/tickets to purchase tickets to all three exciting matchups now.
The Tigers are 14-7 all-time when listed amongst the 25 best in the country according to the coaches since the poll's inception in 2000, including an 0-2 mark when ranked 25th and a 2-3 record in ranked matchups. The ThunderWolves hold the same ranking they did when the Tigers defeated CSU-Pueblo on the road last season, 36-35, picking up the program's first-ever win over a top-five ranked team.
AFCA NCAA Division II Coaches Poll
Week 0 - September 2, 2026
Rank - School (1st) - Record - Points - Last
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 - RV
19 - Minnesota-Duluth - 0-1 - 185 - 12
20 - Ouachita Baptist - 0-0 - 161 - 24
21 - Lenoir-Rhyne - 1-0 - 145 - RV
22 - Indiana (Pa.) - 0-0 - 110 - 25
23 - Valdosta St. - 1-0 - 94 - RV
24 - Northeastern St. - 1-0 - 75 - RV
25 - Fort Hays St. - 1-0 - 62 - RV
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.