WACO, Texas – Carson-Newman football slipped to eight in the second region rankings following its 35-32 to region number one Lenoir-Rhyne.
As it stands, the 6-2 Eagles would be out of the playoffs if they started today. The top six teams in the region make the NCAA's postseason tournament.
Lenoir-Rhyne is the region's only unbeaten team and the top team at 9-0. Delta State, which defeated North Alabama Saturday 33-28, checks in at number two with a 7-1 mark.
North Alabama dropped out of one of the two positions for a bye with its loss. The Lions are now 7-1. The SIAC's Tuskegee sits in fourth with a 7-2 mark. Valdosta State and West Georgia sit in front of the Eagles at fifth and sixth, respectively.
Albandy State comes in seventh with a 6-2 Division II record.
Lenoir-Rhyne closes out the season at Alderson-Broaddus before returning home for a rivalry matchup to finish the season with Catawba.
Delta State finishes out the season with home games against NAIA Concordia-Selma, which can neither positively nor negatively affect the Statesmen's region ranking, and Mississippi College, which took a 58-0 loss to North Alabama to open the season.
North Alabama rounds out its home schedule Saturday against Shorter before travelling to West Alabama in the season finale.
Tuskeegee finishes up its regular season against Miles (ranked ninth in the region behind Carson-Newman), with the winner of that game competing in the SIAC Championship game Nov. 15 against Albany State. ASU has already sewn up the East Division championship for the league.
Valdosta State must go on the road the final two weeks of the year. The Blazers are at UNC Pembroke this Saturday and at Florida Tech in the regular season finale.
West Georgia has one more home game, this Saturday against Florida Tech. The Wolves travel to Shorter to wrap up the year.
The Eagles were in eighth in last year's second region rankings. They were able to jump to fourth the next week after defeating Newberry, who was ranked ahead of the Eagles last season.
Carson-Newman is trying to make the playoffs for a third consecutive year and a 25th overall.