The Eagles, who have been receiving votes in six of the previous 10 iterations of the poll, check in at No. 25 this week after beating North Greenville, who was receiving votes, 48-45.

With this national ranking, the Eagles have been in the top 25 at some point during the season in every year since 2000. 

Carson-Newman saw a streak of 27 consecutive weeks in the AFCA Top 25 snapped when it lost in back-to-back weeks last year to Lenoir-Rhyne and Newberry.  The Eagles received votes in the final two polls of the 2014 season and the first three polls of 2015 before falling out of those receiving votes after a week three loss to Catawba.

The Eagles were unranked to start the season for the first time since 2012.  That year, the Eagles climbed into the top 25 in the first week of November and made a run to the NCAA quarterfinals before finishing the season ninth. 

There have now been 180 rankings since the start of the 2000 season.  The Eagles have been featured in 123 of those rankings.

Carson-Newman will try to protect its national ranking this weekend against the Tusculum at 1 p.m. at Burke-Tarr Stadium. Pregame coverage for the contest on the Eagle Sports Network starts at noon on Joy 620 (WRJZ-AM, Knoxville) and online at cneagles.com/live.