WACO, Texas – Carson-Newman football has been ranked in a tie for 21st with Sioux Falls (S.D.) in the final version of the AFCA Coaches Poll.
The Eagles moved up a spot from the poll at the end of the regular season.
C-N finished the year as the highest ranked team in the South Atlantic Conference, in front of No. 25 Catawba.
The Eagles have been ranked at some point in every season since 1995. It marks the first time since 2013 that the Eagles appeared in the final iteration of the AFCA poll.
The season was highlighted by a rebound from a 3-2 start to make the NCAA playoffs and postseason play for a 25th time under head coach Ken Sparks. Along the way, Damian Baker (Columbus, Miss.) and Derek Evans (Alcoa, Tenn.) garnered major national recognition as a Harlon Hill finalist and Rimington Trophy winner, respectively.
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Post-season results Head Coach
1. Northwest Missouri St. (32) 15-0 800 1 D. No. 5 Shepherd (W.Va.), 34-7, in championship Adam Dorrel
2. Shepherd (W.Va.) 13-1 765 5 Lost to No. 1 Northwest Missouri St., 34-7, in championship Monte Cater
3. West Georgia 12-2 718 7 Lost to No. 1 Northwest Missouri St., 38-23, in semifinals Will Hall
4. Grand Valley St. (Mich.) 12-3 687 12 Lost to No. 5 Shepherd (W.Va.), 34-32, in semifinals Matt Mitchell
5. Colorado St.-Pueblo 12-2 632 4 Lost to No. 12 Grand Valley St. (Mich.), 31-7, in quarterfinals John Wristen
6. Ferris St. (Mich.) 11-1 595 2 Lost to No. 12 Grand Valley St. (Mich.), 38-34, in second round Tony Annese
7. Slippery Rock (Pa.) 12-2 590 10 Lost to No. 5 Shepherd (W.Va.), 28-16, in quarterfinals George Mihalik
8. Emporia St. (Kan.) 11-3 539 19 Lost to No. 1 Northwest Missouri St., 38-17, in quarterfinals Garin Higgins
9. Midwestern St. (Texas) 10-2 457 9 Lost to No. 4 Colorado St.-Pueblo, 26-17, in second round Bill Maskill
10. Ashland (Ohio) 10-1 442 3 Lost to No. 12 Grand Valley St. (Mich.), 45-28, in first round Lee Owens
11. Tuskegee (Ala.) 10-3 438 23 Lost to No. 7 West Georgia, 35-6, in quarterfinals Willie Slater
12. Henderson St. (Ark.) 11-2 424 8 Lost to No. 18 Emporia St. (Kan.), 29-3, in second round Scott Maxfield
13. Minnesota St. 10-2 416 6 Lost to No. 18 Emporia St. (Kan.), 51-49, in first round Todd Hoffner
14. Valdosta St. (Ga.) 9-3 392 17 Lost to No. 7 West Georgia, 27-20, in second round David Dean
15. North Alabama 9-3 388 14 Lost to No. 23 Tuskegee (Ala.), 35-31, in second round Bobby Wallace
16. Humboldt St. (Calif.) 10-2 323 11 Lost to No. 1 Northwest Missouri St., 54-7, in second round Rob Smith
17. Assumption (Mass.) 11-2 319 19 Lost to No. 10 Slippery Rock (Pa.), 41-39, in second round Bob Chesney
18. Indianapolis (Ind.) 10-2 254 13 Lost to No. 4 Colorado St.-Pueblo, 27-14, in first round Bob Bartolomeo
19. Indiana (Pa.) 9-3 213 NR Lost to No. 5 Shepherd (W.Va.), 17-13, in second round Curt Cignetti
20. Charleston (W.Va.) 10-2 193 15 Lost to Indiana (Pa.), 47-21, in first round Pat Kirkland
21t. Carson-Newman (Tenn.) 9-3 176 22 Lost to No. 17 Valdosta St. (Ga.), 61-59, in first round Ken Sparks
21t. Sioux Falls (S.D.) 9-3 176 16 Lost to No. 8 Henderson St. (Ark.), 23-16, in first round Jed Stugart
23. Texas A&M-Commerce 8-4 157 20 Lost to No. 2 Ferris St. (Mich.), 48-30, in first round Colby Carthel
24. Augustana (S.D.) 9-3 87 24 Lost to No. 11 Humboldt St. (Calif.), 45-31, in first round Jerry Olszewski
25. Catawba (N.C.) 9-3 85 25 Lost to No. 23 Tuskegee (Ala.), 26-16, in first round Curtis Walker
Dropped Out: Colorado Mesa (21)
Others Receiving Votes: Colorado Mesa, 66; Bowie St. (Md.), 22; Virginia Union, 12; Winston-Salem St. (N.C.), 11; Newberry (S.C.), 5; Arkansas Tech, 4; Colorado School of Mines, 4; Central Missouri, 3; Minnesota-Duluth, 3; Michigan Tech, 2; New Haven (Conn.), 1; North Greenville (S.C.), 1.