The Bloomsburg University football team made a big leap in this week’s American Football Coaches Association national Division II poll moving to number two in the country, up from fifth a week ago.
The Huskies, 5-0, are coming off a 32-20, come-from-behind win over PSAC East-rival East Stroudsburg this past Saturday. In the game tailback Franklyn Quiteh (Tobyhanna/Pocono Mountain West) scored two fourth quarter touchdowns to help the Huskies overcome an early 10-point deficit, while kicker Dan Fisher (Liverpool/Central Dauphin) connected on four field goals to set a new school record for career field goals. The sophomore now has 31 on the year.
For Bloomsburg the number two national ranking equals their best-ever positioning in the poll. Previously the Huskies had been number two on Nov. 8, 2005 and Dec. 12, 2000 (following the team’s loss in the NCAA Division II title game).
This coming Saturday the Huskies will be back at Redman Stadium taking on Cheyney with kickoff set for 3:30 p.m. at Redman Stadium. The game will be part of the school’s annual Homecoming celebration. Head coach Danny Hale will also be aiming for win number 200 in his career. He is looking to become the fifth active D2 coach to reach 200 career wins.
The shakeup in the poll came after three of the top four teams from last week went down to defeat. North Alabama moves up to the top spot this week after then-No. 1 Northwest Missouri State lost to new No. 8 Pittsburg State (Kan.), 38-35, in the Fall Classic at Arrowhead Stadium. This is the fourth time North Alabama has been ranked No. 1 in the Division II Coaches’ Top 25 Poll, with their last No. 1 ranking occurring on November 2, 2009. The Huskies at number two are followed by No. 3 Delta State (Miss.), No. 4 Nebraska-Kearney and No. 5 Washburn (Kan.). Nebraska-Kearney’s No. 4 ranking is their highest ever in the AFCA Coaches’ Poll.
Shepherd (W.Va.) had the biggest fall, dropping 11 spots to No. 14 after its 28-14 loss to Concord (W.Va.). Valdosta State (Ga.) also fell out of the Top 5, falling to No. 13 after losing to Arkansas-Monticello, 23-9. Pittsburg State (Kan.) made the biggest jump in the poll this week, moving up seven spots to No. 8 after its victory over then-No. 1 Northwest Missouri State. The Bearcats don’t have long to recover as they travel to No. 19 Central Missouri this week in the only Top 25 matchup of the AFCA Coaches’ Poll.
(Article Courtesy of BU Sports Information)
(Photo Courtesy of Anderson Mancini, via a Creative Commons license)
