Football | 10/2/2017 3:39:00 PM

WACO, TEXAS – The University of Sioux Falls Football Team (5-0), which ranks first in NCAA DII in rushing defense and defensive scoring, moved up to No. 6 in the American College Football Association (AFCA) NCAA Division II Coaches Top-25 Week 5 Poll, which was released Monday by the AFCA.

The Cougars, directed by first-year head football coach Jon Anderson, have been ranked in 41 straight polls by the AFCA. USF, which has won 17 straight league games, received 679 points, a jump of 16 points from the AFCA's week four poll.
 
USF, which will host Winona State (5-0) in the Cougar Days homecoming game at 6 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 7 at Bob Young Field, joins two other NSIC schools in the top 25. Minnesota State (5-0) moved to No. 5 in the poll while Winona State (5-0) advanced three spots to No. 22.   
 
The Cougars opened the 2017 season at No. 17 in the AFCA preseason poll before jumping to No. 9 after week one. After moving to No. 7 three weeks ago, USF is currently ranked No. 6, which represents its highest position since reaching No. 4 (Oct. 17, 2016) during the final five weeks of the 2016 season. The Cougars have been ranked in every AFCA poll since opening at No. 24 on Sept. 22, 2014.  A year ago, USF was ranked in the Top-10 for the final eight polls of the regular season. As a result, USF has been ranked in the AFCA Top-10 13 times.  

AFCA 2017 NCAA DII Coaches Poll – Week 5
1. Northwest Missouri State (34), 5-0, 850, 1
2. Texas A&M Commerce, 4-0, 783, 2
3. Shepherd (W. Va.), 4-0, 770, 3
4. Indiana (Pa.), 5-0, 740, 4
5. Minnesota State, 5-0, 711, 6
6. Sioux Falls, 5-0, 679, 7
7. Indianapolis, 5-0, 616, 10
8. Grand Valley State (Mich.), 4-1, 569, 9
9. Delta State (Miss.), 5-0, 541, 13
10. Midwestern State (Texas), 3-0, 540, 12
11. Fort Hays State (Kan.), 5-0, 487, 14
12. Slippery Rock (Pa.), 5-0, 421, 18
13. Central Washington, 5-0, 416
14. Colorado State – Pueblo, 4-1, 391, 17
15. Ferris State (Mich.), 3-1, 356, 15
16. California (Pa.), 4-1, 312, 5
17. Humboldt State (Calif.), 4-0, 303
18. Ashland (Ohio), 4-1, 257, 20
19. Bowie State (Md.), 5-0, 241, 21
20. Assumption (Mass.), 5-0, 237, 22
21. Colorado Mesa, 4-1, 211, 8
22. Winona State (Minn.), 5-0, 163, 25
23. Southeastern Oklahoma State, 5-0, 105, NR
24. Arkansas Tech, 4-1, 95, 11
25. West Georgia, 4-1, 54, NR

Dropped Out: Catawba (N.C.), 23, LIU-Post (N.Y.), 24
 
Others Receiving Votes: Shippensburg (Pa.), 42; West Alabama, 35; Wingate (N.C.), 34; Washburn (Kan.), 18; Ouachita Baptist (Ark.), 17; Catawba (N.C.), 13; Central Missouri, 12; Virginia St., 11; Eastern New Mexico, 7; Azusa Pacific (Calif.), 4; West Chester (Pa.), 4; Notre Dame (Ohio), 3; LIU-Post (N.Y.), 1; McKendree (Ill.), 1.