For the second week in a row, DII football has a new No. 1

This wacky DII football season got, well, wackier. Another Anchor-Bone Classic is in the books and the final score sees a changing of the guard atop the DII football Power 10 rankings. No. 5 Ferris State toppled No. 1 Grand Valley State 34-7 in a week where four Power 10 teams lost. 

There were some major upsets and impactful games inside the Power 10 that helped shake up this week's rankings. 

• Emory & Henry 17, Carson-Newman 10
• Augustana (SD) 34, Minnesota State 16
• Ferris State 34, Grand Valley State 7
• Western Colorado 38, Colorado School of Mines 28

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Before we get to the new-look Power 10 — one in which every team is in a new spot — remember, these are my rankings. There is no committee or voting body coming up with these teams, just my spreadsheets, notes from coaches and a lot of deep diving into rosters and stats. I try to blend selection committee metrics — like strength of schedule, in-region record and PI — along with what I am seeing for an overall look at the landscape of DII football’s top teams. I try to explain why I make my choices in the article below. 

The DII football Power 10: Week 8

The top three spots this week were more difficult than they have ever been, and I will explain why. In my projected bracket in the DII Report, I have Ouachita Baptist as the current No. 1 seed in Super Region Three. So, that would obviously mean that they have to be above Pittsburg State in the Power 10, right? Not necessarily. The bracket projection that I do is based solely on selection committee metrics, whereas the Power 10 is based on those same metrics, yes, but also what I have been watching every week of the season. Confusing? We'll get into that a bit more in just a minute. Then you throw poor Valdosta State who was on a bye in a week where if the Blazers had won, they could have potentially been No. 1. However, the Blazers actually fall a spot because of all the lunacy that occurred Saturday.

Now, on to the details.

No. 1 Pittsburg State | Previous: 3: So, why are the Gorillas No. 1? I simply feel that the MIAA competition is slightly better than the GAC, so while Pittsburg State may be beating some teams that are 3-4 and may not look tough on paper, those teams are still pretty darn tough. The Gorillas' defense was able to slow down Central Oklahoma's offense which I still think is one of the best in DII, and I have been all about this defense since the preseason in these rankings. But the Gorillas aren't out of the water yet and are by no means locked into No. 1 with Central Missouri and Northwest Missouri State remaining on their schedule. 

No. 2 Ouachita Baptist | Previous: 9. Now we get to Ouachita Baptist who took down No. 1 Harding last week and just kept rolling this week, stomping a 4-3 Arkansas Tech for the Tigers' fourth win over a plus-.500 team this season. The Tigers trail only Harding and Kutztown in scoring defense and score 36.50 points per game. Their resume still has a chance to improve with the Battle of the Ravine against Henderson State remaining. The Tigers are well on their way to a first-round bye, but not locked in just yet.

No. 3 Valdosta State | Previous: 2: The Blazers were idle, and quite honestly could have dropped to as low as five. However, I won't ding the Blazers too much for not playing. For Valdosta State to stay here, the Blazers need to win out with both West Florida and Delta State remaining. 

No. 4 Ferris State | Previous: 5: The Bulldogs are the perfect example of why I have the Power 10. I have taken a lot of slack for having Ferris State this high all season, but watching this team rebound from an opening-day loss to now-No. 1 Pittsburg State simply told you this team can do it all. The Bulldogs metrics — like SoS, KPI, and plus-.500 wins — are all on the rise, and with Saginaw Valley State and Davenport remaining, any slip-up by Ouachita, Pitt State, or Grand Valley State, the Bulldogs can play themselves into a top three seed in Super Region Three.

The Anchor-Bone Classic has been a defensive battle. is up 6-0, but has a chance for more after this very pretty interception. We're at the two minute warning in the first half.

— Wayne Cavadi (@WayneCavadi_D2)

No. 5 Grand Valley State | Previous: 1: Yes, the Lakers lost to their rival Ferris State. But the larger loss was both their starting quarterback and their backup quarterback by early in the third quarter. Ferris State was able to capitalize early and go up 13-0 at the half before both were injured, but having healthy quarterbacks would have drastically changed the outcome of the game. I'm not saying the Lakers would have won, but it could have been a lot closer, so don't let the lopsided score fool you. This team is still among the best in DII.

No. 6 Kutztown | Previous: 7: This defense continues to annihilate PSAC opponents, this week recording five turnovers (including a pick six), five sacks, and posting their third shutout of the season. Kutztown's defense has it the favorite to come out of Super Region One yet again, however, the inconsistent offense (while still very good) will need to come together to avoid another lopsided loss in the national semifinals.

No. 7 Harding | Previous: 10 (tied). The Bisons had the advantageous opportunity to rebound from their first loss in nearly two seasons by playing a nationally-ranked Southern Arkansas and proving they still belong in the conversation. They did just that, pummeling the then-No. 25 Muleriders 49-17. The running backs did their thing, and the special teams even joined in the scoring fun. Now, here's the tricky part: Harding has no room for error these final three weeks and may need some help from the teams above just to stay in the bracket. Right now, I have the Bisons at No. 7, so any loss could push them from the postseason.

Well, are entering the hardest stretch of their schedule... and making it look easy. This one has been ALL Mountaineers, now up 31-7 in this battle.

— Wayne Cavadi (@WayneCavadi_D2)

No. 8 Western Colorado | Previous: First five out: Well, I said all along that the Mountaineers needed to show what they had against the premier teams of the RMAC. They did just that with an impressive 38-28 victory over Colorado School of Mines. With both Colorado Mesa and CSU Pueblo remaining — and Minnesota State picking up its second loss Saturday — I don't see how the Mountaineers don't grab the No. 1 spot in Super Region Four if they win out. 

No. 9 Charleston (WV) | Previous: 10 (tied). The Golden Eagles won another blowout against another team with a winning record, keeping them locked in at the No. 2 spot in Super Region One in my projected bracket. Chavon Wright had another monster game, rushing for 240 yards and four touchdowns — his third-straight game with at least four touchdowns and seventh-straight game with at least three. Charleston's next two opponents have a combined two victories; however, it closes the season against a tough West Virginia State team, so the Golden Eagles aren't out of the woods just yet. 

🚨 NCAA RECORD WATCH 🚨

After last night's 240-yard, 4 TD game by Chavon Wright, he has 28 rushing TDs on the season. The single-season record is 37 set by Xavier Omon in 2007.

Wright is averaging 3.5 TDs/game with 3 games left. 👀

— Wayne Cavadi (@WayneCavadi_D2)

No. 10 Central Oklahoma | Previous: 4: I am keeping the Bronchos in the top 10 for now, but it's close. Emporia State is hot on their trail, but the two close the season against each other in what is mounting up to be a game in which the winner goes to the postseason and the loser goes home. That's how tight the Super Region Three race is. This offense still managed to put up 21 points against that tough Pitt State defense and really had a chance all the way up to Cleo Chandler Jr.'s touchdown for the Gorillas with two minutes remaining. This offense should take care of Missouri Western and Washburn, but the defense will need to tighten up if it wants to go far.

First five out (in alphabetical order)

• Augustana (SD): The Vikings make a big jump but after dominating Minnesota State it is well deserved. The Nov. 9 matchup against Sioux Falls looms large for bracket positioning. 
• Central Washington: Kennedy McGill and Tyler Flanagan scored multiple touchdowns and Tanner Volk had three interceptions. The Wildcats need to beat Angelo State next week but looks like the LSC is theirs for the taking. 
• CSU Pueblo: The Thunderwolves are coming off a bye and have Western Colorado and Colorado School of Mines in back-to-back weeks. CSU Pueblo will either jump up in the rankings or slide out of the playoff picture depending on what it does.
• Emporia State: The Hornets have a win against Pittsburg State, so we know they can hang with anyone. They have three tough games against Fort Hays State, Central Missouri and Central Oklahoma remaining. 
• Slippery Rock: The Rock were idle but have no room for error to stay in the hunt for a seed in Super Region One. 

DII football 5 stars: Stats that stood out

Take a look at some of the biggest box score stuffers of the weekend.