Top Cats

ACU is the new No. 1-ranked team in NCAA Division II, according to the American Football Coaches Association weekly poll released today. The move was made possible Saturday by ACU's 38-14 drubbing of No. 23-ranked Angelo State and Hillsdale College's 27-24 upset of the previous No. 1-ranked team, Grand Valley State. The Lakers, who have won four of the past seven national championships, dropped to the No. 8 spot after losing their first Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference game in five years.

Moving from No. 3 to No. 2 this week is longtime Gulf South Conference powerhouse University of North Alabama, coached this season for the first time by former Auburn University head coach Terry Bowden.

This Saturday, for the first time since moving to NCAA Division II, ACU will try on the college football version of the Tour de France's yellow jersey and take it for a spin in front of a big Homecoming crowd against familiar foe West Texas A&M. The last time the Buffs were in Shotwell Stadium, they ended up on the wrong end of a record-smashing 93-68 win for ACU in the second round of the national playoffs. WT (2-5) opened the 2009 season playing a daunting schedule, but won last week in a rival game against Eastern New Mexico.

Here are the AFCA rankings for this week. ACU has yet to play fellow Lone Star Conference foes Texas A&M-Kingsville, Tarleton State and Midwestern State – all still nationally ranked. Teams appearing this week in the top 10 of ACU's tough region (Super Regional 4) are in boldface:

1. Abilene Christian (Last week's ranking: 2) 7-0
2. North Alabama (3) 7-0
3. Central Washington (4) 7-0
4. Bloomsburg (5) 7-0
5. Northwest Missouri (6) 6-1
6. Minnesota State (7) 7-0
7. Texas A&M-Kingsville (9) 7-0
8. Grand Valley (1) 6-1
9. Minnesota Duluth (8) 6-1
10. Albany State (10) 6-0
11. Charleston (WV) (11) 7-0
12. Edinboro (13) 6-1
13. Tarleton State (15) 6-1
14. Central Missouri (16) 6-1
15. Missouri Western (16) 6-1
16. Nebraska-Kearney (21) 6-1
17. North Carolina-Pembroke (25) 6-1
18. Findlay (NR) 6-1
19. Tuskegee (24) 5-2
20. Washburn (12) 5-2
21. West Liberty (NR) 6-1
22. Midwestern State (18) 5-2
23. Northern Michigan (NR) 5-1
24. Wayne State (NE) (14) 5-2
25. Carson-Newman (NR) 5-2