WACO,TX -- Thanks to then- No. 1 North Alabama’s upset loss to West Alabama, Central Washington takes over the top spot in the AFCA Division II Coaches’ Top 25 Poll. The Wildcats finished the regular season as Division II’s only undefeated team at 11-0 after a 20-6 win over Western Oregon. Northwest Missouri State, Grand Valley State (Mich.), Minnesota-Duluth and North Alabama round out the Top 5.

Twenty teams in the AFCA’s Top 25 Poll earned a spot in the Division II playoffs, with No. 1 Central Washington, No. 2 Northwest Missouri State, No. 3 Grand Valley State (Mich.), No. 4 Minnesota-Duluth, No. 5 North Alabama, No. 9 West Liberty (W.Va.), No. 10 Carson-Newman (Tenn.) and No. 17 Shippensburg (Pa.) all earning first round byes.

West Liberty's No. 9 national ranking marks the program's first top ten appearance as a Division II school.

#19 Charleston is the highest eligible ranked team in the AFCA poll to not receive an invite to the NCAA Division II football post-season.

# School (1st place votes) W-L Pts.

1. Central Washington (23) 11-0 621

2. Northwest Missouri State (1) 10-1 600

3. Grand Valley State, MI 10-1 565

4. Minnesota-Duluth 10-1 542

5. North Alabama (1) 10-1 513

6. Nebraska-Kearney 10-1 503

7. Midwestern State, TX 9-2 449

8. Minnesota State-Mankato 10-1 443

9. West Liberty, WV 10-1 405

10. Carson-Newman, TN 9-2 385

11. North Carolina-Pembroke 9-1 378

12. Tarleton State, TX 9-2 331

13. Texas A&M-Kingsville 9-2 300

14. Tuskegee, AL 8-2 298

15. Hillsdale, MI 9-2 277

16. Saginaw Valley State, MI 9-2 252

17. Shippensburg, PA 9-2 246

18. Abilene Christian, TX 8-3 179

19. Charleston, WV 9-2 147

20. Albany State, GA 8-2 145

21. Arkansas Tech 8-2 107

22. California, PA 8-3 90

23. Central Missouri State 8-3 88

24. Washburn, KS 8-3 75

25. Bloomsburg, PA 8-3 44

Others receiving votes: Missouri Western 34, Shaw (NC) 28, West Texas A&M 24, Fayetteville State (NC) 15, Colorado Mines 11, Nebraska-Omaha 10, Bentley (MA) 7, Edinboro (PA) 5, West Alabama 5, Wingate (NC) 2, Glenville State (WV) 1.