Lions Second in Super Region II Rankings

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind.-- The Mars Hill football team is ranked second in the first NCAA Super Region II rankings, which were released Monday.

The Lions own a 5-3 overall record, with a 4-1 South Atlantic Conference mark that place them in a tie for first in the league. Mars Hill is coming off a 34-21 loss to conference foe Lenoir-Rhyne this past Saturday. The regional rankings are voted on by the NCAA Division II Football Committee. The polls serve as the official rankings used in the Division II Football Championship selection process.

The top six teams in each region make the NCAA Division II Football Championship playoffs. The top two teams in each region earn first-round byes. MHC earned a playoff bid last season, dropping a 58-32 contest to North Greenville.

Four other SAC schools earned spots in the rankings- Carson-Newman (fifth), Lenoir-Rhyne (seventh), Wingate (eighth) and Newberry (ninth). Mars Hill trails only Miles in the rankings.

Complete NCAA Division II Football Regional Rankings

The Lions lead the SAC with 458 yards per game offensively. Running back Shaikel Davis leads the conference with 123.4 yards rushing per game. Jon Richt is tied for the conference lead with 22 touchdown passes, while Dimitri Holmes is tied for the conference lead with eight TD receptions. Defensively, the Lions lead the conference in sacks with 20. Khalid Smith's five sacks are best in the league.

Mars Hill will host SAC foe Tusculum this Saturday at 1:00 p.m. in Meares Stadium.