Lions Ranked Third in Region
Mars Hill also receiving Top 25 votes in AFCA poll
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind.-- The Mars Hill football team is ranked third in the third NCAA Super Region II rankings, which were released Monday.
The Lions were ranked fourth in last week's poll. Mars Hill owns a 6-3 overall record and is tied for first in the South Atlantic Conference with a 5-1 league mark. MHC was inactive last week and most recently defeated Tusculum 23-20 in overtime on Oct. 27. 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 earn bids to the NCAA Division II Championship playoffs. The top two teams in each region earn first-round bye's and host the regional semifinal contests on Nov. 24. The three-through-six seeds play opening round action at the higher-seed on Nov. 17.
Valdosta State and Miles hold the number one and two rankings in the region. Valdosta State climbed into first after a 38-31 victory over Texas A&M-Kingsville. Miles dropped to Tuskegee, 27-17, to fall to second in the rankings. Previously third-ranked West Alabama dropped to seventh after losing to Abilene Christian.
Rounding out the top six are Carson-Newman, Fort Valley State and Lenoir-Rhyne. All three schools were victorious last week.
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Mars Hill received eight votes in this week American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Division II poll. The voting unofficially ranks the Lions 32nd in the nation. Valdosta State (18th), Miles (23rd) and Carson-Newman (24th) are the ranked teams in Super Region II.
The Lions next contest will be this Saturday, Nov. 10 at 24th-ranked Carson-Newman. A Mars Hill victory coupled with a Lenoir-Rhyne loss would give the Lions the outright SAC title. An MHC victory would ensure no worse than a split of the conference crown. Kickoff in Jefferson City, Tenn. is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.