WACO, Texas – The Shepherd University football team is ranked sixth in the 2022 American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Division II Preseason Poll for August 15. Shepherd is coming off a 13-2 overall mark after advancing to the national semifinals in 2021.
Shepherd opens the 2022 campaign on September 1 when the Rams travel to Southern Connecticut State for a 5:30 p.m. game.
2022 American Football Coaches Association Preseason Division II Coaches' Poll – August 15, 2022
|
Rank
|
School (1st votes)
|
2021 Rec.
|
Pts.
|
2021 Rank
|
Season Opener
|
Head Coach
|
|
1
|
Ferris St. (Mich.) (30)
|
14-0
|
750
|
1
|
Sept. 1 vs. Central Washington
|
Tony Annese
|
|
2
|
Northwest Missouri St.
|
11-2
|
661
|
4
|
Sept. 1 vs. Fort Hays St. (Kan.)
|
Rich Wright
|
|
3
|
Valdosta St. (Ga.)
|
12-2
|
656
|
2
|
Sept. 1 vs. Keiser (Fla.)
|
Tremaine Jackson
|
|
4
|
Colorado School of Mines
|
12-2
|
654
|
3
|
Sept. 1 at No. 5 Grand Valley St. (Mich.)
|
Brandon Moore
|
|
5
|
Grand Valley St. (Mich.)
|
10-2
|
596
|
7
|
Sept. 1 vs. No. 4 Colorado School of Mines
|
Matt Mitchell
|
|
6
|
Shepherd (W.Va.)
|
13-2
|
550
|
5
|
Sept. 1 at Southern Connecticut St.
|
Ernie McCook
|
|
7
|
Angelo St. (Tex.)
|
11-3
|
494
|
11
|
Sept. 1 vs. Chadron St. (Neb.)
|
Jeff Girsch
|
|
8
|
Bowie St. (Md.)
|
12-2
|
479
|
6
|
Sept. 3 vs. No. 20 New Haven (Conn.)
|
Kyle Jackson
|
|
9
|
Harding (Ark.)
|
11-2
|
467
|
10
|
Sept. 1 at East Central (Okla.)
|
Paul Simmons
|
|
10
|
Notre Dame (Ohio)
|
11-2
|
465
|
9
|
Sept. 1 at Ashland (Ohio)
|
Garrett Mack
|
|
11
|
West Florida
|
9-2
|
452
|
12
|
Sept. 3 vs. Warner (Fla.)
|
Pete Shinnick
|
|
12
|
West Georgia
|
9-3
|
373
|
13
|
Sept. 1 vs. Carson-Newman (Tenn.)
|
David Dean
|
|
13
|
Kutztown (Pa.)
|
11-2
|
359
|
8
|
Sept. 3 at Assumption (Mass.)
|
Jim Clements
|
|
14
|
Nebraska-Kearney
|
10-3
|
318
|
15
|
Sept. 1 at Missouri Southern
|
Josh Lynn
|
|
15
|
Newberry (S.C.)
|
10-3
|
250
|
17
|
Sept. 3 vs. Allen (S.C.)
|
Todd Knight
|
|
16
|
New Haven (Conn.)
|
10-2
|
243
|
14
|
Sept. 3 at No. 11 Bowie St. (Md.)
|
Chris Pincince
|
|
17
|
Western Colorado
|
10-2
|
226
|
16
|
Sept. 3 at West Texas A&M
|
Jas Bains
|
|
18
|
Albany St. (Ga.)
|
10-2
|
160
|
18
|
Sept. 3 vs. Mississippi College
|
Gabe Giardina
|
|
19t.
|
Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.)
|
8-3
|
154
|
NR
|
Sept. 3 vs. Virginia St.
|
Mike Jacobs
|
|
19t.
|
Ouachita Baptist (Ark.)
|
9-2
|
154
|
23
|
Sept. 1 at Oklahoma Baptist
|
Todd Knight
|
|
21
|
California (Pa.)
|
9-1
|
143
|
21
|
Sept. 1 vs. Fairmont St. (W.Va.)
|
Gary Dunn
|
|
22
|
Bemidji St. (Minn.)
|
10-3
|
137
|
19
|
Sept. 1 vs. Minnesota St.
|
Brent Bolte
|
|
23
|
Slippery Rock (Pa.)
|
9-3
|
131
|
20
|
Sept. 3 vs. Wayne St. (Mich.)
|
Shawn Lutz
|
|
24
|
Midwestern St. (Tex.)
|
7-3
|
112
|
NR
|
Sept. 3 vs. Colorado St.-Pueblo
|
Bill Maskill
|
|
25
|
Augustana (S.D.)
|
9-3
|
99
|
NR
|
Sept. 1 at Concordia-St. Paul (Minn.)
|
Jerry Olszewski
|
