WACO, Texas – The Shepherd University football team is ranked 13th in the 2023 American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Division II Preseason Poll for August 14. The Rams are coming off a 13-2 overall record after advancing to the national semifinals in 2022. 

Shepherd opens the 2023 campaign on September 2 when Southern Connecticut State comes to Shepherdstown for the season opener. Kickoff is slated for noon. 

2023 American Football Coaches Association Preseason Division II Coaches' Poll – August 14,  

Rank School (1st votes) 2022 Rec. Pts. 2022 Rank* Season Opener Head Coach 

1. Ferris St. (Mich.) (29) 14-1 725 1 Aug. 31 vs. Mercyhurst (Pa.) Tony Annese 

2. Colorado School of Mines 13-3 642 2 Aug. 31 vs. No. 3 Grand Valley St. (Mich.) Pete Sterbick 

3. Grand Valley St. (Mich.) 12-1 641 3 Aug. 31 at No. 2 Colorado School of Mines Scott Wooster 

4. Pittsburg St. (Kan.) 12-1 633 5 Aug. 31 vs. Washburn (Kan.) Brian Wright 

5. Angelo St. (Tex.) 12-1 590 7 Aug. 31 at West Alabama Jeff Girsch 

6. Northwest Missouri St. 10-3 560 8 Aug. 31 at Missouri Southern Rich Wright 

7. West Florida 12-2 482 4 Sept. 1 vs. Kentucky Wesleyan Kaleb Nobles 

8. Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) 11-1 455 10 Aug. 31 at Southwestern Oklahoma St. Todd Knight 

9. Minnesota St. 10-3 450 14 Aug. 31 at Sioux Falls (S.D.) Todd Hoffner 

10. Delta St. (Miss.) 11-2 438 9 Aug. 31 at Missouri S&T Todd Cooley 

11. Bemidji St. (Minn.) 10-3 420 24 Aug. 31 vs. Northern St. (S.D.) Brent Bolte 

12. Ashland (Ohio) 10-2 387 13 Aug. 31 at No. 16 Indiana (Pa.) Doug Geiser 

13. Shepherd (W.Va.) 13-2 359 6 Sept. 2 vs. Southern Connecticut St. Ernie McCook 

14. Harding (Ark.) 9-2 305 22 Aug. 31 at Southern Nazarene (Okla.) Paul Simmons 

15. Slippery Rock (Pa.) 10-3 304 16 Sept. 2 vs. Wayne St. (Mich.) Shawn Lutz 

16. Indiana (Pa.) 10-2 300 11 Aug. 31 vs. No. 12 Ashland (Ohio) Paul Tortorella 

17. Benedict (S.C.) (1) 11-1 232 12 Sept. 2 vs. Shaw (N.C.) Chennis Berry 

18. Virginia Union 9-2 200 18 Sept. 3 vs. Morehouse (Ga.) Alvin Parker 

19. Emporia St. (Kan.) 9-3 187 NR Aug. 31 vs. Lincoln (Mo.) Garin Higgins 

20. Indianapolis (Ind.) 9-2 149 17 Sept. 2 vs. Hillsdale (Mich.) Chris Keevers 

21. Wingate (N.C.) 11-3 147 15 Aug. 31 vs. Albany St. (Ga.) Joe Reich 

22. West Georgia 8-2 146 19 Aug. 31 vs. Limestone (S.C.) David Dean 

23. Assumption (Mass.) 8-3 132 NR Sept. 2 vs. Kutztown (Pa.) Andy McKenzie 

24. Newberry (S.C.) 9-2 131 21 Sept. 2 at Shippensburg (Pa.) Todd Knight 

25. Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) 8-3 129 NR Sept. 2 vs. St. Augustine's (N.C.) Mike Jacobs