Lenoir-Rhyne No. 8 and Wingate No. 21 in AFCA Division II Preseason Coaches' Poll
WACO, TEXAS – The Lenoir-Rhyne Bears and the Wingate Bulldogs are both ranked in the 2019 American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Division II Preseason Coaches' Poll, which was released on Monday (Aug. 26). The Bears are ranked No. 8 in the poll, while the Bulldogs are No. 21.
Lenoir-Rhyne, the preseason favorite in the South Atlantic Conference, took home their eight SAC Football Championship in program history in 2018, finishing the season with a record of 12-2 overall and 7-0 in conference. In addition to winning the SAC title, the Bears advanced to the third round of the NCAA Division II playoffs last season. Led by SAC and AFCA Coach of the Year, Drew Cronic, the Bears finished the season ranked No. 8 in the nation in the final AFCA Division II Coaches Poll and are a preseason No. 3 pick according to the 2019 College Football America Yearbook.
The Bears had one of the most potent offenses in all of Division II, as they ranked ninth in the nation in scoring (41.0 points per game) and tenth in the nation in rushing offense (268.1 yards per game). Quarterback Grayson Willingham returns to lead the offense after his record-breaking season in which he completed 26 touchdown passes, shattering the previous record of 18. Lenoir-Rhyne ranked fifth in the nation in first downs (316) and third in passing yards per completion (17.36).
The defensive side of the ball is equally as impressive, with the Bears finishing 2018 ranked second in DII in fumbles recovered (17) and interceptions (21). The 38 total takeaways also ranked second and the 46 total sacks placed the Bears fifth. The Lenoir-Rhyne defense didn't allow a single player to rush for 100 yards. Starting defenders Jaquan Artis and Sherrod Williams are among the top defensive returners. The duo combined for 19 sacks, seven forced fumbles and three interceptions in 2018.
Wingate, the preseason No. 2 pick in the SAC, is coming off its second straight NCAA DII playoff appearance in 2018, finishing the season with a record of 9-4 overall and 5-2 in conference. Wingate closed out the 2018 season with a No. 24 ranking in the AFCA Division II Coaches Poll.
The Bulldogs got it done on both sides of the ball in 2018, with the offense ranking second in the league in points per game (32.5) while the defense was second in the league in points allowed per game (20.1) and total yards allowed per game (311.5). Reigning SAC Offensive Freshman of the Year, Nijere Peoples will look to lead the Bulldog offensive in the backfield, while All-SAC and All-Region cornerback Davion Washington will lead the defense. Wingate will open the 2019 season as the No. 15 team in the nation according to the College Football America Yearbook.
2019 American Football Coaches Association Preseason Division II Coaches' Poll – August 26, 2019
|
Rank |
School (1st votes) |
2018 Rec. |
Pts. |
2018 Rank |
Season Opener |
Head Coach |
|
1 |
Valdosta St. (Ga.) (29) |
14-0 |
792 |
1 |
Sept. 7 at Albany St. (Ga.) |
Gary Goff |
|
2 |
Ferris St. (Mich.) (3) |
15-1 |
768 |
2 |
Sept. 5 vs. Findlay (Ohio) |
Tony Annese |
|
3 |
Minnesota St. |
13-1 |
686 |
3 |
Sept. 7 at Southwest Minnesota St. |
Todd Hoffner |
|
4 |
Notre Dame (Ohio) |
13-1 |
623 |
4 |
Sept. 7 vs. Concord (W.Va.) |
Mike Jacobs |
|
5 |
Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) |
12-1 |
585 |
6 |
Sept. 5 vs. No. 18 Harding (Ark.) |
Todd Knight |
|
6 |
Northwest Missouri St. |
10-3 |
580 |
10 |
Sept. 5 at Missouri Western St. |
Rich Wright |
|
7 |
Tarleton St. (Texas) |
12-1 |
549 |
5 |
Sept. 7 at Stephen F. Austin (Texas) |
Todd Whitten |
|
8 |
Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) |
12-2 |
524 |
8 |
Sept. 7 vs. St. Augustine's (N.C.) |
Drew Cronic |
|
9 |
Colorado St.-Pueblo |
11-2 |
463 |
7 |
Sept. 7 at Dixie St. (Utah) |
John Wristen |
|
10 |
Slippery Rock (Pa.) |
11-3 |
446 |
12 |
Sept. 5 at Wayne St. (Mich.) |
Shawn Lutz |
|
11 |
Fort Hays St. (Kan.) |
9-3 |
419 |
22 |
Sept. 5 at Central Missouri |
Chris Brown |
|
12 |
Grand Valley St. (Mich.) |
10-2 |
418 |
14 |
Sept. 7 vs. Edinboro (Pa.) |
Matt Mitchell |
|
13 |
Texas A&M-Commerce |
10-3 |
385 |
9 |
Sept. 7 vs. Seleccion Nuevo Leon (Mexico) |
David Bailiff |
|
14 |
Minnesota-Duluth |
11-1 |
342 |
13 |
Sept. 5 vs. Minot St. (N.D.) |
Curt Wiese |
|
15 |
West Georgia |
10-2 |
330 |
16 |
Sept. 7 at Catawba (N.C.) |
David Dean |
|
16 |
Indianapolis (Ind.) |
10-2 |
319 |
11 |
Sept. 5 at No. 23 Ashland (Ohio) |
Chris Keevers |
|
17 |
Colorado School of Mines |
10-2 |
288 |
18 |
Sept. 7 at Adams St. (Colo.) |
Gregg Brandon |
|
18 |
Harding (Ark.) |
9-3 |
223 |
20 |
Sept. 5 at No. 5 Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) |
Paul Simmons |
|
19 |
Hillsdale (Mich.) |
10-3 |
220 |
15 |
Sept. 7 vs. Michigan Tech |
Keith Otterbein |
|
20 |
Midwestern St. (Texas) |
8-2 |
214 |
25 |
Sept. 7 at Northwestern St. (La.) |
Bill Maskill |
|
21 |
Wingate (N.C.) |
9-4 |
175 |
24 |
Sept. 5 at Johnson C. Smith (N.C.) |
Joe Reich |
|
22 |
West Chester (Pa.) |
10-1 |
134 |
17 |
Sept. 7 vs. Bentley (Mass.) |
Bill Zwaan |
|
23 |
Ashland (Ohio) |
6-4 |
129 |
NR |
Sept. 5 vs. No. 16 Indianapolis (Ind.) |
Lee Owens |
|
24 |
West Alabama |
8-4 |
116 |
NR |
Sept. 7 vs. Limestone (S.C.) |
Brett Gilliland |
|
25 |
Fairmont St. (W.Va.) |
9-2 |
78 |
NR |
Sept. 5 at Charleston (W.Va.) |
Jason Woodman |
Others Receiving Votes: Azusa Pacific (Calif.), 71; Indiana (Pa.), 68; Bowie St. (Md.), 66; New Haven (Conn.), 65; Pittsburg St. (Kan.), 65; West Florida, 42; Sioux Falls (S.D.), 25; Virginia Union, 21; California (Pa.), 19; Fayetteville St. (N.C.), 19; Central Missouri, 15; Albany St. (Ga.), 14; Southern Arkansas, 14; Augustana (S.D.), 12; Emporia St. (Kan.), 11; Florida Tech, 10; Central Oklahoma, 9; Chadron St. (Neb.), 8; Central Washington, 7; Ohio Dominican, 7; Winona St. (Minn.), 6; Assumption (Mass.), 5; Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.), 5; Angelo St. (Texas), 2; Kutztown (Pa.), 2; Shepherd (W.Va.), 2; Colorado Mesa, 1; Findlay (Ohio), 1; Lindenwood (Mo.), 1; Missouri S&T, 1.
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