WACO, Texas --- The Tusculum Pioneers ended the 2008
gridiron campaign ranked 16th in the nation in the final American
Football Coaches Association Division II Poll announced officials
Tuesday.
The Pioneers posted a 9-4 record, winning four of their final five
games to capture the program's second South Atlantic Conference
championship in the last five years. Tusculum also earned a berth
to the NCAA II Playoffs for the first time in school history where
the Pioneers advanced to the final 16.
Minnesota-Duluth capped an undefeated 15-0 season with Saturday's
21-14 win over Northwest Missouri State to capture the national
championship. UMD ends the season as the top-ranked team in the
country receiving all 26 first place votes. Northwest Missouri
State was second, followed by North Alabama, Grand Valley State,
Abilene Christian, California (Pa.), Delta State, Pittsburg State,
Chadron State and West Texas A&M to comprise this year's top
10.
Bloomsburg was 11th, followed by Valdosta State, Central
Washington, Tuskegee, Ashland, Tusculum, West Chester,
Carson-Newman, Wayne State (Neb.), Edinboro, Indiana (Pa.),
Nebraska-Omaha, Minnesota-Mankato, Seton Hill and American
International to round out the poll.
Tusculum opened the NCAA Playoffs with a thrilling 34-22
come-from-behind win over Albany State at Pioneer Field. The
Pioneers' postseason run came to an end in the Super Region
semifinals in a 27-19 loss at top-seeded Delta State.
This marks the highest end of the season ranking for the Pioneers
and third time since 2001 that Tusculum has ended the year
nationally-ranked. TC finished the 2001 season with an 8-2
worksheet and a No. 21 ranking. Two years later, Tusculum went 9-2
and ended the year 19th in the country in 2003.
Tusculum established 48 school records this year and tied a school
single-season record for wins in a season (9).
- TC -
2008 AFCA Division II Top 25 Poll
Rk. School (1st Place Votes) Rec. Pts. Prv.
1 Minnesota-Duluth (26) 15-0 650 6
2 Northwest Missouri State 13-2 623 3
3 North Alabama 12-2 567 5
4 Grand Valley State 11-1 558 1
5 Abilene Christian 11-1 545 2
6 California (Pa.) 12-2 505 7
7 Delta State 10-2 496 4
8 Pittsburg State 11-2 437 10
9 Chadron State 11-2 417 12
10 West Texas A&M 11-2 403 9
11 Bloomsburg 11-2 394 14
12 Valdosta State 9-3 368 13
13 Central Washington 10-2 313 8
14 Tuskegee 10-1 284 11
15 Ashland 9-4 263 17
16 TUSCULUM 9-4 244 23
17 West Chester 9-4 230 20
18 Carson-Newman 7-4 153 21
19 Wayne State (Neb.) 9-3 143 22
20 Edinboro 9-2 136 16
21 Indiana (Pa.) 8-2 131 15
22 Nebraska-Omaha 7-4 109 24
23 Minnesota St.-Mankato 9-3 100 25
24 Seton Hill 10-3 97 NR
25 American International 9-2 73 19
Others Receiving Votes: Fayetteville State 64,
UNC Pembroke 27, Southern Connecticut State 22, East Stroudsburg
17, Wayne State (Mich.) 17, Wingate 17, Albany
State 16, Tarleton State 13, Newberry 11, Michigan
Tech 2, Ouachita Baptist 2, Colorado School of Mines 1, Mars
Hill 1, Western Washington 1.
Tusculum Opponents in Italics