WACO, Texas – Minnesota State University football was ranked No. 13 in the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Division II Coaches’ Poll on Monday (Aug. 12). The Mavericks were the top nationally-ranked squad in the Northern Sun, edging out No. 14 Augustana, No. 17 Minnesota Duluth and No. 25 Bemidji State.
Harding (Ark.) will begin the 2024 season at No. 1 in the country, after the Bison went undefeated in 2023 en route to the program’s first Division II national championship.
The Mavericks were ranked as high as No. 3 in AFCA polls last season and closed out the season 9-3 overall, including 8-2 in NSIC play. Minnesota State seniors Marshall Foerner and Maven Kretche have been named to D2Football.com’s Elite 100 Watch List. Senior quarterback Hayden Ekern (Chicago, Ill.) returns for his fourth season as a starter after completing 202 passes for 2,654 yards and 23 touchdowns in 2023.
MSU was selected to finish third in the NSIC Preseason Coaches’ Poll behind Minnesota Duluth and Augustana. Head coach Todd Hoffner is in his 14th season at the helm and has led the Mavericks to nine NCAA playoff appearances, including last season. He owns a 131-33 overall record.
The 2024 football campaign begins at No. 22 Northwest Missouri State for the ‘Show Me State Showdown’ on August 29 at 6 p.m. in Maryville, Missouri.
2024 AFCA Division II Coaches’ Poll (Aug. 14, 2024)
| Rank/School (1st place votes) | 2023 Record | Pts. |
| 1. Harding (25) | 15-0 | 672 |
| 2. Central Missouri | 11-2 | 620 |
| 3. Ferris State (1) | 8-3 | 590 |
| 4. Grand Valley State (1) | 11-2 | 566 |
| 5. Colorado School of Mines | 14-1 | 564 |
| 6. Pittsburg State (Kan.) | 11-2 | 540 |
| 7. Valdosta State (Ga.) | 12-2 | 516 |
| 8. Central Washington | 9-4 | 418 |
| 9. Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) | 13-2 | 416 |
| 10. Kutztown (Pa.) | 12-3 | 413 |
| 11. Slippery Rock (Pa.) | 12-2 | 384 |
| 12. West Florida | 8-4 | 330 |
| 13. Minnesota State | 9-3 | 232 |
| 14. Augustana (S.D.) | 11-2 | 231 |
| 15. Western Colorado | 10-2 | 230 |
| 16. Indianapolis | 9-2 | 216 |
| 17. Minnesota Duluth | 9-2 | 214 |
| 18. Delta State (Miss.) | 10-2 | 212 |
| 19. Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) | 9-2 | 209 |
| 20. Virginia Union | 10-2 | 183 |
| 21. Texas Permian Basin | 10-2 | 169 |
| 22. Northwest Missouri State | 7-4 | 167 |
| 23. Charleston (W.Va.) | 10-2 | 167 |
| 24. Angelo State (Tex.) | 7-3 | 89 |
| 25. Bemidji State (Minn.) | 9-3 | 70 |
Others Receiving Votes: Benedict (S.C.), 64; Henderson St. (Ark.), 56; Virginia St., 54; Tiffin (Ohio), 34; Southern Arkansas, 24; Ashland (Ohio), 21; Davenport (Mich.), 21; Wingate (N.C.), 20; Emporia St. (Kan.), 18; Colorado St.-Pueblo, 17; Albany St. (Ga.), 15; Findlay (Ohio), 14; Texas A&M-Kingsville, 12; California (Pa.), 11; Oklahoma Baptist, 11; Shepherd (W.Va.), 8; New Haven (Conn.), 7; Fort Hays St. (Kan.), 6; Wayne St. (Neb.), 3; East Stroudsburg (Pa.), 2; Truman St. (Mo.), 2; Fort Valley St. (Ga.), 1; Indiana (Pa.), 1.
