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Ferris State Football Ranked As Nation's #1 Team In Three Online Computer Polls

Ferris State Football Ranked As Nation's #1 Team In Three Online Computer Polls

Big Rapids, Mich. - The Ferris State University football team, which has won a NCAA Division II nation-leading 11-straight games dating back to last season, is currently ranked number one in the country in three different online computer polls released following a big road win this past weekend.

The Bulldogs, who are ranked among the nation's top 10 overall in six different polls covering Division II football, are first in the CompughterRatings.com, Atomic Football and Beyond Sports Network Power Rankings. All three rankings are scientific computer polls that take into consideration such things as offensive and defensive production, strength of schedule and more.

In addition, FSU climbed to second in the Massey Ratings along with sixth in the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) listing, which is regarded as Division II's primary ranking poll, following Saturday's (Oct. 18) impressive 34-19 win at Ohio Dominican in a national showdown while snapping ODU's 21-game regular-season winning streak. The D2football.com poll now lists the Bulldogs fifth in the nation this week.

This week's number six ranking by the AFCA is FSU's best in the history of the poll, which dates back to 2000. The number one ranking this week in the three online scientific rankings is the Bulldogs' best in any type of ranking since being tabbed first in the country for two weeks back in 1996, which happens to be the most recent time in which FSU has advanced to the NCAA Division II playoffs.

Presently, the Bulldogs are tied for the fourth-longest active win streak among all schools at any level of NCAA competition, trailing only FCS member North Dakota State, Division III power Wisconsin-Whitewater and reigning FBS National Champion Florida State. The streak is tied with Colorado Mines for Division II's longest active stretch and the Bulldogs are only a single win away 
from matching the school-record of 12-straight wins set back in 1995.

This year's 7-0 start for Ferris State represents the program's best season-opening victory total in 19 years since winning its first 12 games en route to the NCAA Division II National Semifinals in 1995, which is the highest finish in Bulldog history.

Presently, Ferris State leads the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) North Division standings with a 6-0 conference record. 

This week, for the second-straight week, FSU will square off with another nationally-ranked and unbeaten opponent as the Bulldogs venture to Michigan's Upper Peninsuala to battle Michigan Tech on Saturday (Oct. 25) afternoon. The "Showdown at Sherman Field" kicks off at 1 p.m. (ET). 

MTU owns a 6-0 overall and league mark and is coming off a 35-14 home win over Grand Valley State on Saturday. The Huskies vaulted seven spots to #13 in the AFCA coaches poll after the win over the Lakers. A year ago, Ferris State posted its first win at Sherman Field in 15 years as the Bulldogs recorded a thrilling 30-27 victory.

This week's road test against the Huskies wrapus up a two-week stretch of long road trips against nationally-ranked opponents. The Bulldogs will then return home for back-to-back league home tilts versus Lake Erie (Nov. 1) and Northern Michigan (Nov. 8) before closing the regular-season at Walsh (Nov. 15).

A total of four teams from the GLIAC can currently be found in this week's AFCA poll as FSU and MTU are joined by Ohio Dominican (#16) and Ashland (#24). The CompughterRatings.com poll has the GLIAC holding down the nation's top three spots in top-ranked Ferris State, number two Ohio Dominican and Michigan Tech, which is listed third overall.

Saturday game at Michigan Tech can be heard live on Sunny 97.3 FM and the Bulldog Sports Network online at FerrisStateBulldogs.com. Rob Bentley and Sandy Gholston will call the play-by-play action with the Meijer Pregame Show starting a half-hour prior to kickoff at 12:30 p.m. 

FERRIS STATE FOOTBALL
In The Rankings:

(Week of Oct. 20, 2014)
1st - CompughterRatings.com
1st - Atomic Football
1st - Beyond Sports Network D2 Power Rankings
2nd - Massey Ratings
5th - D2football.com
6th - AFCA Coaches Poll