VALDOSTA, Ga. – Following the thrilling, 31-28, come-from-behind victory at then-No. 8/18 West Florida on Saturday, the Valdosta State football team learned Monday afternoon it is third in the second announced NCAA Super Region rankings, released by the national office.  VSU also moved up four spots to 20^th in the newest American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Top 25 and five spots to 19^th in the D2Football.com Top 25.
 
The first region rankings, which were announced last Monday were in alphabetical order for teams "under consideration," this week the rankings are in numerical order as the would be if the selections were being announced today.  Headlining the poll this week is Benedict who is 9-0 overall and 9-0 in Division II games as the only undefeated team in the region.  Delta State is second, followed by VSU and West Florida sits fourth.  Lenoir-Rhyne, who is 8-1 in Division II games, is fifth, followed by Mars Hill, Fayetteville State, West Georgia, Fort Valley State and Virginia Union rounds out the top ten.  
 
There will be one more public ranking next Monday prior to the NCAA Division II Football Championship Selection Show, scheduled for the evening of Nov. 12.  This year's bracket will feature the top seven teams announced on Nov. 12.  The top team in the region will get a "bye" for the first round, while Nos. 2-4 seeds will host Nos. 5-7, on Nov. 18 for the first round.  The second round is scheduled for Nov. 25, while the third round is set for Dec. 2 and the national semifinals are Dec. 9.  
 
If the rankings were to stay the same as they are today, VSU would earn a home game on Nov. 18, as the No. 3-seed, and potentially play No. 6-seed Mars Hill at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium as the 3/6 matchup.
 
Once again, the NCAA Division II National Championship will return to McKinney, Texas, and the championship game is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 16.  The Blazers won the national championship in 2018 with a thrilling 49-47 victory over Ferris State finishing a school-best 14-0 that season.  VSU returned to the title game in 2021, losing to Ferris State. 
 
VSU is 29-14 (.674) all-time in the NCAA postseason and is looking for its 19^th trip to the postseason in 2023.  The Blazers have played in six national championship games in program history, with titles in 2004, 2007, 2012 and 2018.  The 29 victories in the postseason are good for fifth all-time in NCAA Division II and third-most among current NCAA Division II institutions.  Northwest Missouri State leads the way with 53, followed by Grand Valley State with 37.  
 
VSU moved to 20^th this week following the big win on Saturday in the AFCA Top 25.  Colorado School of Mines leads the poll with 720 points and 26 of 29 first place votes, while Pittsburg State (Kan.) is second, followed by Grand Valley State, Harding and Slippery Rock moves this week from sixth to fifth.  Benedict (S.C), the highest ranked team in Super Region Two, moves from fifth to sixth this week, while Ferris State (Mich.) checked in at seventh, followed by Indianapolis, Davenport (Mich.) and Minnesota State rounded out the top ten.  

Delta State, who was idle last week, moved to 14^th, while Lenoir-Rhyne, who had been seventh, fell to 16^th after a 34-30 loss to Wingate.  Virginia Union is 19^th this week from 23^rd, one spot in front of the Blazers, while Virginia State moved into the poll at 22^nd and Mars Hill made its first appearance in the poll since Dec. 19, 2011, for teams from Super Region Two.  West Florida fell out of the poll to the first team among others receiving votes. 
 
In the D2Football.com Top 25, VSU moved to 19^th from 24^th following the win at West Florida.  Colorado School of Mines leads the poll, followed by Grand Valley State, Pittsburg State, Ferris State and Harding round out the top five.  Slippery Rock sits sixth, followed by Benedict, Central Missouri, Bemidji State and Minnesota State is tenth.  Delta State is 12^th in the poll, while Lenoir-Rhyne is 15^th, VSU 19^th, Virginia Union is 20^th, while West Florida is 21^stand Mars Hill is 25^th among teams in the GSC and the Super Region Two schools.
 
VSU (8-1, 5-1 GSC) head to West Alabama (4-4, 3-3 GSC) for a 2 p.m. ET kick on Saturday, Nov. 4 in Livingston, Ala.  The Blazers then close out the regular season on Saturday, Nov. 11 at 7 p.m. at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium versus West Georgia for the final Peach Basket Game prior to UWG's move to NCAA Division I in the fall of 2024.