AFCA Release

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – Saint John's University stayed at No. 5 in the latest American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) poll released Monday, Oct. 4.  
 
Ten teams in NCAA Region 6 were again ranked in the AFCA's top 25, including six in the top 10: Mary Hardin-Baylor (No. 2), Wisconsin-Whitewater (No. 3), SJU (No. 5), Wisconsin-Oshkosh (No. 6), Linfield (t-No. 7), Hardin-Simmons (No. 9), Central (No. 11), Bethel (No. 17), Wisconsin-La Crosse (No. 20) and Whitworth (No. 21). Five others (Trinity of Texas, Cal Lutheran, Wisconsin-Stout, Gustavus Adolphus and Redlands) received votes. 
 
The Johnnies also stayed put at No. 6 in last night's (Oct. 3) D3Football.com poll. The defending NCAA Division III champions from 2019, North Central (Ill.) received 21 first-place votes and 1,138 points to jump Mary Hardin-Baylor (Texas) by one point for the poll's top spot.
 
SJU scored touchdowns on its first seven offensive possessions en route to a 49-0 shutout of Concordia Oct. 2 in Moorhead. The Johnnies rolled to 518 yards of offense, including 349 and a 42-0 lead in the first half, and held the Cobbers to nearly half of their average offensive output (215 yards, averaged 425.3 per game). 

SJU's defense held Concordia, which entered the contest ninth in NCAA Division III in passing offense (345.0 ypg.), to 163 yards through the air. The Johnnies totaled eight tackles for a loss and two interceptions.

The Johnnies (4-0, 2-0 MIAC) play host to Augsburg (2-2, 2-0 MIAC) for Homecoming this Saturday, Oct. 9. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. in Clemens Stadium.