WACO – Following a thrilling 8-7 win at North Alabama on Friday night, the Texas A&M University-Commerce football team has vaulted to No. 3 in the American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches' Poll, as announced Monday.
 
The Lions came back from an early touchdown deficit at UNA to score the final eight points and pull out a win. A&M-Commerce was ranked No. 5 entering that game, with North Alabama ranked No. 6. UNA falls to 11th.
 
The Lions are the highest ranked team in the newly configured Super Region Four, which consists of the Lone Star, Rocky Mountain Athletic, and Great Northwest Athletic conferences. The region has four teams in the top 10 of the nation. A&M-Commerce is joined by Colorado State-Pueblo at No. 7, Azusa Pacific at No. 8, and Sioux Falls at No. 9.
 
A&M-Commerce has been ranked in 28 straight AFCA polls, dating back to the 2015 preseason poll. This is A&M-Commerce's 34th all-time appearance in the AFCA poll since its inception in 2000.
 
The Lions host William Jewell (0-1) for the home opener on CommUniverCity Day this Saturday, September 9, with kickoff set for 6 p.m. Tickets are available at WeAreLionsTix.com, calling (903) 468-8756, or visiting the Lion Sales & Service Box Office in the Field House.

2017 American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches' Poll – September 4, 2017

Rk	School (1st votes)	Rec.	Pts.	Prev.
1.	Northwest Missouri St. (34)	1-0	850	1
2.	Ferris St. (Mich.)	0-0	799	3
3.	A&M-COMMERCE	1-0	776	5
4.	Shepherd (W.Va.)	1-0	726	7
5.	California (Pa.)	1-0	675	8
6.	Indiana (Pa.)	1-0	649	9
7.	Colorado St.-Pueblo	1-0	644	12
8.	Azusa Pacific (Calif.)	1-0	541	13
9.	Sioux Falls (S.D.)	1-0	502	17
10.	LIU-Post (N.Y.)	1-0	486	14
11.	North Alabama	0-1	468	6
12.	Minnesota St.	1-0	412	20
13.	Central Missouri	1-0	401	21
14.	Grand Valley St. (Mich.)	0-1	338	2
15.	Emporia St. (Kan.)	0-1	310	4
16.	Midwestern St. (Texas)	1-0	298	24
17.	Colorado Mesa	1-0	293	23
18.	Indianapolis (Ind.)	1-0	246	NR
19.	Winston-Salem St. (N.C.)	1-0	201	NR
20.	Albany St. (Ga.)	1-0	197	NR
21.	Minnesota-Duluth	0-1	139	10
22.	Tuskegee (Ala.)	1-0	138	NR
23.	Henderson St. (Ark.)	1-0	126	NR
24.	West Chester (Pa.)	1-0	101	NR
25.	West Georgia	1-0	79	NR

 
Dropped Out: Harding (Ark.) (15), Colorado School of Mines (16), Southwest Baptist (Mo.) (18), North Carolina-Pembroke (19), Southern Arkansas (22), Valdosta St. (Ga.) (23), Bemidji St. (Minn.) (25)
 
Others Receiving Votes: Valdosta St. (Ga.), 76; Florida Tech, 68; Arkansas Tech, 66; Colorado School of Mines, 60; Harding (Ark.), 53; Central Washington, 43; North Greenville (S.C.), 43; Ashland (Ohio), 32; Delta St. (Miss.), 28; Southern Arkansas, 22; Humboldt St. (Calif.), 20; Carson-Newman (Tenn.), 19; North Carolina-Pembroke, 16; Fort Hays St. (Kan.), 14; Slippery Rock (Pa.), 14; Bemidji  St. (Minn.), 13; Bowie St. (Md.), 13; Minnesota St.-Moorhead, 11; Assumption (Mass.), 8; Gannon (Pa.), 8; Eastern New Mexico, 7; Southwest Baptist (Mo.), 5; Virginia St., 5; Findlay (Ohio), 2; Notre Dame (Ohio), 2; Winona St. (Minn.), 2; Angelo St. (Texas), 1; East Central (Okla.), 1; Mars Hill (N.C.), 1; Ohio Dominican, 1; Washburn (Kan.), 1.