Red Devils Receive Votes in AFCA Top 25 Poll
WACO, Texas – Unbeaten through seven games for just the second time in program history, Eureka has received three votes in the American Football Coaches Association Division III Top 25 Coaches' Poll released on Monday. The announcement marks the second time the Red Devils have appeared on at least one ballot after receiving two votes in the final 2017 AFCA poll.
Monday's announcement marks Eureka's first in-season appearance on at least one national top 25 ballot since Nov. 14, 1994. The Red Devils appeared in the NAIA Division II Top 25 poll 18 times between Sept. 16, 1991 and Nov. 14, 1994. Eureka reached as high as #3 nationally on Nov. 11, 1991, just two days after winning at Greenville to finish its first-ever undefeated regular season at 10-0.
The Red Devils, one of 25 teams outside the Top 25 to appear on at least one voter's ballot, are less than 48 hours removed from a convincing 50-20 Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference victory over Benedictine at McKinzie Field. The decision improved Eureka to 7-0 overall for the first time since 1991 and 4-0 in the NACC to share first place in the league standings with Concordia (Wis.). The Red Devils and Falcons will collide this Saturday with sole possession of first place and the inside track to the league's automatic NCAA playoffs bid on the line at 1 p.m. at Tomasini Stadium in Mequon, Wis.
The AFCA began publishing a Division III Top 25 Coaches' poll in 1999. The poll follows the same basic format as the USA Today Coaches' Poll. The Division III Board of Coaches has 42 voters representing all Division III conferences.