Ferris State is just different. Honestly, if you’ve been following the division ii football rankings at all this year, you knew the Bulldogs were the team to beat, but nobody expected this. They didn't just win; they steamrolled.
When the clock hit zero in McKinney, Texas, on December 20, the scoreboard read 42-21. Ferris State 42, Harding 21. That win didn't just give Tony Annese his fourth national title in five years—it made history. We are talking about the first team in the modern era of NCAA football, across Division I or II, to finish a season with a perfect 16-0 record.
Why Ferris State Owns the Division II Football Rankings
Rankings are usually about debate, right? Not this time. The Bulldogs were the unanimous No. 1 in the D2Football.com poll every single week. They were the wire-to-wire kings.
They finished the year with 844 total points. That’s an all-time NCAA record for scoring in a single season. Think about that for a second. It's not just that they have better athletes; it’s the way they use them. In the title game, they went for 363 rushing yards. Wyatt Bower, their quarterback, was basically a cheat code, accounting for five total touchdowns.
Harding wasn't some slouch, though. They entered that game 15-0 and sat at No. 2 in the division ii football rankings for the entire season. They have that triple-option attack that usually makes defenses look silly. But Ferris State just has a way of making "great" teams look "average."
🔗 Read more: NFL Week 5 2025 Point Spreads: What Most People Get Wrong
The Top 10 Reality Check
If you look at the final AFCA Coaches Poll and the D2Football.com rankings, there’s some interesting movement behind the big two.
- Ferris State (16-0): Obviously. 30 straight wins and counting.
- Harding (15-1): The only team that felt like they belonged on the same planet as the Bulldogs.
- UT Permian Basin (11-3): Talk about a glow-up. They jumped into the top three after a wild playoff run.
- Kutztown (14-1): They were the No. 1 seed in Super Region 1 and played like it until the semifinals.
- Newberry (12-2): A huge surprise for some, but Todd Knight (Coach of the Year) had them peaking at the right time.
- Pittsburg State (10-3): The Gorillas are a staple. They’re always in the mix, even if they couldn't get past the quarterfinals this time.
- Albany State (12-2): Dominated Super Region 2 for a long stretch.
- Minnesota State (10-4): Had a rocky start but finished strong enough to crack the top ten.
- West Florida (10-2): Marcus Stokes had this offense humming, but a couple of close losses kept them from the top tier.
- Central Washington (10-2): They beat UT Permian Basin in the regular season, proving just how thin the margins are in D2.
The Players Who Broke the Rankings
You can't talk about division ii football rankings without talking about the guys who actually put up the numbers.
The Harlon Hill Trophy—D2's version of the Heisman—went to Curtis Allen from Virginia Union. He was a human highlight reel. He's the type of back who makes a three-yard gain look like a miracle and a 50-yard touchdown look like he's just jogging.
Then there’s Tristan Exline at UTPB. He was named the Defensive Player of the Year. In a season where offenses were scoring 80 points a game (literally, look at Ferris State), having a linebacker who can actually stop the bleeding is rare.
💡 You might also like: Bethany Hamilton and the Shark: What Really Happened That Morning
What People Get Wrong About D2 Rankings
Most fans think the division ii football rankings are just a smaller version of the FBS. It’s not. It’s way more regional.
In the FBS, everyone plays everyone eventually, or at least there’s enough crossover. In D2, the "Super Region" system means you might have a dominant team in the South (like Valdosta State) that never sees a team from the Great Lakes (like Grand Valley State) until the national stage.
This creates "ranking bubbles." A team might look like a world-beater with a 10-0 record in a weaker conference, then they hit the playoffs and realize the speed is just... different. This year, Super Region 3 (Ferris State’s region) was clearly the toughest.
The Surprises and the Letdowns
Grand Valley State is usually a permanent fixture in the top five. This year? They finished 19th in some polls and 22nd in others. It was a weird "down" year for them (if you call 7-3 down).
📖 Related: Simona Halep and the Reality of Tennis Player Breast Reduction
Meanwhile, Findlay had their best season since 1997. They finished No. 19 in the final AFCA poll after going 10-2. It’s cool to see programs like that break through the glass ceiling that the "big blue bloods" of D2 usually keep closed.
Looking Ahead to 2026
Can anyone actually stop Ferris State?
They’re on a 30-game winning streak. They return a lot of their core. But the division ii football rankings are volatile. Harding isn't going anywhere. UTPB has found a formula that works.
If you're looking to follow D2 football more closely, here is what you need to do:
- Watch the Super Regions: Don't just look at the top 25. Look at who is winning the GLIAC, the GAC, and the PSAC. Those are the power brokers.
- Follow the D2Football.com Elite 100: These guys are the real experts. Their rankings often reflect "eye test" reality better than the coaches' poll, which can be a bit of a popularity contest.
- Track the Transfer Portal: D2 is becoming a huge landing spot for D1 talent looking for playing time. One or two key transfers can turn an unranked team into a top-10 contender overnight.
The 2025 season was a masterclass in dominance. As we head into the off-season, the conversation isn't about who is No. 1—it's about who is even capable of challenging the throne.