The Ten Division II teams that are 8-0: how do they stack up?

It's October 25, 2026, and only three FBS teams are still unbeaten. But turn to Division II and we find TEN teams that are 8-0. Here is how we rank them overall, compared to the AFCA coaches:

  #  Team                 AFCA   rec   Overall      Strength     Success
  1. Slippery Rock         7     8-0   55.87 [  1]  39.93 [  2]  15.94 [  1]
  2. Ferris St             1     8-0   52.48 [  2]  40.10 [  1]  12.38 [  2]
  3. Minn St-Mankato       5     8-0   46.69 [  3]  35.92 [  4]  10.76 [  5]
  4. Harding               2     8-0   40.86 [  4]  29.03 [  7]  11.82 [  4]
  ...
  6. Colorado St-Pueblo    4     8-0   38.35 [  6]  29.14 [  6]   9.21 [  7]
  7. Kutztown              3     8-0   37.88 [  7]  29.31 [  5]   8.56 [  8]
  8. Emporia St            8     8-0   34.59 [  8]  24.69 [  9]   9.89 [  6]
  9. Northwood            10     8-0   30.11 [  9]  18.08 [ 24]  12.02 [  3]
 10. Western Colorado      6     8-0   29.31 [ 10]  22.47 [ 16]   6.83 [  9]
 ...
 15. Davenport             9     8-0   26.23 [ 15]  20.03 [ 19]   6.20 [ 11]
 

The coaches rank the ten teams all in the top ten, while we rank all of them in the top ten except Davenport at #15. Every other team is within 4 spots except for our #1 Slippery Rock, who is underrated at #7 by the coaches. 

Slippery Rock has played the toughest schedule of any of the undefeated teams so far; here is the Success ranking of all ten:

  #  Team                 AFCA   rec   Success
  1. Slippery Rock         7     8-0   15.94 [  1]
  2. Ferris St             1     8-0   12.38 [  2]
  3. Northwood            10     8-0   12.02 [  3]
  4. Harding               2     8-0   11.82 [  4]
  5. Minn St-Mankato       5     8-0   10.76 [  5]
  6. Emporia St            8     8-0    9.89 [  6]
  7. Colorado St-Pueblo    4     8-0    9.21 [  7]
  8. Kutztown              3     8-0    8.56 [  8]
  9. Western Colorado      6     8-0    6.83 [  9]
 11. Davenport             9     8-0    6.20 [ 11]

It's their strength of schedule that puts Slippery Rock ahead of Ferris State; The Rock is the only team to beat 7-1 East Stroudsburg, and they also have wins over 6-2 Minnesota-Duluth and 5-3 California PA and Indiana Pa. Ferris State beat 6-2 Central Wash, 6-2 Michigan Tech, and 5-3 Grand Valley State.

Ferris State's claim to being #1 is simply being the best team. They've performed the best on the field as shown by their #1 Strength ranking:

  #  Team                 AFCA   rec   Strength
  1. Ferris St             1     8-0   40.10 [  1]  
  2. Slippery Rock         7     8-0   39.93 [  2]  
  4. Minn St-Mankato       5     8-0   35.92 [  4]  
  5. Kutztown              3     8-0   29.31 [  5]  
  6. Colorado St-Pueblo    4     8-0   29.14 [  6]  
  7. Harding               2     8-0   29.03 [  7]  
  9. Emporia St            8     8-0   24.69 [  9]  
 16. Western Colorado      6     8-0   22.47 [ 16]  
 19. Davenport             9     8-0   20.03 [ 19]  
 24. Northwood            10     8-0   18.08 [ 24]  

All of the undefeated teams are among the actual ten best teams except Western Colorado, Davenport, and Northwood. Northwood's schedule isn't impressive enough for them to make the Overall top ten. 

Slippery Rock is a close #2 in Strength, and given their schedule they should be higher than #7 in the coaches poll. Let's see where the teams rank on offense and defense:

 raw adj Team                        rec   Offense[rnk]
  1   1. Slippery Rock               8-0   59.89 [  1]
  2   2. Harding                     8-0   48.33 [  2]
  5   5. Kutztown                    8-0   44.75 [  5]
 10   6. Ferris St                   8-0   44.54 [  6]
  3   8. Colorado St-Pueblo          8-0   44.06 [  8]
 18  11. Minn St-Mankato             8-0   43.50 [ 11]
  8  17. Western Colorado            8-0   40.27 [ 17]
 42  22. Emporia St                  8-0   37.34 [ 22]
 23  26. Northwood                   8-0   36.25 [ 26]
 20  32. Davenport                   8-0   34.52 [ 32]  

Slippery Rock rates as the best Offense in Division II football and it isn't even close. They are 11.5 points better than Harding, the #2 offense. They scored 45 points on the #4 Defense, Minnesota-Duluth, 59 points on #17 defense East Stroudsburg, and 41 on #18 California PA.

But The Rock are not exactly great on defense, ranking #38 in adjusted points allowed per game:

 raw adj Team                        rec   Offense[rnk]
  3   1. Ferris St                   8-0    4.44 [  1]
  2   2. Minn St-Mankato             8-0    7.58 [  2]
 38   8. Emporia St                  8-0   12.64 [  8]
  5  11. Davenport                   8-0   14.49 [ 11]
 17  13. Colorado St-Pueblo          8-0   14.92 [ 13]
  8  15. Kutztown                    8-0   15.44 [ 15]
 13  23. Western Colorado            8-0   17.79 [ 23]
 14  26. Northwood                   8-0   18.16 [ 26]
 21  35. Harding                     8-0   19.29 [ 35]
 41  38. Slippery Rock               8-0   19.96 [ 38]  

This is where Ferris State shines, easily ranking 1st in the Division. They've completed two shutouts and have only allowed double digit scores to the #9, #12, #14, and #28 offenses.

Emporia State also has a very underrated Defense based on the offenses they've faced, going from 38th in raw points allowed to #8 in adjusted points allowed. 

In terms of the Division II Playoff, a total of eight of these teams might make it undefeated going into the Playoff. Slippery Rock is in the PSAC as is Kutztown. The two will face each other in the PSAC conference title game, and if The Rock win the coaches will have to re-evaluate their rankings (if Kutztown wins our algorithm will adjust accordingly, too!)

Ferris State's next game is against 8-0 Davenport, the one team we rank outside the top 10. Ferris State will be a very big favorite, 23 points by our ratings playing at home.

So at most eight teams will be undefeated going into the Playoff.

If it all comes down to Ferris State vs. Slippery Rock, it will be the #1 Defense vs. the #1 Offense. Ferris State probably has the edge because when they have the ball it's their #6 Offense vs. the #38 Defense.