NCAA Regional Rankings

INDIANAPOLIS – The Slippery Rock University football team was ranked second in the first set of official NCAA Super Region One rankings announced Monday by the NCAA Division II Football Committee.
 
The regional rankings are the only official ranking used by the NCAA and will be used to determine which seven teams from each of the four super regions will qualify for the 28-team NCAA Division II playoffs. The top seven teams in each region following week 11 of the season will earn a bid to the playoffs. The regional rankings are released Monday afternoons following weeks eight, nine and 10 of the season before the final selections are unveiled Sunday evening, Nov. 17.
 
Super Region One consists of all teams in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference, the Northeast-10 Conference, the Mountain East Conference and the Great-Midwest Athletic Conference.
 
The three remaining undefeated teams from the region occupy the top three spots in the first set of rankings, with Kutztown earning the No. 1 spot thanks to a better strength of schedule and on the strength of its wins over Shepherd and California (Pa.). Slippery Rock was ranked second, followed by Notre Dame (Ohio). One-loss Indiana (Pa.) was ranked fourth, followed by West Virginia State, West Chester and Urbana rounding out the top seven. Shepherd is the first team outside the bubble at No. 8, followed by Tiffin and Ohio Dominican capping the top 10.
 
The committee uses a series of criteria to determine the rankings, including a weighted strength of schedule that looks at opponent winning percentages and the winning percentages of each team's opponents' opponents and combines them together. Other criteria include Division II record, in-region record and results against teams above and below .500.
 
There is likely to be significant shakeup in the regional poll over the final three weeks of the season with multiple ranked teams scheduled to play each other. West Chester and Kutztown will play this Saturday, while Notre Dame and West Virginia State will still meet this season. Slippery Rock is in the driver's seat to win the PSAC West and can clinch the division with one more win, which would send The Rock to another regionally ranked opponent in week 11.   
 
Victories for SRU in each of the next three weeks would likely set The Rock up as the No. 1 seed in the region, which comes with a first round bye and hosting privileges for the second round.
 
Slippery Rock is off to an 8-0 start for the third time in program history and the first time since 1939. Through eight weeks of the season, Slippery Rock ranks first in in the nation in passing efficiency (193.0) and fourth down conversions (87.5 percent), second in scoring offense (49.0 points per game) and completion percentage (72.8 percent), fourth in passing offense (326.5 yards per game) and fumbles lost (2), sixth in third down conversions (52.4 percent), seventh in turnovers lost (7), ninth in turnover margin (+1.25 per game) and tackles for loss (9.1 per game), 10th in rushing defense (76.9 yards per game), 11th in total offense (497.3 yards per game) and first downs (194), 12th in red zone offense (92.5 percent) and 14th in sacks (3.25 per game).
 
The Rock will look to lock up the PSAC West and improve to 9-0 when Cal U visits Saturday for a 1 p.m. kickoff.
 
 
NCAA Super Region One Rankings – Oct. 28 2019
(Record against DII opponents in parenthesis)
1. Kutztown (8-0)
2. SLIPPERY ROCK (8-0)
3. Notre Dame (Ohio) (8-0)
4. Indiana (Pa.) (7-1)
5. West Virginia State (6-1)
6. West Chester (7-1)
7. Urbana (6-2)
8. Shepherd (6-2)
9. Tiffin (7-1)
10. Ohio Dominican (5-2)
 

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