VERMILLION, S.D. -- The South Dakota football team (9-1, 4-1 NCC), fresh off a 48-21 win over Minnesota-Duluth on Oct. 30, has moved up three spots to 7th in the American College Football Coaches Top-25 poll, according to the poll released on Tuesday (Nov. 2, 2004).

For the Coyotes, it is the highest ranking in the national poll since the 1987 team was ranked No. 1 in the country for five consecutive weeks to open the season.

The Coyotes also moved up to eighth in the Northwest Region rankings. The top six teams in each of four regions qualify for the playoffs. In the regional poll, Michigan Tech is ranked first followed by Northwood, Winona State, Nebraska-Omaha, St. Cloud State, North Dakota, Grand Valley State, South Dakota, Saginaw Valley State and Ferris State. Interestingly nine of the top 10 teams in the Northwest Region are ranked in the AFCA top-25.

It is the sixth straight week that the Coyotes have been ranked in the AFCA Top-25. Last week, USD was ranked 10th in the country. Pittsburg State, a 47-27 winner over Central Missouri State, moved to 10-0 and retained its No. 1 spot atop the poll.

AFCA Top 25 1. Pittsburg State (Kan.) 10-0 2. Northwest Missouri State 10-0 3. Albany State (Ga.) 9-0 4. Michigan Tech 9-0 5. Valdosta State (Ga.)8-1 6. Arkansas Tech 9-0 7. South Dakota 9-1 8. Colorado School of Mines 10-0 9. Texas A&M Kingsville 7-1 10. Winona State (Minn.) 9-1 11. Northwood (Mich.) 9-1 12. Shippensburg (Pa.) 9-1 13. East Stroudsburg (Pa.) 8-1 14. Carson-Newman (Tenn.) 7-2 15. Nebraska-Omaha 8-2 16. North Dakota 7-2 17. Grand Valley State (Mich.) 7-2 18. Tuskegee (Ala.) 7-1 19. Central Oklahoma 7-2 20. St. Cloud State (Minn.) 7-2 21. West Chester (Pa.) 8-2 22. Wingate (N.C.) 8-2 23. Bentley (Mass.) 8-1 24. Edinboro (Pa.) 7-2 25. Saginaw Valley State (Mich.) 6-3

On Saturday, 7th-ranked South Dakota travels to face 16th-ranked North Dakota (7-2) in North Central Conference football action at the Alerus Center in Grand Forks, N.D.