There was another shake-up this week in the NJCAA national football poll and the movement affected the Hutchinson Community College football team despite not playing last weekend.
Off to a 3-1 start, the Blue Dragons slipped two places to No. 13 this week. It’s been a roller-coaster ride for HCC in the poll this season.
HCC started the season ranked ninth in the preseason poll, slipped to 14th after a Sept. 1 loss at Navarro College. After a victory at Garden City. After a decisive victory over Dodge City on Sept. 15, HCC went up to No. 11 and dropped to No. 13 coming off its bye week.
The latest ranking marks the 33rd-consecutive poll and the 42nd time in the last 44 polls that the Blue Dragons have appeared in, which dates back to 2008.
Before the Sept. 18 poll, the NJCAA introduced something new to the poll that caused dramatic shifts. The NJCAA interjected a computer poll into the polling system that counts for 33 percent of the poll. The other 67 percent derived from the usual human vote.
More shifts occurred this week, more because of what happened on the field.
Iowa Western is the third different No. 1 team in as many weeks. Arizona Western jumped from No. 5 to No. 2 and Butler remained at No. 3. Former No. 1 Mississippi Gulf Coast lost and dropped all the way to ninth.
(HCC Sports Information)
NJCAA FOOTBALL POLL Record Pts Last Week
1. Iowa Western CC (3) 4-0 196.5 2
2. Arizona Western College 3-0 181.5 5
3. Butler CC (3) 5-0 180.5 3
4. Northwest Mississippi CC 3-0 166 6
5. East Mississippi CC (3) 4-0 162.5 4
6. Kilgore College 4-0 153 10
7. Nassau CC 4-0 147 7
8. Louisburg College 4-0 137 15
9. Northeastern Oklahoma A&M 4-0 115.5 15
10. Mississippi Gulf Coast CC 3-1 114 1
11. ASA College 4-0 88 20
12. Snow College 3-1 87.5 13
13. Hutchinson CC 3-1 82 11
14. Navarro College 3-1 68 8
15. Scottsdale CC 3-1 58 9
16. College of DuPage 4-1 47 RV
17. Ridgewater College 5-0 45.5 NR
18. Jones County Junior College 3-1 32 NR
19. Minnesota West CTC 4-1 24.5 18
20. Itawamba CC 3-1 17 12
Others receiving votes: Georgia Military College (3-1); Copiah-Lincoln CC (3-1); Central Lakes College-Brainerd (4-1); Lackawanna College (3-1); Iowa Central CC (3-1); Hinds CC (2-2); Dean College (3-1).
