Despite a two-week stretch of outscoring opponents 141-7 and rolling up back-to-back 700-yard offensive performances, the Hutchinson Community College football team stayed at No. 12 for the third-straight week in the NJCAA poll, which was released on Tuesday.

Last week, Hutchinson rolled over Independence 75-0 and in the process amassed more than 700 yards of total offense for the third time this season and for the second-straight week. HCC’s defense had a season-high five quarterback sacks and posted the program’s 138th all-time shutout.

The latest ranking marks the 36th-consecutive poll and the 45th time in the last 47 polls that the Blue Dragons have appeared in, a streak that dates back to 2008.

The Blue Dragons opened the season ranked No. 10 in the preseason poll and dropped to No. 14 after a loss to then-No. 12 Navarro College in Corsicana, Texas. Two weeks later, HCC climbed to No. 11 after victories over Garden City and Dodge City, but dropped back to No. 13 during its bye week after the Sept. 22 block of games.

Iowa Western and Butler maintained Nos. 1 and 2 spots, respectively. But East Mississippi, the preseason No. 1 team, slipped past Arizona Western for third.

NEO and Navarro jumped into the Top 10, while formerly unbeaten Kilgore College was defeated and dropped from No. 5 to No. 13.

The Blue Dragons (6-1, 5-0), once again in a tie for first place in the Jayhawk Conference with Butler, will travel to Fort Scott for a 1 p.m. kickoff at Frary Field.

(HCC Sports Information)

NJCAA FOOTBALL POLL              Record     Pts   Last Week
1. Iowa Western CC (4)                       7-0       203.0       1
2. Butler CC (1)                                  7-0       184.5       2
3. East Mississippi CC (4)                   7-0       180         4
4. Arizona Western College                 5-0       179         3
5. Northwest Mississippi CC                6-0       172.5      6
6. Nassau CC                                     7-0       165         7
7. ASA College                                   7-0       149.5      8
8. Navarro College                               6-1       120         11
9. Northeastern Oklahoma A&M           6-1       118.5      15
10. Snow College                                6-1       117        10
11. Mississippi Gulf Coast CC              6-1       116         9
12. Hutchinson CC                             6-1       93.5       12
13. Kilgore College                              6-1       90.5       5
14. Copiah-Lincoln CC                         6-1       85.5       13
15. Central Lakes College-Brainerd       7-1       58.5       17
16. Louisburg College                          5-1       56          14
17. Rochester CTC                              7-1       43          18
18. Jones County Junior College           5-2       25          19
19. College of DuPage                         5-2       16.5        20
20. Dean College                                 5-2       13.5       RV