PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Despite securing a key league win on Saturday, Plymouth State University slipped one spot to No. 7 in the most recent Grinold Chapter New England Division III Football Coaches Poll released Tuesday.
The Panthers earned 52 points but were overtaken by Curry College, which moved into sixth with 53 points. Endicott continues to lead the rankings with eight first-place votes and 116 points. Trinity earned three first-place votes to rank second with 94 points, just ahead of the University of New England (92).
Framingham State, the Panthers' latest victim, dropped into the receiving votes section, while Anna Maria, responsible for PSU's lone blemish, moved into ninth. Entering last weekend, the three teams were tied atop the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) standings, though Plymouth State's win over Framingham State now makes it a two-team race.
The Panthers built a 21-0 lead over the Rams early in the third quarter, though Framingham State rallied to pull within a point, 21-20, with just over four minutes remaining. Graduate quarterback
Braden Lynn (Littleton, Mass.) scored on a 66-yard touchdown run to extend PSU's lead, but the Rams countered with a touchdown drive of their own with 33 seconds on the clock. Plymouth State's defense held on the potential game-tying two-point try, and freshman
Tyrese Ryder (Ossipee, N.H.) recovered the onside kick to secure the win.
The Panthers (7-1, 6-1 MASCAC) host Fitchburg State for a
Senior Day clash on Saturday (Nov. 8) at noon. Anna Maria, also 6-1 in league play, visits Bridgewater State.
The New England Division III Football Poll is presented by the Jack Grinold/Eastern Massachusetts Chapter of the National Football Foundation, which also serves as the title sponsor of the weekly Gold Helmet Awards presented by the New England Football Writers Association throughout the season.
A panel representing four New England Division III playing conferences serves as the voters in this year's poll. Rankings will be released each week through November 18th. For more information on the Grinold Chapter of the National Football Foundation, visit
www.grinoldchapter.com.
GRINOLD CHAPTER NEW ENGLAND DIVISION III FOOTBALL POLL – Week #7
| Rank |
School (FPV) |
Record |
Points |
Previous Rank |
| 1. |
Endicott (8) |
7-1 |
116 |
1 |
| 2. |
Trinity (3) |
7-1 |
94 |
2 |
| 3. |
Univ. of New England |
7-1 |
92 |
3 |
| 4. |
Springfield (1) |
6-2 |
86 |
T4 |
| 5. |
Coast Guard |
7-1 |
80 |
T4 |
| 6. |
Curry |
7-1 |
53 |
7 |
| 7. |
Plymouth State |
7-1 |
52 |
6 |
| 8. |
Wesleyan |
6-2 |
44 |
9 |
| 9. |
Anna Maria |
6-2 |
28 |
RV |
| 10. |
Williams |
5-3 |
10 |
8 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Receiving votes: Framingham State (3), Salve Regina (2) |
– 30 –
