Fresh off their thorough domination of Savannah State, the Albany State Golden Rams have finally seemed to get the attention, and a measure of respect from the voters in the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), as they were voted into the top 25.
Here is what ask head coach Gabe Giardina had to say about his now no. 25 ranked football :
“I think anything you get should be earned. I am extremely proud of our guys. They have shown up to work and have been dedicated to it each and every day. This team is not playing for a ranking, we are playing for each other and that’s why it is such a privilege to coach these men”
Albany State (7-1, 4-0) has torn through a majority of their opponents, outscoring them 163-39 , including three shutouts. With the resume of dominance the Rams have built this season, Coach Giardina doesn’t feel like his team has been slighted about finally being ranked saying this:
It (being previously unranked) may have been a blessing in disguise. The guys have been able to eliminate external distractions and remain focused on the next game. They’ve been mentally and physically focused on next week’s opponent and you can’t ask for much more than that as a coach.
Their destiny firmly in their hands, Albany State has two games remaining, this Saturday against Morehouse and the following week Foyt Valley in the Fountain City Classic.
Albany State is not the only HBCU in the top 25; the CIAA’s Bowie State is currently ranked no. 13.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week 8 | Next Game |
| 1 | Ferris St. (Mich.) (26) | 7-0 | 744 | 1 | D. Michigan Tech, 38-10 | Oct. 30 vs. Northern Michigan |
| 2 | Valdosta St. (Ga.) (4) | 7-0 | 724 | 2 | D. Mississippi College, 41-14 | Oct. 30 vs. No. 3 West Georgia |
| 3 | West Georgia | 7-1 | 659 | 4 | D. North Greenville (S.C.), 34-12 | Oct. 30 at No. 2 Valdosta St. (Ga.) |
| 4 | California (Pa.) | 7-0 | 649 | 5 | D. No. 23 Indiana (Pa.), 38-34 | Oct. 30 vs. Seton Hill (Pa.) |
| 5 | West Florida | 6-1 | 575 | 6 | D. Shorter (Ga.), 45-23 | Oct. 30 at Mississippi College |
| 6 | Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) | 7-1 | 567 | 7 | D. Southern Arkansas, 42-7 | Oct. 30 at East Central (Okla.) |
| 7 | Grand Valley St. (Mich.) | 6-1 | 531 | 8 | D. Northern Michigan, 28-24 | Oct. 30 vs. Michigan Tech |
| 8 | Northwest Missouri St. | 6-1 | 511 | 10 | D. Northeastern St. (Okla.), 59-7 | Oct. 30 vs. No. 17 Nebraska-Kearney |
| 9 | Notre Dame (Ohio) | 7-1 | 508 | 9 | D. Glenville St. (W.Va.), 34-14 | Oct. 30 vs. Fairmont St. (W.Va.) |
| 10 | Harding (Ark.) | 7-1 | 452 | 12 | D. Arkansas-Monticello, 64-7 | Oct. 30 at Northwestern Oklahoma |
| 11 | Bentley (Mass.) | 7-0 | 445 | 13 | Idle | Oct. 30 vs. Franklin Pierce (N.H.) |
| 12 | Shepherd (W.Va.) | 7-1 | 440 | 11 | D. West Chester (Pa.), 42-38 | Oct. 30 at Bloomsburg (Pa.) |
| 13 | Bowie St. (Md.) | 7-1 | 374 | 14 | D. Virginia Union, 27-7 | Oct. 30 at Lincoln (Pa.) |
| 14 | Colorado School of Mines | 7-1 | 323 | 3 | Lost to Colorado Mesa, 26-21 | Oct. 30 vs. Chadron St. (Neb.) |
| 15 | Slippery Rock (Pa.) | 7-1 | 321 | 17 | D. Mercyhurst (Pa.), 20-17 | Oct. 30 at Gannon (Pa.) |
| 16 | Wingate (N.C.) | 6-1 | 306 | 18 | D. Virginia-Wise, 48-21 | Oct. 30 vs. Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) |
| 17 | Nebraska-Kearney | 7-1 | 264 | 21 | D. Lincoln (Mo.), 56-0 | Oct. 30 at No. 8 Northwest Missouri St. |
| 18 | Henderson St. (Ark.) | 7-1 | 258 | 20 | D. Arkansas Tech, 41-38 OT | Oct. 30 vs. Southern Nazarene |
| 19 | Augustana (S.D.) | 7-1 | 251 | 22 | D. Minnesota St., 45-35 | Oct. 30 vs. Winona St. (Minn.) |
| 20 | Western Colorado | 7-1 | 167 | 24 | D. South Dakota Mines, 42-21 | Oct. 30 vs. No. 22 Colorado Mesa |
| 21 | Kutztown (Pa.) | 7-1 | 145 | 25 | D. Lock Haven (Pa.), 32-15 | Oct. 30 vs. Millersville (Pa.) |
| 22 | Colorado Mesa | 6-1 | 144 | NR | D. No. 3 Colorado School of Mines, 26-21 | Oct. 30 at No. 20 Western Colorado |
| 23 | Frostburg St. (Md.) | 7-1 | 91 | NR | D. Fairmont St. (W.Va.), 49-14 | Oct. 30 at Alderson Broaddus (W.Va.) |
| 24 | Midwestern St. (Texas) | 5-2 | 64 | 19 | Lost to Tarleton, 17-14 | Oct. 30 vs. Western New Mexico |
| 25 | Albany St. (Ga.) | 7-1 | 56 | NR | D. Savannah St. (Ga.), 30-0 | Oct. 30 at Morehouse |
