For the third consecutive week, the Butler football team remained ranked fourth in the NJCAA Top 20 National poll, whcih was released Tuesday.
Butler received the same amount of votes (119) as they did in the last two polls. With the #4 ranking, the Grizzlies (4-0 overall, 3-0 KJCCC) have now been ranked in the NJCAA top 10 in 145 consecutive polls.
The Grizzlies are coming off a 79-0 thrashing of Independence, which featured the second-most points scored in the first half and the second-largest winning margin in school history. Butler put up 53 first-half points – the most since the Grizzlies scored 58 in the first half at Hutchinson back in 2005. The 79-point victory is Butler's second-largest win, with the school record at 89 points against Highland back on Sept. 10, 2011.
There was hardly any change in this week's poll, as the top seven was unchanged. Mississippi Gulf Coast, ranked No. 1, received seven first-place votes and 139 points. Navarro (TX) received the other two first-place votes. Defending national champion Iowa Western (4-0) is ranked No. 3, followed by Butler, East Mississippi, Copiah-Lincoln (MS) and Georgia Military. New additions to the top 10 were Itawamba (MS) and Tyler (TX).
Other KJCCC schools in the poll this week are Garden City (2-1) and Dodge City (3-1), while Hutchinson bowed out of the poll after being ranked 11th. Dodge City knocked off Hutchinson in a 40-34 overtime thriller and the win propelled the Conquistadors into the poll at No. 17. Garden City, who had a bye last week, moved up five spots from 18th to 13th.
Butler hosts Highland (2-2 overall, 1-1 KJCCC) this Saturday for a 6 p.m. contest at BG Products Veterans Sports Complex.
| NJCAA Football Top 20 National Poll | September 17, 2013 | |||||
| Rank | College | Record | Points | 1st place votes |
Previous Rank |
| 1. | Mississippi Gulf Coast | 3-0 | 139 | 7 | 1 |
| 2. | Navarro, Texas | 3-0 | 132 | 2 | 2 |
| 3. | Iowa Western | 4-0 | 128 | 0 | 3 |
| 4. | Butler | 4-0 | 119 | 0 | 4 |
| 5. | East Mississippi | 3-0 | 112 | 0 | 5 |
| 6. | Copiah-Lincoln, Miss. | 3-0 | 105 | 0 | 6 |
| 7. | Georgia Miltary | 4-0 | 90 | 0 | 7 |
| 8. | Nassau, N.Y. | 3-0 | 89 | 0 | 9 |
| 9. | Itawamba, Miss. | 3-0 | 82 | 0 | 12 |
| 10. | Tyler, Texas | 3-0 | 78 | 0 | 13 |
| 11. | Hinds, Miss. | 2-1 | 68 | 0 | 8 |
| 12. | Arizona Western | 3-1 | 56 | 0 | 15 |
| 13. | Garden City | 2-1 | 46 | 0 | 18 |
| 14. | Jones County, Miss. | 3-0 | 41 | 0 | 19 |
| 15. | Central Lakes-Brainerd, Minn. | 3-0 | 39 | 0 | 16 |
| 16. | Scottsdale, Ariz. | 3-1 | 35 | 0 | 20 |
| 17. | Dodge City | 3-1 | 23 | 0 | RV |
| 18. | ASA, N.Y. | 0-1 | 22 | 0 | 10 |
| 19. | Mesa, Ariz. | 3-1 | 14 | 0 | 14 |
| 20. | Louisburg, N.C. | 3-0 | 12 | 0 | NR |
Other schools receiving votes: Hutchinson (2-2); New Mexico Military Institute (3-1); Dean, Mass. (3-0); Northeastern Oklahoma A&M (1-2).
