Ashland University's football team is right back where it started the 2025 season – in the case of the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Division II Coaches Poll, that is.
 
As released on Monday (Oct. 6) afternoon, the latest AFCA poll has the Eagles in a tie for 24^th place – the slotting they were in for the preseason poll. This time, Ashland is tied with both Johnson C. Smith and Slippery Rock.
 
Through the first five weeks of the season, the Eagles are 4-1 overall and 3-0 in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference – tied with No. 19 Findlay for the top spot in the league.
 
Ashland will play its 101^st Homecoming game on Saturday (Oct. 11) at 1 p.m. at Jack Miller Stadium/Martinelli Field vs. Thomas More (0-5, 0-3).
 
The Eagles as a team are in the top 10 in NCAA Division II in all of the following categories – third-down conversion percentage defense (19.4, first), blocked kicks (five, tied for first), first downs allowed on defense (60, second), team sacks (22, tied for second), total defense (210.2 ypg., third), blocked punts (two, tied for third-most), rushing defense (56.4 ypg., fourth), time of possession per game (34:30, fourth), fourth-down conversion percentage (83.3, tied for seventh), fourth-down conversion percentage defense (16.7, tied for seventh), scoring defense (12.8 ppg., eighth) and team passing efficiency defense (99.3, eighth).
 
Individually, senior defensive end Michael Shimek continues to pace the country (tied for first) in sacks with 7½.
 
2025 ASHLAND UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL AFCA COACHES POLL RANKINGS: No. T-24 (preseason), No. 23 (Sept. 2), No. 20 (Sept. 8), No. T-24 (Oct. 6).