NJCAA Division 1 Football Week 8 Rankings

CHARLOTTE, NC – For the first time this season, the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference has two football teams ranked in the top five of the NJCAA Division Football rankings with five teams ranked or receiving votes in the latest poll released on Monday, October 14th.  

Topping the poll for the fifth straight week, top-ranked Hutchinson is ranked for the 41st consecutive poll following a 48-7 road win at Independence to extend their KJCCC winning streak to 19 consecutive games dating back to the 2021 season. Extending their streak of being ranked in the top three to 36 consecutive polls, HCC received all 12 first-place votes and has been ranked number one in 35 of the past 61 polls.

Moving into the top five for the first time this season, Garden City moves up one spot to number five following their final bye week of the year after seeing Mississippi Gulf Coast drop four spots after falling for the first time this season which allowed last week's number four, five, and six-ranked teams all move up one spot. The Broncbusters still lead the KJCCC a 3-0 mark in conference play heading into a Saturday evening clash at Butler. After taking down previously ranked Highland 16-10 on the road, the Grizzlies move up two spots to number 11 to earn their highest ranking of the season with a 3-2 overall record as BCC will face ranked opponents in each of the next four weeks and top five foes in each of the next three weeks. Going on the road to earn a 31-20 win at Iowa Central, Coffeyville also moves up in the rankings to climb two spots to number 12 as the Red Ravens improved to 4-2 overall ahead of their homecoming matchup this Saturday when CCC hosts top-ranked Hutchinson. Receiving votes for a second-straight week is Dodge City as the Conquistadors defeated Ellsworth 39-15 to move to 4-3 overall ahead of a bye week.  

After spending the last two weeks as the only conference to have six teams ranked or receiving votes with no other conference having more than five teams ranked or receiving votes, the KJCCC is joined this week by the Mississippi Association Of Community College Colleges Conference as both conference has five teams ranked or receiving votes this week. Also in the rankings are four teams from the Southwest Junior College Football Conference, Iowa Western as the lone ranked team from the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference, and two of the seven independent teams not affiliated with a conference with both ranked in the top five (Georgia Military, Snow College).

Three Saturday games and a rare Sunday contest are on this week's schedule as two of the three games on Saturday will be conference action with top-ranked Hutchinson at Coffeyville and Butler playing host to Garden City. The non-conference tilt on Saturday will see Independence head to number two-ranked Iowa Western while Highland will play at Benedictine College JV on Sunday afternoon to close out the week's action.