We're now in Week 2 of college football and approaching the ever-so-anticipated conference matchups. However, there's just something special about those first two weeks of non-conference play.
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During Week 1, we saw major action: No. 2 Harding put up 76 unanswered points; West Alabama rallied past No. 21 Lenoir-Rhyne 34-23, despite trailing in Q4; Grand Valley State dominated West Texas A&M 56-14, etc.
Through all of the passes, punts and downs, we found three takeaways from the three days of D2 action:
Don’t Mess With The Bisons.
Harding opened the 2026 campaign and entered the head coaching era of Roddy Mote, the team’s former defensive coordinator, with a 76-0 victory over Northwestern Oklahoma State. Yep, 76-0.
The No. 2 ranked Bisons scored 34 points in the first quarter with a school-record 747 yards of offense on just 58 plays. They averaged 11.1 yards per rushing attempt, totaling 608 yards and nine touchdowns.
Harding did not allow a first down the entire evening, establishing a program single-game record by limiting the Rangers to -26 yards of total offense across 35 plays. They forced 11 Ranger punts and totaled 6.0 sacks for -54 yards.
The victory was announced with 13:15 remaining in the fourth quarter by mutual agreement between both head coaches and game officials, following a medical emergency on the sideline.
Every Team Should Fear The Kellens Of Grand Valley State
If you follow D2 football, you know that WR Kellen Reed is an offensive weapon for Grand Valley State Football. However, you might not know about the Lakers’ other Kellen - Kellen Russell-Dixon (RB).
The duo combined for 299 yards during their Week 1 matchup against West Texas A&M. Reed found the end zone three times on four receptions and Russell-Dixon scored six on 19 carries.
Reed currently leads the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) in receiving yards, averaging 144 per game with five receiving touchdowns. Russell-Dixon ranks fourth with 162 rushing yards on 26 attempts for an average of 81 yards per game.
College Football Can End In A Tie (?)
We all know the rules: if a regulation contest ends in a tie, overtime is forced. Mother Nature doesn’t believe that, though.
Colorado School of Mines and Washburn squared off in Topeka, Kan. on Saturday, Sep. 5. The game, originally slated for 12 p.m., had already been moved to 7:05 p.m., then to 9 a.m. due to high forecasted temperatures. However, the early kick did not prevent Mother Nature from intervening.
With 1:48 to play, Washburn tied the game at 16 points apiece with a 48-yard touchdown. Mines then missed a 64-yard field goal attempt, forcing overtime in the non-conference matchup.
Overtime was, however, not a possibility. The temperature was 99 degrees with a heat index of 108 at the time the game was paused. Per the Mid-American Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA), the game could not resume until the temperature dropped below 92.1 degrees. The forecast did not predict a dip below this temperature until later that night. The game was suspended after a lengthy delay of game, leaving Colorado - Mines and Washburn knotted at 16.
D2 Football Rankings 2026: Top 25
- Ferris State (2-0)
- Harding (1-0)
- CSU Pueblo (2-0)
- Kutztown (1-0)
- Minnesota State (2-0)
- Northwest Missouri State (1-0)
- Western Colorado (2-0)
- Grand Valley State (2-0)
- Findlay (1-0)
- Western Oregon (2-0)
- Newberry (1-0)
- Northeastern State (2-0)
- Michigan Tech (2-0)
- Central Washington (0-1)
- Indianapolis (1-1)
- Benedict (2-0)
- Northwood (1-0)
- Slippery Rock (1-0)
- Valdosta State (2-0)
- East Stroudsburg (2-0)
- Minnesota Duluth (1-1)
- Augustana (SD) (1-1)
- Wayne State (Neb.) (2-0)
- Henderson State (1-0)
- Virginia Union (1-1)
Also receiving votes:
Johnson C. Smith (1-1), Minnesota State Moorhead (2-0), Carson-Newman (2-0), California (Pa.) (1-0), Indiana (Pa.) (1-0), Kentucky State (1-1), Edinboro (1-0), Wingate (1-1), Upper Iowa (1-1), Chadron State (1-1).
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