WAYNE, Neb. -- The Wayne State football team strengthened its hopes for a playoff bid, but the Wildcats' hopes for a home playoff game took a hit with the latest regional rankings released Monday.

Wayne State remained sixth in the latest NCAA Division II Super Region Four rankings following the Wildcats' road win over Sioux Falls.

Angelo State of Texas, the lone unbeaten team in Super Region 4, remained atop the Super Region 4 rankings while 8-2 Colorado School of Mines stayed second with lots of shuffling in the remaining eight spots of the rankings.

Minnesota State moved up one spot this week to third while Bemidji State jumped three spots to fourth. Winona State slipped two spots to fifth while Wayne State stayed sixth.  Sioux Falls dropped two spots to seventh, Colorado State Pueblo entered this week’s rankings at eighth and Minnesota Duluth entered in ninth while Augustana dropped one spot to 10th.

A total of 28 teams will advance to the NCAA Division II football championship this season, with the top seven from each region qualifying. The top seed in each selection region will receive a bye in the first round of the playoffs, with 12 first-round games scheduled to be played on Saturday, November 19. The top four seeds in each region host their opening playoff game.

Wayne State moved ahead of Sioux Falls after beating the Cougars on Saturday, but Bemidji State's big jump kept the Wildcats in sixth. Two of the teams ahead of the Wildcats, Minnesota State and Winona State, play this Saturday.

Wayne State is 8-2 on the season and third place in the NSIC South Division with a 4-2 record following Saturday’s 31-24 win at then #25 Sioux Falls.  The Wildcats will host MSU Moorhead at 12 p.m. Saturday in the regular season finale at Bob Cunningham Field in Wayne.  

NCAA Super Region Four Football Rankings

  1. Angelo State                             10-0
  2. Colorado School of Mines          8-2
  3. Minnesota State                        8-2
  4. Bemidji State                             8-2
  5. Winona State                            8-2
  6. Wayne State (Neb.)                  8-2
  7. Sioux Falls                                7-3
  8. Colorado State Pueblo              7-3
  9. Minnesota Duluth                      7-3
  10. Augustana (SD)                         6-4