Related: AFCA/USA Today Division II rankings (Oct. 8, 2012)

WACO, Texas (Oct. 9, 2012 - GoThunderWolves.com) - After surviving a scare in its 45-38 overtime Homecoming win over Chadron State, CSU-Pueblo maintained its national ranking of second in the nation in the latest American Football Coaches' Association/USA Today Division II poll.

Additionally, the ThunderWolves used a loss by Grand Valley State to rise in the D2Football.com poll to second in the country.

The ThunderWolves, who came back from a 21-3 first-half deficit to outlast the Eagles at the Neta & Eddie DeRose ThunderBowl Saturday, stay ranked second after number-one Pittsburg State, the defending Division II national champions, defeated Central Missouri 30-21 Saturday.  AFCA number-three, Grand Valley State, tumbled to 14th after losing 40-24 to Ferris State.

Now at 6-0, CSU-Pueblo is entering its 13th consecutive week ranked in the AFCA top ten.  Among RMAC teams, it's a mark only surpassed by Chadron State, which was ranked in the top 10 for 20 straight weeks from 2006-08. 

Additionally, after maintaining its number-two ranking, CSU-Pueblo has now been ranked second or higher in the poll four times in its history, making it the only RMAC team to have been ranked that highly in the Division II poll four or more times.  Chadron State had previously been ranked second three separate times in its history.

CSU-Pueblo will try for a win and thus remain in the rankings for 14th straight week when it travels to Colorado School of Mines Saturday.