WICHITA FALLS, Texas - Midwestern State earned a No. 7 ranking in the final American Football Coaches' Association Poll of the 2011 season.
 
The Mustangs (10-1) accomplished the program's first unbeaten regular season while tying a school record in wins.
 
Midwestern also claimed its first outright Lone Star Conference championship before falling in the second round of the NCAA Division II Playoffs to Northwest Missouri State by a 38-31 margin in overtime.
 
Led by All American left tackle Amini Silatolu and Daktronics South Central Region Offensive Player of the Year Brandon Kelsey, the Mustangs led the nation in total offense (531.91 yards per game) and scoring (48.64 points per game).
 
Midwestern is one of 10 teams from rugged Super Region Four to receive mention in the final rankings.
 
Pittsburg State (Kan.) leads the way after claiming its second national championship with the other coming in 1991.
 
Joining the Gorillas were No. 5 Northwest Missouri, No. 7 MSU, No. 11 Washburn (Kan.), No. 16 Abilene Christian (Texas), No. 18 Missouri Western, No. 20 Humboldt State and No. 25 West Texas A&M while Central Missouri and East Central (Okla.) received votes.
 
The Mustangs have received votes in 70 of the last 71 reporting periods dating back to the 2006 season.
     
 

AFCA Division II Coaches Poll
Dec. 19, 2011
Rank	School (1st votes)	Record	Points	Last
1	Pittsburg State (Kan.) (29)	13-1	725	7
2	Wayne State (Mich.)	12-4	696	NR
3	Winston-Salem (N.C.)	13-1	638	3
4	Delta State (Miss.)	11-3	616	8
5	Northwest Missouri State	11-3	548	10
6	Minnesota-Duluth	11-3	541	9
7	Midwestern State (Texas)	10-1	520	2
8	New Haven (Conn.)	11-2	517	5
9	Colorado State-Pueblo	11-1	466	1
10	Nebraska-Kearney	10-2	446	4
11	Washburn (Kan.)	10-3	407	15
12	North Greenville (S.C.)	11-3	393	20
13	Kutztown (Pa.)	11-2	388	6
14	North Alabama	9-3	352	12
15	California (Pa.)	11-2	388	6
16	Abilene Christian (Texas)	8-3	307	11
17	St. Cloud State (Minn.)	9-3	290	14
18	Missouri Western	9-3	242	16
19	Mars Hill (N.C.)	8-3	224	19
20	Humboldt State (Calif.)	9-1	188	13
21	Bloomsburg (Pa.)	9-3	128	18
22	Shepherd (W. Va.)	9-2	91	21
23	West Alabama	8-4	84	22
24	West Virginia Wesleyan	9-2	51	24
25	West Texas A&M	8-3	48	NR
Dropped Out: Central Missouri (23), Grand Valley State (Mich.) (25).
Others Receiving Votes: Grand Valle State (Mich.) 33; Central Missouri 24; Saginaw Valley State (Mich.) 22; Albany State (Ga.) 20; Minnesota State-Mankato 20; East Central (Okla.) 19; Colorado Mines 12; Concord (W. Va.) 12; Elizabeth City State (N.C.) 10; Morehouse (Ga.) 7; Hillsdale (Mich.) 4; Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) 4; Slippery Rock (Pa.) 4; North Carolina-Pembroke 2; Valdosta State (Ga.) 1.