Belton, TX – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor football team fell five spots in the American Football Coaches Association’s Top 25 Poll this week. The Cru fell to #7 in the nation with 726 total points after losing to Wisconsin-Whitewater 41-14 last Saturday in Whitewater. UMHB had been ranked seventh in the country in each previous AFCA poll this season. Two-time defending national champion Mount Union took 39 first-place votes and 997 total points to hold down the top spot again this week. St. John’s University claimed the other first place vote to move up to #2 and Wisconsin-Whitewater took over third place following the win over UMHB. Trinity University is the only other Texas team ranked in this week’s poll. The Tigers moved up four spots to #16 in the country this week.

“The character and leadership of our kids has been challenged with last Saturday’s loss,” Cru head coach Pete Fredenburg said. “We’ll all see what we’re made of this Saturday. I certainly think that we’ll see much greater effort on the field this Saturday and it has to start on the practice field this week.”
The Cru dropped to #6 in the country in the other two national polls. UMHB fell four spots in both the D3football.com Top 25 Poll and Football Gazette’s Top 40 Poll this week.

The Cru is 7-1 overall and 6-0 in American Southwest Conference play. UMHB will play host to East Texas Baptist University for a 1:00 PM kickoff at Tiger Field in Belton this Saturday. The Cru can clinch the ASC Championship with a win over the Tigers.