Carson-Newman's 45-20 win over Glenville State vaulted the Eagles into the AFCA poll in the 20th position.
Carson-Newman was left out of the coaches' preseason picks for the first time in more than a decade, but wasted little time getting back onto the list with their road win.
The Eagles host Fayetteville State this Thursday night.
Tusculum received votes again in the poll after the Pioneers beat West Georgia on the road, 20-10.
After missing out on the AFCA Preseason Coaches' Poll for the first time in the poll's 11 years, the Carson-Newman Eagles jumped into the poll at No. 20 after a season-opening win.
The Eagles received 144 points in the poll.
Carson-Newman opened its season with a 45-20 win on Thursday night over Glenville State in Glenville, W.Va. The Eagles overcame four first-quarter turnovers to rush for 276 yards and six touchdowns
The Eagles are joined in the poll by South Atlantic Conference favorite Wingate at No.23. The Bulldogs lost to No. 14 Valdosta State, 34-38, in double overtime on Saturday. Sac foes Tusculum, Lenoir-Rhyne, and Mars Hill are all list in receiving votes.
Carson-Newman puts its No. 20 ranking on the line in its 2011 home opener on Thursday night, as the Eagle host Fayetteville State (N.C.). Kickoff is at 7 p.m. in Burke-Tarr Stadium. For tickets, call (865) 471-3396.
2011 American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches' Poll - September 5, 2011
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Last Week Next Game
1. Minnesota-Duluth (28) 1-0 724 1 D. No. 8 Augustana (S.D.), 20-12 Sept. 10 vs. Upper Iowa
2. Northwest Missouri St. (1) 1-0 693 3 D. Truman St. (Mo.), 65-3 Sept. 10 vs. Sioux Falls (S.D.)
3. Abilene Christian (Texas) 1-0 642 4 D. Tarleton St. (Texas), 27-24 Sept. 17 vs. No. 5 North Alabama
4. Grand Valley St. (Mich.) 1-0 628 5 D. Western Oregon, 44-20 Sept. 10 at Hillsdale (Mich.)
5. North Alabama 1-0 592 6 D. Central Oklahoma, 31-10 Sept. 10 vs. Glenville St. (W.Va.)
6. Texas A&M-Kingsville 1-0 576 7 D. No. 22 Central Washington, 21-10 Sept. 10 vs. Minot St. (N.D.)
7. Albany St. (Ga.) 1-0 509 9T D. Savannah St. (Ga.), 37-34 Sept. 10 vs. No. 23 Wingate (N.C.)
8. Shepherd (W.Va.) 1-0 476 11 D. Shippensburg (Pa.), 53-27 Sept. 10 at St. Joseph's (Ind.)
9. Bloomsburg (Pa.) 1-0 469 9T D. Ashland (Ohio), 27-20 Sept. 10 at Clarion (Pa.)
10. St. Cloud State (Minn.) 1-0 420 13 D. No. 12 California (Pa.), 26-3 Sept. 10 vs. Concordia-St. Paul (Minn.)
11. Delta St. (Miss.) 1-1 415 2 Lost to Northwestern St. (La.), 24-23 Sept. 10 at Fort Valley St. (Ga.)
12. Central Missouri 1-0 371 15 D. Missouri Southern St., 42-24 Sept. 10 at Missouri Western St.
13. Nebraska-Kearney 1-0 361 16 D. Wayne St. (Neb.), 41-20 Sept. 10 vs. Northeastern St. (Okla.)
14. Valdosta St. (Ga.) 1-0 312 20 D. No. 14 Wingate (N.C.), 34-28 2OT Sept. 8 vs. Newberry (S.C.)
15. Washburn (Kan.) 1-0 305 18 D. Sioux Falls (S.D.), 33-17 Sept. 8 vs. Lincoln (Mo.)
16. Augustana (S.D.) 0-1 296 8 Lost to No. 1 Minnesota-Duluth, 20-12 Sept. 10 vs. Bemidji St. (Minn.)
17. Wayne St. (Mich.) 1-0 276 21 D. Urbana (Ohio), 69-24 Sept. 10 vs. Tiffin (Ohio)
18. Mercyhurst (Pa.) 1-0 208 17 D. Notre Dame (Ohio), 24-23 OT Sept. 10 vs. No. 19 Kutztown (Pa.)
19. Kutztown (Pa.) 1-0 206 23 D. St. Anselm (N.H.), 56-30 Sept. 10 at No. 18 Mercyhurst (Pa.)
20. Carson-Newman (Tenn.) 1-0 144 NR D. Glenville St. (W.Va.), 45-20 Sept. 8 vs. Fayetteville St. (N.C.)
21. Colorado St.-Pueblo 1-0 126 NR D. No. 19 West Texas A&M, 26-24 Sept. 10 vs. Northwestern Okla. St.
22. California (Pa.) 0-1 104 12 Lost to No. 13 St. Cloud State (Minn.), 26-3 Sept. 10 vs. C.W. Post (N.Y.)
23. Wingate (N.C.) 0-1 101 14 Lost to No. 20 Valdosta St. (Ga.), 34-28 2OT Sept. 10 at No. 7 Albany St. (Ga.)
24. Colorado School of Mines 1-0 89 NR D. William Jewell (Mo.), 33-0 Sept. 10 vs. South Dakota School of Mines
25. Pittsburg St. (Kan.) 1-0 57 NR D. Missouri Western St., 34-7 Sept. 10 vs. Emporia St. (Kan.)
Dropped Out: West Texas A&M (19), Central Washington (22), Henderson St. (Ark.) (24), Hillsdale (Mich.) (25T), Shaw (N.C.) (25T)
Others Receiving Votes: Central Washington, 56; Michigan Tech, 48; New Haven (Conn.), 40; Tuskegee (Ala.), 30; West Texas A&M, 24; Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.), 21; Harding (Ark.), 16; Virginia Union, 16; Henderson St. (Ark.), 14; Tusculum (Tenn.), 10; St. Augustine's (N.C.), 8; Edinboro (Pa.), 7; Winston-Salem St. (N.C.), 6; Ashland (Ohio), 5; Fort Valley St. (Ga.), 5; Midwestern St. (Texas), 5; Shaw (N.C.), 5; Morehouse (Ga.), 2; Northern Michigan, 2; American International (Mass.), 1; Mars Hill (N.C.), 1; Merrimack (Mass.), 1; Missouri Western St., 1; Ouachita Baptist (Ark.), 1.