DRAGONS REMAIN ATOP NJCAA FOOTBALL RANKINGS

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

The Hutchinson Community College football team retained its No. 1 national ranking on Monday despite receiving quite a scare from Iowa Central on Saturday at Gowans Stadium.

The Blue Dragons trailed the Tritons 30-16 with 6:19 to play in the fourth quarter, scored two touchdowns to force overtime and sophomore Nestus Burger booted a game-winning 36-yard field goal to give Hutchinson a 33-30 victory on Saturday.

After moving up to the top spot last week after winning 38-37 at Iowa Western on September 7, the Dragons garnered all 12 first-place votes for the second-straight week. Iowa Western (2-1) and Snow (4-0) remained Nos. 2 and 3 in the rankings. Mississippi Gulf Coach (3-0) and Kilgore (2-0) switched spots at Nos. 4 and 5.

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The Blue Dragons have the first of their two bye weeks this Saturday. They return to action on Saturday, September 28 against Ellsworth at Gowans Stadium, which is the middle game of a three-game homestand.

Hutchinson has now been ranked in 37 consecutive NJCAA rankings dating back to the second regular-season poll of the 2021 season. That is the third-longest consecutive run in the national poll in program history. The Blue Dragons were ranked in 45-straight polls from 2010 to 2013 and in 38 consecutive polls from 2018 to 2021.

The Dragons are No. 1 in the national rankings for the sixth time in program history.

The Dragons have now been ranked in the Top 3 of the national rankings for 32 consecutive polls and they have been ranked in 31 of the past 57 national polls.

Four Jayhawk Conference teams are in this week's Top 15. Highland (3-0) makes its highest appearance as a KJCCC team – the Scotties joined the league in 1996 – at No. 8. Garden City (2-1) is No. 11 and Butler (2-1) is tied with Northwest Mississippi for 14th this week.

East Mississippi, which started the year at No. 2, is now receiving votes after a 1-2 start to the season.