Out of all the 119 division I-A teams playing games this opening week, it was the one that wasn’t that created the biggest buzz. Division I-AA champion Appalachian State’s stunning upset-victory over Michigan not only knocked the Wolverines out of the AP top 25…but to add insult to injury, the Mountaineers might now take Michigan’s place in the poll.

Nobody would dispute that the Appalachian State Mountaineers, the consecutive division I-AA champ, could level the bottom half of the division I-A teams. But to take out someone in top 5? A week ago, this notion would have been inconceivable! The Mountaineers not only extended the realms of football possibility, they also opened the door for other division I-AA teams to crowd the 25-team college football spotlight. Thanks to this David vs. Goliath victory, the associated press has announced it will now allow division I-AA teams to be voted on in the weekly AP-25 poll; the first time a division I-AA team has been allowed in since the division split up into A and AA in 1978.

What this means? The best division-AA teams will finally get some national recognition. The Appalachian State Mountaineers have proved they can hang with the big boys. Expect more top division I-AA attempts to schedule games with leading I-A teams. The only question is…will any division I-A team want to risk a major-upset to play against them? I bet the Wolverines would think twice before they pencil in their next “easy victory” against a I-AA team.

Michigan’s Terrance Taylor (67) holds his head in his hands in the closing seconds of the Wolverines’ loss to Appalachian State on Saturday. AP photo

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