RICHMOND, Ky. – The Eastern Kentucky University football team has ended the 2024 season in the final AFCA and Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Polls at No. 25/21 respectively as announced by the two publications this week.
 
The national rankings mark the first time since 2014 that the Colonels finished their season in the top 25 of the two major polls since 2014 (Stats Perform FCS Poll was then known as "The Sports Network Poll").
 
In that year EKU finished at No. 21 in both polls.
 
The pair of national rankings mark upward movement in both polls from the final polls of the regular season that saw EKU not ranked by the AFCA and at No. 22 by Stats Perform.
 
The national recognition comes after an 8-5 (6-2) campaign that saw the Colonels qualify for the FCS Playoffs for the second time in three seasons.
 
The playoff berth also saw head coach Walt Wells become the first coach since Dean Hood to lead the Colonels to multiple playoff appearances.
 
This most recent national recognition comes along with multiple accolades for several EKU players.
 
Four Colonels earned All-American status with Payton Collins and Mike Smith Jr. earning First Team All-American honors and Marcus Calwise Jr. and Tyrell Green earning Freshman All-American honors.
 
At the conference level, seven players earned All-UAC status, the most in the Walt Wells era.
 
Looking to the next level, five Colonels earned invites to postseason FCS all-star games in Marvion Field (FCS Bowl), Payton Collins (Hula Bowl), Jonathan Duff and Vincent Munlin Jr. (Dream Bowl), and Mike Smith Jr. (East-West Shrine Bowl).