NEWARK, DE -- The University of Delaware football team, which capped one of the most successful seasons in school history by advancing to the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision National Championship game, is the consensus No. 2 pick in the final national polls announced Tuesday.

Delaware, which posted an 11-4 record and fell to three-time defending national champion Appalachian State 49-21 in the NCAA title game Friday night in Chattanooga, TN, was picked No. 2 by The Sports Network, the American Football Coaches Association/Collegiate Commissioner’s Association, and by the College Sporting News/Any Given Saturday. The Hens were picked No. 13 in the final regular season poll by each of the three outlets on Nov. 19.

Delaware was led all season by senior running back Omar Cuff (at right), who ran for nearly 2,000 yards and set an NCAA FCS record by scoring 39 touchdowns.

The Sports Network poll is selected by sportswriters and sports information directors, the AFCA/CCA is selected by head coaches, and the CSN is selected by members of the CSN staff and other media members.

The No. 2 final ranking is the highest for the Blue Hens since the 2003 season when Delaware posted a 15-1 record, captured the NCAA I-AA national title, and was the consensus No. 1 pick. Delaware was selected No. 19 in the pre-season TSN poll in August and appeared in the Top 20 every week of the season, moving as high as No. 6 in the Nov. 5 rankings.

Appalachian State, which won its final eight games and was No. 5 in the final regular season polls, was the consensus No. 1 pick in all three final polls after posting a 13-2 record and sharing the Southern Conference title.

The Colonial Athletic Association placed five teams in the Top 25 in all three polls, more than any other conference and one more than the four placed by the Southern Conference. Villanova, another member of the CAA, was the top team receiving votes not in the Top 25 in the TSN poll with 263 with league rival Hofstra also earning 134 votes to place No. 28. In all, Delaware had seven teams in the top 28 teams in the TSN poll.

Appalachian State earned all 119 first place votes in The Sports Network poll and finished with 2,950 points. Delaware was second with 2,809 points followed by Southern Illinois (12-2/2,630), Northern Iowa (12-1/2,519), Richmond (11-3/2,507), Wofford (9-4/2,466), Massachusetts (10-3/2,096), Eastern Washington (9-4/2,019), North Dakota State (10-1/1,957), and Montana (11-1/1,953) in the Top 10.

McNeese State (11-1/1,853) was at No. 11 followed by James Madison (8-4/1,777), Eastern Kentucky (9-3/1,481), New Hampshire (7-5/1,289), Delaware State (10-2/1,112), Youngstown State (7-4/1,014), Georgia Southern (7-4/954), Eastern Illinois (8-4/920), South Dakota State (7-4/548), and Fordham (8-4/548) in the Top 20.

Harvard (8-2/527) was at No. 21 followed by Yale (9-1/464), Elon (7-4/418), Cal Poly (7-4/416), and Grambling (8-4/288).

In the AFCA/CCA poll, Appalachian State was No. 1 with all 27 first place votes followed by Delaware, Southern Illinois, Richmond, Northern Iowa, Massachusetts, James Madison, Eastern Washington, North Dakota State, Wofford, McNeese State, Montana, Eastern Kentucky, New Hampshire, Eastern Illinois, Delaware State, Youngstown State, Georgia Southern, Fordham, Harvard, Yale, South Dakota State, Elon, Grambling, and Dayton.

Appalachian State led the CSN/AGS poll by earning all 43 first place votes and was followed by Delaware, Southern Illinois, Northern Iowa, Richmond, North Dakota State, Wofford, Eastern Washington, Massachusetts, James Madison, Montana, McNeese State, Eastern Kentucky, New Hampshire, Eastern Illinois, Youngstown State, Georgia Southern, Delaware State, South Dakota State, Fordham, Villanova, Yale, Harvard, Cal Poly, and Dayton.