NEWARK, DE -- The University of Delaware football squad, coming off a heartbreaking 62-56 five-overtime loss to Richmond this past Saturday at Delaware Stadium, dropped three spots to No. 9 in The Sports Network and Collegiate Commissioner’s Association/American Football Coaches Association Top 25 polls announced earlier this week.

Delaware, which will close out the regular season this Saturday at Villanova in a 3:30 p.m. game to be televised live by CN8 TV throughout the Mid-Atlantic region, also dropped a spot to No. 4 in the weekly Lambert Cup Eastern Poll.

The Blue Hens (8-2, 5-2 Colonial Athletic Association) still have a chance to capture a share of the CAA title with a victory this season and a berth in the NCAA Tournament. The 16-team NCAA Tournament field will be announced Sunday at 3:30 p.m. on ESPNU. First round games will begin next Friday, Nov. 23.

Northern Iowa (10-0) remained atop The Sports Network poll, which is selected by sports information directors and media members, with 70 first place votes and 2,474 points. North Dakota State was second with 23 first place votes and 2,291 points followed by Montana (10/2,269), McNeese State (3/2,260), and Southern Illinois in the top five. Appalachian State was sixth followed by Richmond, Massachusetts, Delaware, Delaware State, Yale, Eastern Kentucky, Wofford, James Madison, Eastern Washington, Georgia Southern, Youngstown State, Fordham, Grambling State, New Hampshire, Eastern Illinois, Hofstra, Alabama A&M, Elon, and Cal Poly. Villanova also received votes but did not appear in the Top 25.

In the CCA/AFCA poll, North Dakota State was at the top spot with 17 first place votes and 684 points followed by Northern Iowa (7/671), Montana (4/622), McNeese State, and Southern Illinois in the top five. Appalachian State was sixth followed by Massachusetts, Richmond, Delaware, Delaware State, Yale, Eastern Kentucky, James Madison, Wofford, Eastern Washington, Youngstown State, Georgia Southern, Grambling State, New Hampshire, Eastern Illinois, Fordham, Hofstra, Alabama A&M, Dayton, and Harvard.

A total of six CAA teams appeared in both polls.

In the Lambert Cup poll, Richmond was in the top spot with 72 points followed by Massachusetts (71), Yale (65), Delaware (56), James Madison (42), Fordham (39), New Hampshire (28), Harvard (26), Hofstra (26), and Holy Cross (6).

Sophomore Corey Nicholson (at right) has started all 10 games at offensive guard this season for the Blue Hens.