COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – After suffering a 27-24 setback at unranked Itawamba last Thursday, Northwest fell 14 spots to No. 19 in this week's NJCAA Top 20 football poll.

Despite rolling up 500 yards of total offense and limiting Itawamba to 278, turnovers and special teams plagued the Rangers in the loss. Northwest turned the ball over three times, missed three field goals and allowed a 95-yard kick return for a score.

Itawamba entered last week's north division tilt 0-2 overall, but easily could've been 2-0, with a 42-41 loss at Gulf Coast and 35-31 loss to Hinds – both coming in the game's final 30 seconds.

It's clear the pollsters did not take into account a field goal loss, on the road, in arguably the best junior college football conference in the country, when submitting votes this week. Northwest received just 21 votes, compared to 108 the week prior.

Previously fourth-ranked Iowa Western fell six spots, No. 3 Trinity Valley dropped to eighth and Copiah-Lincoln fell seven spots from 13 to 20 after losses in the Top 15. The Rangers fell an unfathomable 14 spots after their loss.

Northwest will have its work cut out for them the ensuing five weeks but have nationally-ranked opponents on the schedule in No. 3 Holmes and No. 1 East Mississippi, which could catapult the Rangers back into the Top 10.

The Rangers entertain Mississippi Delta (0-3) on Thursday, Sept. 21 for a 6:30 Homecoming kickoff. Live video, audio and stats can be accessed for Thursday's tilt at nwccrangers.com.

NJCAA Top 20 Poll
1. East Mississippi (5)
2. Arizona Western (4)
3. Holmes
4. Tyler (TX)
5. Snow (UT)
6. Blinn (TX)
7. Lackawanna (PA)
8. Trinity Valley (TX)
9. Central Lakes (MN)
10. Iowa Western
11. DuPage (IL)
12. Mesa (AZ)
13. Independence (KS)
14. Butler (KS)
15. Dodge City (KS)
16. Georgia Military 
17. Monroe College (NY)
18. Louisburg (NC)
19. Northwest Mississippi
20. Copiah-Lincoln
20. Scottsdale (AZ)