John Carroll has entered an odd place in the Division III football hierarchy.

The Blue Streaks are listed first among other teams receiving votes in the D3football.com poll released Sunday night. John Carroll received 33 points. The separation between John Carroll and No. 25 Cal Lutheran is one point.

This weekend's 27-7 victory over then-No. 23 Baldwin Wallace has led to the Blue Streaks' rise. They received no points in preseason and Weeks 1 and 2 polls. The Blue Streaks opened with a 41-0 victory over St. Norbert on Sept. 7.

First-year John Carroll Tom Arth is satisfied with his team's start. But he turned diplomatic when asked after the Baldwin Wallace game if the Blue Streaks are one of top Division III teams.

"I don't know that," he said. "We hope every Saturday that we come out we can be the best team on the field that day. We really focus on ourselves, really focus on being the best we can be."

The Blue Streaks are 2-0 for the first time since 2007. They face Otterbein (1-1) on Saturday night at Shula Stadium. John Carroll hasn't started 3-0 since 2003.

No. 1 Mount Union and No. 13 Heidelberg give the Ohio Athletic Conference two ranked teams. John Carroll ends the season against the duo, facing Heidelberg in University Heights on Nov. 9 and visiting Mount Union on Nov. 16.

-- Guy Cipriano | @newsheraldguy