Carroll (Mont.) Stays at No. 1 in Coaches' Poll; Riding 18-Game Winning Streak
Sept. 15, 2008
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Riding a nation-best 18-game winning streak, Carroll (Mont.) College remains No. 1 in the first regular season edition of the NAIA Football Top 25 Coaches’ Poll (Sept. 15). This ranking marks the fourth straight top spot for the Fighting Saints. The defending national champions nabbed all 18 of the possible first-place votes. The CC offense is spearheaded by a true freshman at quarterback and an offense out-scoring the opposition 119-42 through three games. 2008 NAIA Football Top 25 Coaches’ Poll – (Sept. 15) RANK LAST WEEK* SCHOOL 1st PLACE VOTES 2008 RECORD TOTAL POINTS 1 1 Carroll College (Mont.) 18 3-0 418 2 2 University of Sioux Falls (S.D.) 2-0 401 3 3 Missouri Valley College 2-0 378 4 4 University of Saint Francis (Ind.) 2-0 368 5 5 Ohio Dominican University 2-0 365 6 7 Morningside College (Iowa) 2-0 338 7 12 MidAmerica Nazarene University (Kan.) 2-0 320 8 14 University of Virginia's College at Wise 2-0 290 9 11 Friends University (Kan.) 1-0 284 10 10 Saint Ambrose University (Iowa) 1-1 255 11 9 Lindenwood University (Mo.) 1-1 235 12 15 Northwestern Oklahoma State University 1-1 230 13 17 Bethel College (Kan.) 1-0 213 14 13 Northwestern College (Iowa) 1-1 208 15 RV Montana State University-Northern 2-0 195 16 19 Jamestown College (N.D.) 1-1 122 17 16 Georgetown College (Ky.) 1-1 121 T18 NR Union College (Ky.) 2-0 113 T18 18 Black Hills State University (S.D.) 1-1 113 20 NR Valley City State University (N.D.) 2-0 109 21 22 University of the Cumberlands (Ky.) 1-1 108 22 NR University of St. Francis (Ill.) 2-0 105 23 RV Southern Nazarene University (Okla.) 2-1 79 24 6 Bethel College (Tenn.) 0-2 48 25 NR Midland Lutheran College (Neb.) 2-0 41
The University of Sioux Falls (S.D.), which has yet to allow a point in its first two wins, is listed at No. 2 with 401 total points. Missouri Valley College (No. 3), the University of Saint Francis (Ind.) (No. 4) and Ohio Dominican University (No. 5) round out the rest of the Top 5.
Six teams made the leap into the Top 25 for the first time this season: No. 15 Montana State-Northern, No. 18 (tie) Union (Ky.), No. 20 Valley City State (N.D.), No. 22 St. Francis (Ill.), No. 23 Southern Nazarene (Okla.) and No. 25 Midland Lutheran (Neb.). Union is recognized after a 2-0 start with wins over Lambuth (Tenn.) and No. 24 Malone (Ohio). The last time the Bulldogs were ranked was believed to be in the 1996 Preseason Coaches’ Poll.
The poll was voted upon by a panel of head coaches representing each of the conferences and independents. The second regular season Top 25 poll will be announced on Sept. 22.
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For the complete 2008 polls, please click here.
POLL NOTES: Carroll has now been ranked in the Top 5 in the last 41 straight polls dating back to November of 2004. CC has been No. 1 in 25 of those rankings, including four straight… St. Francis (Ind.) boasts the longest consecutive stretch of being named in the Coaches’ Top 25 Poll -- 107 straight weeks… The last time USF was not mentioned in the Top 25 was Oct. 19, 1999… USF is No. 4 in the latest Coaches’ Top 25 Poll (Sept. 15)… Carroll (Mont.) is the next team in line with 94 straight Top 25 rankings while Sioux Falls (S.D.) stands at 93 straight mentions… Valley City (No. 20) reaches the polls for the first time since Oct. 9, 2006… St. Francis (Ill.) jumps into the polls at No. 22 behind the strength of four straight wins (dating back to last season – that feat marks the first time that the Saints have won four in a row since the 1991 season… Midland Lutheran (Neb.) reaches the polls for the first time since No. 25 on Nov. 7, 2005.
Others receiving votes:
Langston University (Okla.) 38; McKendree University (Ill.) 34; Saint Xavier University (Ill.) 29; Malone College (Ohio) 12; South Dakota School of Mines & Tech. 4; Southern Oregon University 1; Marian College (Ind.) 1; Eastern Oregon University 1; Doane College (Neb.) 1; Dakota Wesleyan University (S.D.) 1; Cumberland University (Tenn.) 1; Montana Tech of the Univ of Montana 1; Ottawa University (Kan.) 1; Hastings College (Neb.) 1
* Taken from Top 25 Preseason Coaches’ Poll (Aug. 11)
