NAIA Top 25 Coaches' Poll Announced; Top Nine Teams Hold; Sioux Falls Still No. 1

Oct 15, 2007

Oct. 15, 2007

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The University of Sioux Falls (S.D.) holds the top spot for the seventh straight time and the top nine teams remain unchanged in the sixth regular season National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Football Top 25 Coaches' Poll, announced this afternoon (Oct. 15). Sioux Falls, who stands 7-0 this year and is running on a 21-game winning streak, received all 17 first-place votes and 425 points.

In seven polls this year, Sioux Falls has notched 117 of a possible 119 total first-place votes. USF's streak of seven straight polls at No. 1 to start a season is close to matching Carroll's (Mont.) beginning to 2006. Carroll hit the No. 1 spot for the first eight weeks last year before St. Francis (Ind.) vaulted to No. 1.

There were no upsets among the top 11 teams as the first nine schools held strong from last week's poll. No. 2 Carroll posted its fourth shutout of the year and third straight with a 42-0 blanking of Rocky Mountain (Mont.) - the Fighting Saints have allowed a mere nine points through seven games (1.3 ppg). No. 3 Ohio Dominican, No. 4 Bethel (Tenn.) and No. 5 St. Francis (Ind.) all won by at least five touchdowns last Saturday.

Entering the poll for the first time in six weeks is No. 25 Montana Tech. The Orediggers are 4-3 on the year after a 17-7 win at then-No. 14 Montana State-Northern. No. 21 Southern Nazarene (Okla.) gets in the Top 25 for the second time this season. Also, No. 19 Georgetown (Ky.) and No. 24 Northwestern Oklahoma State get back into the Top 25 after a two-week absence.

There is one Top 25 head-to-head game on the docket this week: No. 12 Malone (Ohio) visits No. 22 Urbana (Ohio).

The poll was voted upon by a 17 member-panel of head coaches representing each of the conferences and independents.

A composite football schedule listing all Top 25 games around the country can be viewed here.

The seventh regular season poll (eighth overall) will be released on Monday, Oct. 22.

2007 NAIA Football Top 25 Coaches' Poll - Oct. 15 (Rating #6)

RANK	LAST WEEK	SCHOOL	1^st PLACE VOTES	2007 RECORD	TOTAL POINTS
1	1	Sioux Falls (S.D.)	17	7-0	425
2	2	Carroll (Mont.)		7-0	400
3	3	Ohio Dominican		7-0	395
4	4	Bethel (Tenn.)		6-1	371
5	5	St. Francis (Ind.)		5-1	346
6	6	St. Xavier (Ill.)		6-1	336
7	7	Lindenwood (Mo.)		7-0	320
8	8	Jamestown (N.D.)		7-0	315
9	9	Northwestern (Iowa)		6-1	282
10	11	Virginia-Wise		6-1	267
11	12	Bethel (Kan.)		5-0	256
12	16	Malone (Ohio)		6-1	222
13	15	St. Ambrose (Iowa)		4-2	213
14	17	Friends (Kan.)		5-1	191
15	18	Missouri Valley		4-2	186
16	20	Morningside (Iowa)		5-2	160
17	22	Cumberlands (Ky.)		6-1	156
18	10	MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.)		6-2	145
19	NR	Georgetown (Ky.)		3-3	96
20	13	Graceland (Iowa)		5-2	90
21	NR	Southern Nazarene (Okla.)		4-2	73
22	19	Urbana (Ohio)		5-2	57
23	14	Montana State-Northern		4-3	56
24	NR	Northwestern Oklahoma State		4-3	42
25	NR	Montana Tech		4-3	34

Others receiving votes:

Montana-Western 31; Minot State (N.D.) 17; Shorter (Ga.) 8; Bethany (Kan.) 6; Hastings (Neb.) 6; Sterling (Kan.) 6; Black Hills State (S.D.) 4; McKendree (Ill.) 4; Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) 4;Ottawa (Kan.) 4; Nebraska Wesleyan 1

Football

NAIA Top 25 Coaches' Poll Announced; Top Nine Teams Hold; Sioux Falls Still No. 1

Championship Information