KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Grand View (Iowa) and Keiser (Fla.) remained No. 1 and No. 2 in the latest STADIONIC NAIA Football Coaches’ Top 25 Poll, while each of the remaining eight spots in the Top 10 featured a change.
Grand View collected all 13 first-place votes, while Montana Tech moved up two spots to No. 3 and Campbellsville (Ky.) made the biggest jump into the Top 10, climbing four places to No. 10. The movement extended throughout the poll, highlighted by Northwestern (Iowa), which vaulted 11 spots from No. 24 to No. 13. Louisiana Christian, Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) and Baker (Kan.) also entered the Top 25 after receiving votes last week.
The defending national champion remains No. 1 after extending its winning streak to 31 games. Grand View is allowing just 4.7 points per game, second-best in the NAIA, while opponents have managed only 37 yards per game on the ground. The Vikings get a test this week from the Heart South, hosting No. 9 Benedictine (Kan.).
Keiser improved to 1-1 with a convincing 48-7 win over Bethel (Tenn.). The Seahawks scored 24 points in each half and collected 31 first downs, piling up 495 yards of total offense with 349 coming on the ground.
Montana Tech climbs to No. 3 after navigating a rugged early-season schedule. The Orediggers rank fifth nationally in opponent scoring at just 7.0 points per game, while Levi Torgerson leads the NAIA with 25 receptions.
The Yotes have paired one of the NAIA’s most productive offenses with a stingy defense during its unbeaten start. The Yotes rank seventh nationally in both scoring at 50.0 points per game and opponent scoring at 10.0 points per contest.
Lindsey Wilson features the NAIA’s leading rusher in Davontaye Saunders, the only player to top 500 yards through three games. Saunders averages 171.3 yards per game and 11.4 yards per carry and shares the national scoring lead with eight touchdowns. The Blue Raiders travel to No. 14 St. Thomas (Fla.) this week.
Indiana Wesleyan’s Ryan Whitwell is tied for the NAIA lead with eight rushing touchdowns, also matching the national lead for total touchdowns. Whitwell has accounted for 54 points this season, the most by any player in the NAIA.
Friends has topped 80 points twice and is averaging 76.3 points per game. The Falcons have done most of their damage on the ground, averaging more than 400 rushing yards per game and gaining 1,301 of their 1,643 yards of total offense on running plays.
Morningside ranks 10th nationally in scoring at 46.7 points per game, with Drew Sellon among the Mustangs’ top weapons. Sellon has 17 receptions, eighth-most in the NAIA, and is averaging 100 receiving yards per game. The Mustangs have a big one this week in the GPAC, as they visit No. 11 Dordt (Iowa) Saturday.
Benedictine has leaned on a productive ground game while averaging 38.3 points per contest. The Ravens are rushing for 265 yards per game as they continue through an early schedule that has included multiple nationally ranked opponents. Benedictine has its opportunity to shake up the top 10 this week, when the Ravens travel to No. 1 Grand View (Iowa) Saturday.
Campbellsville has climbed from No. 14 in the preseason poll to No. 10 after an unbeaten start and an NAIA Football Championship Series appearance last season. The Tigers are one of just six NAIA teams allowing fewer than 10 points per game and are surrendering only 84.7 yards per contest on the ground.
| TREND | RANK | LAST | INSTITUTION [FIRST-PLACE VOTES] | RECORD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ● | 1 | 1 | Grand View (Iowa) [13] | 3-0 |
| ● | 2 | 2 | Keiser (Fla.) | 1-1 |
| ▲ | 3 | 5 | Montana Tech | 3-0 |
| ● | 4 | 4 | College of Idaho | 2-0 |
| ▲ | 5 | 6 | Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) | 3-0 |
| ▲ | 6 | T-9 | Indiana Wesleyan | 3-0 |
| ▲ | 7 | T-9 | Friends (Kan.) | 3-0 |
| ▼ | 8 | 7 | Morningside (Iowa) | 2-1 |
| ▼ | 9 | 3 | Benedictine (Kan.) | 2-1 |
| ▲ | 10 | 14 | Campbellsville (Ky.) | 3-0 |
| ▼ | T-11 | 8 | Dordt (Iowa) | 1-1 |
| ▲ | T-11 | 12 | Marian (Ind.) | 2-1 |
| ▲ | 13 | 24 | Northwestern (Iowa) | 2-1 |
| ▲ | 14 | 16 | St. Thomas (Fla.) | 3-0 |
| ▼ | 15 | 11 | Carroll (Mont.) | 1-1 |
| ▼ | 16 | 15 | Southeastern (Fla.) | 2-0 |
| ▲ | 17 | 19 | Evangel (Mo.) | 3-0 |
| ▲ | 18 | 21 | McPherson (Kan.) | 3-0 |
| ▲ | T-19 | RV | Louisiana Christian | 3-0 |
| ▼ | T-19 | 13 | William Penn (Iowa) | 2-1 |
| ▼ | 21 | 18 | Montana Western | 1-1 |
| ▲ | 22 | RV | Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) | 2-0 |
| ▲ | 23 | 25 | Dakota State (S.D.) | 2-1 |
| ▲ | T-24 | RV | Baker (Kan.) | 2-0 |
| ▼ | T-24 | 20 | Georgetown (Ky.) | 1-2 |
Receiving Votes: Cumberland (Tenn.), Cumberlands (Ky.), Kansas Wesleyan, MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.), Midland (Neb.), Ottawa (Kan.), OUAZ (Ariz.), Pikeville (Ky.), Southwestern (Kan.), Taylor (ind.)
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