It’s the final week of the regular season for the 2026 NAIA Football campaign, and of the 13 automatic berths to the 2026 NAIA Football Championship Series, four remain unsolved. That made it an easy decision on which six games earned a place in the Featured Game lineup in this week’s Notebook, the six that will play a role in deciding the AAC, the GPAC, the Mid-South, and the Sooner Athletic Conference.
Frontier East – Montana Tech
Frontier West – College of Idaho
Heart North – Grand View (Iowa)
Heart South – Benedictine (Kan.)
KCAC Bissell – Southwestern (Kan.)
KCAC Kessinger – Ottawa (Kan.)
MSFA Mideast – Indiana Wesleyan
MSFA Midwest – Marian (Ind.)
The Sun – St. Thomas (Fla.)
AAC – Pikeville (Ky.) or Reinhardt (Ga.)
GPAC – Morningside (Iowa) or Northwestern (Iowa)
Mid-South – Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) or Campbellsville (Ky.)
Sooner – Louisiana Christian, OUAZ (Ariz.), or Wayland Baptist (Texas)
Printable Notebook | Click to download this week’s notebook in PDF form
The GPAC championship race comes down to the final Saturday, with Dordt visiting Northwestern in a matchup of teams tied with No. 4 Morningside atop the standings. Northwestern can secure the conference’s automatic berth with a victory, while a Red Raider loss would give Morningside the championship. Dordt’s Kaden Harken has 1,101 receiving yards and 15 touchdown catches, while Northwestern quarterback Colby Duncan has thrown 28 touchdown passes.
Morningside hosts Briar Cliff with its GPAC championship hopes tied to the outcome of Northwestern’s game against Dordt. A Northwestern loss would give the Mustangs the conference’s automatic berth. Morningside ranks fifth nationally in scoring at 47.0 points per game, while receiver Drew Sellon has 88 receptions for 1,138 yards and 15 touchdowns. The Mustangs defeated Hastings 24-9 last Saturday.
Wayland Baptist enters the final weekend with a chance to share the Sooner Athletic Conference championship. A victory over Texas Wesleyan, combined with a Louisiana Christian loss to OUAZ, could produce a three-way tie atop the conference standings. The Pioneers enter at 7-2 overall and 6-1 in conference play, with their regular-season finale carrying implications for the Sooner’s automatic berth.
The Sooner Athletic Conference championship is on the line when Louisiana Christian hosts OUAZ. The Wildcats can secure the automatic berth with a victory, while an OUAZ win could create a two- or three-way tie depending on Wayland Baptist’s result. Louisiana Christian ranks fourth nationally in scoring at 51.0 points per game, while OUAZ leads the NAIA in scoring defense (9.8 points per game) and total defense (222.6 yards per game).
Lindsey Wilson controls the Mid-South Conference championship race entering its regular-season finale at Cumberlands (Ky.). The Blue Raiders can secure the automatic berth with a victory, while a loss would give the championship to No. 10 Campbellsville, which has completed its regular-season schedule. Lindsey Wilson running back Davontaye Saunders ranks among the national leaders with 1,427 rushing yards and 22 rushing touchdowns.
The Appalachian Athletic Conference championship and automatic berth to the NAIA Football Championship Series will be decided Saturday when Pikeville hosts Reinhardt. Both teams enter with identical 5-0 conference records, making the finale a winner-take-all matchup. Reinhardt ranks fourth nationally in rushing offense (270.7 yards per game), while Pikeville is among the nation’s defensive leaders with 18 interceptions and allows just 256.7 yards per game.
Owls Eye First Winning Season
William Woods has already established a program record with five victories and can secure its first winning season with a victory over MidAmerica Nazarene on Saturday. The Owls enter at 5-5, led defensively by Carter Holloway, whose seven interceptions are tied for the NAIA lead. William Woods defeated Central Methodist 23-14 last week.
Coyotes to Play Seed Spoiler
Kansas Wesleyan travels to No. 13 Southwestern (Kan.) on Saturday with an opportunity to affect the Moundbuilders’ postseason seeding. The Coyotes lead the NAIA with 36 sacks, rank second nationally with six defensive touchdowns and have recorded 82 tackles for loss. Southwestern has already secured the KCAC Bissell automatic berth.
Falcons Top NAIA in Scoring, Rushing
No. 15 Friends (Kan.) enters the final weekend leading the NAIA in scoring offense (56.7 points per game) and rushing offense (443.9 yards per game). The Falcons also lead the nation with 55 rushing touchdowns and average 8.5 yards per offensive play. Friends hosts Saint Mary on Saturday.
IWU’s Explosive Total Offense
No. 7 Indiana Wesleyan leads the NAIA in total offense at 584.6 yards per game, combining 304.8 passing yards with 279.8 rushing yards per contest. Quarterback Arjun Lothe has thrown 32 touchdown passes, while running back Ryan Whitwell leads the NAIA with 1,491 net rushing yards.
Stingy Defensive Leaders Set to Close 2026’s Regular Season
No. 2 St. Thomas (Fla.) leads the NAIA in rushing defense, allowing just 57.4 yards per game, while No. 5 Montana Tech ranks second nationally in total defense (224.8 yards allowed per game). The Bobcats have recovered a nation-leading 17 fumbles, while Montana Tech has recorded 34 sacks, second only to KWU.
BU’s Seals Among Receiving Leaders
Baker receiver Adrion Seals leads the NAIA with 1,270 receiving yards and ranks second nationally with 141.1 receiving yards per game. The Wildcats enter Saturday’s regular-season finale against Central Methodist at 8-1, having won seven consecutive games.
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