Loading
Loading scoreboard...
NAIA
A Montana Western football player running with the ball.
Eli Nourse leads No. 18 Montana Western into a top 20 showdown with No. 5 Montana Tech on NAIA Network.

NAIA Football Notebook: Week 2

Steve Wilson
|
September 10, 2026

It’s a stacked slate this week in NAIA Football, including three featured games on NAIA Network and another nine on the Urban Edge Network. No. 18 Montana Western hosts No. 5 Montana Tech at 2 p.m. MT on NAIA Network, while No. 13 William Penn (Iowa) travels to No. 3 Benedictine (Kan.) on UEN. Read about all 12 featured games, plus stats, storylines, and a full schedule of NAIA Football in 2026 in this week’s NAIA Football Notebook.

No. 5 Montana Tech at No. 18 Montana Western, 2 p.m. MT
A top-20 Frontier matchup pairs one of the nation’s stingiest defenses against one of its most explosive offenses. Montana Tech (2-0) is allowing just 7.0 points and 109.5 yards per game, while Montana Western piled up 618 yards in its opener. Kaden LaPlaunt leads the NAIA in pass efficiency, while Eli Nourse caught nine passes for 170 yards and five touchdowns. Western has won seven of the last 10 meetings, though Tech snapped a three-game skid with a 38-27 win last season.


No. 15 Southeastern at No. 23 Reinhardt, 7 p.m. ET
Southeastern takes a four-game series winning streak to Reinhardt after opening with a 37-23 win over Faulkner. The Fire were perfect on four red-zone trips, while Joel McGrath went 3-for-3 on field goals and placed five punts inside the 20. Southeastern is 4-1 all-time against Reinhardt, winning in 2023 and 2024 before sweeping two meetings in 2025, including a postseason matchup.


No. 12 Marian at No. 17 Saint Francis (Ind.), 7 p.m. ET
A familiar Indiana rivalry renews for the 22nd time as Marian looks to continue its recent control of the series. The Knights bounced back from a season-opening loss at UIndy with a 53-0 shutout at Defiance, while Saint Francis enters 0-2. Marian’s CJ Harris has 251 kickoff-return yards and a touchdown through two games. Marian owns a 13-8 series advantage and has won seven of the last eight meetings, including a 49-0 shutout last season.

Visit UrbanEdgeNetwork.net or search for UEN in the apps section on your mobile device. You can also cast to your in-home television using AirPlay or Chromecast devices.

No. 22 Southwestern at No. 19 Evangel, 11 a.m. CT
Two unbeatens meet after combining for 10 INTs, including two from Evangel’s Cullen Snow.

No. 13 William Penn at No. 3 Benedictine, 1 p.m. CT
WPU is 2-0 and has forced five fumbles, while BC has converted 61 percent on third down.

No. 1 Grand View at Missouri Valley, 1 p.m. CT
The defending national champs visit Missouri Valley, which ranks second in all-time wins.

Concordia at Hastings, 1 p.m. CT
CUNE opened with a 77-7 win and is averaging 681 yards of offense.

No. 16 St. Thomas at No. 20 Georgetown, 1 p.m. ET
St. Thomas is allowing just 14.5 rushing yards per game, while Georgetown has surrendered only 93.5 passing yards per contest.

Warner at Cumberlands (Ky.), 1:30 p.m. ET
Cumberlands is 2-0 and averaging an explosive 9.0 yards per play.

Mount Marty at No. 24 Northwestern, 6 p.m. CT
MMU’s Rugby Ryken has thrown for 733 yards and 10 TDs, in a QB battle with NAIA Offensive Player of the Week Colby Duncan.

No. 21 McPherson at Tabor, 6 p.m. CT
McPherson is 2-0 while averaging more than 660 yards of offense and allowing just 3.5 points per game.

Louisiana Christian at Wayland Baptist, 6 p.m. CT
LCU is 2-0 after scoring 70 last week with two defensive TDs.

Florida Memorial QB David Buggs turned in a 420-yard, five-TD effort in a 38-31 win over Allen, completing 21-of-36.

In the same game, FMU kicker Sean Egloff was 5-for-5 on PATs and made his only attempted field goal of the game, a 24-yarder. He also served as the Lions’ punter, depositing two punts inside the 20.

Eli Nourse caught a program record five touchdowns for Montana Western in a 49-35 win over Montana State-Northern.

Taylor (Ind.) DB Reid Messer had seven tackles and a pair of interceptions, including one in his own end zone.

College of Idaho K/P Josh Horn was 9-for-9 on PATs, had a punt inside the 20, and had a touchback kicking off.

Ottawa (Kan.) became the third NAIA program to eclipse 600 wins, as the Braves are at 601 after a 2-0 start. They trail only Baker (Kan.), at 661, and Missouri Valley, at 647 – the only NAIA programs with 600 or more wins in their histories.

Davontaye Saunders is picking up where he left off in 2025 for Lindsey Wilson, leading the NAIA with six touchdowns, second with 368 rushing yards and seventh on the all-purpose yards list. His teammate, Max Gainey, leads NAIA all-purpose yards through two games.

The KCAC emerged on offense, including Friends (Kan.), now 40 yards away from 1,000. The Falcons have scored an NAIA-best 146 points, while McPherson (Kan.) leads in total offense at 1,332 yards.

Colby Duncan, Northwestern (Iowa), accounted for 427 of the team’s 517 yards, with a passing TD and four rushing, in a 43-35 win over Morningside.

Northwestern quarterback Colby Duncan throwing a pass against Morningside

Christian Hansen, Montana Tech, collected his first pick and forced fumble on back-to-back Carroll (Mont.) possessions, as the Orediggers held the Saints to 99 yards in a 24-14 win.

Christian Hansen breaks up a pass in 2025 against Southern Oregon.

AJ Woods, Kansas Wesleyan, drilled a dozen kicks – 4-for-4 on field goals and 8-for-8 on PATs – with FG makes from 42, 30, 25, and 18 yards in the Coyotes’ 76-6 win over Bethany (Kan.).

Kansas Wesleyan kicker AJ Wood against Bethany.

RELATED NEWS

NAIA Men’s Cross Country Notebook #4

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Three weeks remain in the 2026 NAIA Men’s Cross-Country season, and the race to see who will be taking part in the NAIA Championship Meet in late November is heating up. Teams and individuals are jockeying for position as we head towards the conference championship meets. Let’s take a look at […]

NAIA Women’s Cross Country Notebook #4

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – We are heading to the final stretch of the 2026 NAIA Women’s Cross Country season as three weeks remain. The top teams and individuals are making their final preparations for conference championships and a possible spot in the NAIA Championship Meet. There was not much movement in the top five in […]

Women's swimmers diving into a pool to compete.

St. Thomas Claims Top Spot in First SwimCloud NAIA Women’s Swimming & Diving Ratings Release of 2026-27

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – St. Thomas (Fla.) opens the 2026-27 season at No. 1 in the SwimCloud NAIA Women’s Swimming & Diving Ratings with 510.03 points. The Bobcats hold a 40.63-point advantage over second-place Keiser (Fla.), which enters the season with 469.40 points. Cumberlands (Ky.) follows closely in third with 464.61 points, just 4.79 points […]

Swimmers diving into a pool to race.

St. Thomas (Fla.) Opens Season Atop SwimCloud NAIA Men’s Swimming & Diving Ratings

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – St. Thomas (Fla.) opens the 2026-27 season atop the SwimCloud NAIA Men’s Swimming & Diving Ratings with 576.41 points. The Bobcats hold a 44.01-point advantage over second-place St. Ambrose (Iowa), which enters the season with 532.40 points. Defending national champion Keiser (Fla.) begins its title defense in fourth with 507.61 points. […]