KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) has released its latest edition of the 2026 STADIONIC NAIA Football Coaches' Top 25 Poll. For the second straight week, Carroll College moved up one position, now appearing at No. 11.
Few teams in the NAIA have been as hot as the Fighting Saints (5-1, 2-0) in recent weeks. For the second week in a row, Carroll picked-up a lopsided victory, knocking-off Montana Western 52-10, and were rewarded with a one spot bump in the national ranking.
Carroll moves back up to the spot in which they started, coming into the 2026 at No. 11 in the Preseason Coaches Poll. The Saints are now once again knocking on the door of the Top-10, looking to break-in for the first time in nearly a year (October 20, 2025 - No. 8).
The Saints are now one of just three teams appearing inside the NAIA Top-25. College of Idaho remains at No. 1 following a bye-week. Montana Tech moved up one spot to No. 5 following a win over MSU-Northern. Dakota State, who was ranked No. 23 in last week's poll, dropped out of the Top-25 into the receiving votes portion following their loss to Dickinson State at home this past weekend.
Carroll, averaging 53 points per game over the last four weeks, will look to keep things rolling this weekend as they make their first-ever trip to Redding, Calif. for a showdown with a Simpson team that's averaging 36.7 points per game on the season.
Below is the full NAIA Football Coaches' Poll :
| RANK |
LAST |
INSTITUTION [FIRST PLACE VOTES] |
RECORD |
| ● |
1 |
1 |
College of Idaho [9] |
5-0 |
| ● |
2 |
2 |
Keiser (Fla.) [4] |
4-1 |
| ▲ |
3 |
4 |
Benedictine (Kan.) |
5-1 |
| ▲ |
4 |
5 |
Grand View (Iowa) |
5-1 |
| ▲ |
5 |
6 |
Montana Tech |
6-1 |
| ▲ |
6 |
7 |
Morningside (Iowa) |
6-1 |
| ▲ |
7 |
8 |
Friends (Kan.) |
6-0 |
| ▲ |
8 |
10 |
Marian (Ind.) |
5-1 |
| ● |
9 |
9 |
St. Thomas (Fla.) |
6-0 |
| ▼ |
10 |
3 |
Indiana Wesleyan |
5-1 |
| ▲ |
11 |
12 |
Carroll (Mont.) |
5-1 |
| ▲ |
12 |
14 |
McPherson (Kan.) |
6-0 |
| ● |
13 |
13 |
Campbellsville (Ky.) |
5-1 |
| ▲ |
14 |
15 |
Dordt (Iowa) |
4-2 |
| ▲ |
15 |
16 |
Louisiana Christian |
6-1 |
| ▲ |
16 |
17 |
Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) |
5-0 |
| ▲ |
17 |
22 |
Georgetown (Ky.) |
4-2 |
| ▼ |
18 |
11 |
Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) |
5-2 |
| ● |
19 |
19 |
Midland (Neb.) |
5-1 |
| ● |
20 |
20 |
Northwestern (Iowa) |
5-2 |
| ▼ |
21 |
18 |
William Penn (Iowa) |
5-1 |
| ▼ |
22 |
21 |
Southeastern (Fla.) |
4-1 |
| ▲ |
23 |
24 |
Baker (Kan.) |
5-1 |
| ▲ |
24 |
25 |
Evangel (Mo.) |
4-2 |
| ▲ |
25 |
RV |
Cumberland (Tenn.) |
3-2 |
Dropped out of the Top 25: Dakota State (S.D.)
Receiving Votes: Cumberlands (Ky.), Dakota State (S.D.), Kansas Wesleyan, MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.), OUAZ (Ariz.), Southwestern (Kan.), Taylor (Ind.)
Be sure to visit www.carrollathletics.com for a preview of Saturday's road test at Simpson, and for complete coverage of the Fighting Saints all season long.
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