KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) has released its final edition of the 2026 STADIONIC NAIA Football Coaches' Top 25 Poll. For the second straight week, Carroll College appears at No. 11 in the nation.
The Fighting Saints (6-1, 3-0) made their first ever trip to Redding, Calif. this weekend, putting up their fifth-straight 40-plus point performance in a 45-31 win over Simpson.
While five teams ranked inside of last week's Top-25 lost this weekend, there was little change in the top half of the poll. The biggest movement came from St. Thomas, who Carroll beat in the opening round of last year's NAIA Football Championship Series. The Bobcats jumped up five spots to No. 4 in the NAIA following a 52-7 win over then-ranked No. 2 Keiser. The Seahawks had one of the biggest falls, now sitting one spot in front of the Saints at No. 10.
The Saints are still one of just three teams appearing inside the NAIA Top-25. College of Idaho was the unanimous No. 1 this week. Montana Tech remains idle at No. 5. Dakota State remains in the receiving votes portion of the poll, and are now joined by the Frontier-West's Eastern Oregon. EOU picked up a win over Southern Oregon, and are now receiving votes following their 5-1 start to the year.
Next week's poll is slated for Tuesday afternoon (Oct. 27), accompanied by the first ARC ratings of the 2026 season.
The Saints will enjoy a well deserved bye week, and begin preparations for their final home game of the 2026 season, a 6 p.m. tilt with Southern Oregon on October 31.
Below is the full NAIA Football Coaches' Poll :
| TREND |
RANK |
LAST |
INSTITUTION [FIRST-PLACE VOTES] |
RECORD |
| ● |
1 |
1 |
College of Idaho [13] |
6-0 |
| ▲ |
2 |
3 |
Benedictine (Kan.) |
7-1 |
| ▲ |
3 |
4 |
Grand View (Iowa) |
6-1 |
| ▲ |
4 |
9 |
St. Thomas (Fla.) |
7-0 |
| ● |
5 |
5 |
Montana Tech |
6-1 |
| ● |
6 |
6 |
Morningside (Iowa) |
6-1 |
| ● |
7 |
7 |
Friends (Kan.) |
7-0 |
| ● |
8 |
8 |
Marian (Ind.) |
6-1 |
| ▲ |
9 |
10 |
Indiana Wesleyan |
6-1 |
| ▼ |
10 |
2 |
Keiser (Fla.) |
4-2 |
| ● |
11 |
11 |
Carroll (Mont.) |
6-1 |
| ▲ |
T-12 |
13 |
Campbellsville (Ky.) |
6-1 |
| ▲ |
T-12 |
14 |
Dordt (Iowa) |
5-2 |
| ▲ |
14 |
15 |
Louisiana Christian |
7-1 |
| ▲ |
15 |
17 |
Georgetown (Ky.) |
4-2 |
| ▲ |
16 |
18 |
Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) |
5-2 |
| ▼ |
17 |
12 |
McPherson (Kan.) |
6-1 |
| ▲ |
18 |
19 |
Midland (Neb.) |
6-1 |
| ▲ |
19 |
20 |
Northwestern (Iowa) |
6-2 |
| ▲ |
20 |
22 |
Southeastern (Fla.) |
5-1 |
| ▲ |
21 |
23 |
Baker (Kan.) |
5-1 |
| ▼ |
22 |
16 |
Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) |
5-1 |
| ▲ |
23 |
RV |
Southwestern (Kan.) |
6-1 |
| ▲ |
24 |
RV |
Cumberlands (Ky.) |
5-2 |
| ▲ |
25 |
RV |
Taylor (Ind.) |
5-2 |
Dropped out of the Top 25: Cumberland (Tenn.), Evangel (Mo.), William Penn (Iowa)
Receiving Votes: Cumberland (Tenn.), Dakota State (S.D.), Eastern Oregon, Evangel (Mo.), Kansas Wesleyan, MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.), Ottawa (Kan.), OUAZ (Ariz.), William Penn (Iowa)
