2018 NAIA Football Coaches’ Top 25 Poll — Postseason (Dec. 18)
December 19, 2018
After a thrilling 35-28 victory over Benedictine (Kan.) in the 2018 NAIA National Championship, Morningside (Iowa) completed an undefeated season and remained atop the NAIA Coaches’ Postseason Top 25 poll. The Mustangs received all 16 first-place votes as the team from Sioux City captured its first national title in team history.
RELATED ARTICLE: [D2 Poll] Valdosta State No. 1 In Final Coaches Poll After Claiming 4th National Title
Top 25 Highlights (historical information dates back to 1999)
- Morningside scored to take the lead for good on a 16-yard connection from Trent Solsma to Connor Niles.
- Benedictine finishes 2018 No. 2 overall, its highest ranking to conclude a season. Overall, the last time the Ravens were as high as No. 2 in the poll was on Sept. 24, 2002.
- The Baker (Kan.) Wildcats checked-in at No. 5. It is the highest ranking for the team since Oct. 30, 2017 when the squad from Baldwin City, Kan., was ranked No. 2.
- Saint Francis (Ind.) and Kansas Wesleyan both jumped into the top five after completing their seasons in the NAIA Football Championship Series Semifinal Round.
- Saint Xavier (Ill.) made the biggest jump. The team rose 10 spots from 17 to seven. The Cougars provided perhaps the biggest upset of the championship after handing then-No. 2 Marian (Ind.) a 34-21 loss in the first round.
- Carroll (Mont.) owns the most No. 1-rankings with 57, followed by former NAIA member Sioux Falls (S.D.) (55) Morningside (28), Georgetown (Ky.) (25) and Marian (22).
- Morningside holds the longest active streak with 149-straight Top 25 mentions.
2018 NAIA Football Coaches’ Top 25 Poll – Postseason (Dec. 18)
RANK LAST WEEK SCHOOL [1st Place Votes] RECORD FINAL POINTS
1 1 Morningside (Iowa) [16] 15-0 366
2 7 Benedictine (Kan.) 13-2 352
3 8 Saint Francis (Ind.) 10-3 338
4 6 Kansas Wesleyan 13-1 324
5 12 Baker (Kan.) 9-3 289
6 13 Concordia (Mich.) 10-3 282
7 17 Saint Xavier (Ill.) 9-4 271
8 15 Dickinson State (N.D.) 9-3 269
9 2 Marian (Ind.) 10-1 262
10 3 Bethel (Tenn.) 10-1 237
11 4 Reinhardt (Ga.) 9-2 220
12 5 Northwestern (Iowa) 9-2 216
12 11 Cumberlands (Ky.) 10-2 216
14 9 Langston (Okla.) 9-2 186
15 10 Grand View (Iowa) 8-3 184
16 16 Rocky Mountain (Mont.) 8-4 161
17 14 Evangel (Mo.) 9-2 145
18 18 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) 7-3 127
19 19 Georgetown (Ky.) 7-3 111
20 20 Ottawa (Kan.) 8-2 87
21 21 Southeastern (Fla.) 7-3 79
22 22 College of Idaho 6-5 66
23 23 Dordt (Iowa) 7-3 47
24 24 Eastern Oregon 6-4 39
25 25 Siena Heights (Mich.) 7-3 22
Dropped from the Top 25: Arizona Christian.
Others Receiving Votes: Arizona Christian 20, Montana Western 5, Southern Oregon 5, Tabor (Kan.) 3.
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After a thrilling 35-28 victory over Benedictine (Kan.) in the 2018 NAIA National Championship, Morningside (Iowa) completed an undefeated season and remained atop the NAIA Coaches’ Postseason Top 25 poll. The Mustangs received all 16 first-place votes as the team from Sioux City captured its first national title in team history.
RELATED ARTICLE: [D2 Poll] Valdosta State No. 1 In Final Coaches Poll After Claiming 4th National Title
Top 25 Highlights (historical information dates back to 1999)
- Morningside scored to take the lead for good on a 16-yard connection from Trent Solsma to Connor Niles.
- Benedictine finishes 2018 No. 2 overall, its highest ranking to conclude a season. Overall, the last time the Ravens were as high as No. 2 in the poll was on Sept. 24, 2002.
- The Baker (Kan.) Wildcats checked-in at No. 5. It is the highest ranking for the team since Oct. 30, 2017 when the squad from Baldwin City, Kan., was ranked No. 2.
- Saint Francis (Ind.) and Kansas Wesleyan both jumped into the top five after completing their seasons in the NAIA Football Championship Series Semifinal Round.
- Saint Xavier (Ill.) made the biggest jump. The team rose 10 spots from 17 to seven. The Cougars provided perhaps the biggest upset of the championship after handing then-No. 2 Marian (Ind.) a 34-21 loss in the first round.
- Carroll (Mont.) owns the most No. 1-rankings with 57, followed by former NAIA member Sioux Falls (S.D.) (55) Morningside (28), Georgetown (Ky.) (25) and Marian (22).
- Morningside holds the longest active streak with 149-straight Top 25 mentions.
2018 NAIA Football Coaches’ Top 25 Poll – Postseason (Dec. 18)
| RANK | LAST WEEK | SCHOOL [1st Place Votes] | RECORD | FINAL POINTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Morningside (Iowa) [16] | 15-0 | 366 |
| 2 | 7 | Benedictine (Kan.) | 13-2 | 352 |
| 3 | 8 | Saint Francis (Ind.) | 10-3 | 338 |
| 4 | 6 | Kansas Wesleyan | 13-1 | 324 |
| 5 | 12 | Baker (Kan.) | 9-3 | 289 |
| 6 | 13 | Concordia (Mich.) | 10-3 | 282 |
| 7 | 17 | Saint Xavier (Ill.) | 9-4 | 271 |
| 8 | 15 | Dickinson State (N.D.) | 9-3 | 269 |
| 9 | 2 | Marian (Ind.) | 10-1 | 262 |
| 10 | 3 | Bethel (Tenn.) | 10-1 | 237 |
| 11 | 4 | Reinhardt (Ga.) | 9-2 | 220 |
| 12 | 5 | Northwestern (Iowa) | 9-2 | 216 |
| 12 | 11 | Cumberlands (Ky.) | 10-2 | 216 |
| 14 | 9 | Langston (Okla.) | 9-2 | 186 |
| 15 | 10 | Grand View (Iowa) | 8-3 | 184 |
| 16 | 16 | Rocky Mountain (Mont.) | 8-4 | 161 |
| 17 | 14 | Evangel (Mo.) | 9-2 | 145 |
| 18 | 18 | Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) | 7-3 | 127 |
| 19 | 19 | Georgetown (Ky.) | 7-3 | 111 |
| 20 | 20 | Ottawa (Kan.) | 8-2 | 87 |
| 21 | 21 | Southeastern (Fla.) | 7-3 | 79 |
| 22 | 22 | College of Idaho | 6-5 | 66 |
| 23 | 23 | Dordt (Iowa) | 7-3 | 47 |
| 24 | 24 | Eastern Oregon | 6-4 | 39 |
| 25 | 25 | Siena Heights (Mich.) | 7-3 | 22 |
Dropped from the Top 25: Arizona Christian.
Others Receiving Votes: Arizona Christian 20, Montana Western 5, Southern Oregon 5, Tabor (Kan.) 3.
For more information about the AFCA, visit www.AFCA.com. For more interesting articles, check out The Insider and subscribe to our weekly email.
If you are interested in more in-depth articles and videos, please become an AFCA member. You can find out more information about membership and specific member benefits on the AFCA Membership Overview page. If you are ready to join, please fill out the AFCA Membership Application.
