Overview
Since 1950, the AFCA has conducted a weekly Top 20/Top 25 poll during the college football season. The AFCA awards the AFCA Coaches’ Trophy to the No. 1-ranked team in the final FBS Coaches Poll each season.
Format
The FBS Coaches Poll is conducted weekly throughout the regular season using a panel of head coaches at FBS schools. The panel is chosen by random draw, conference by conference plus independents, from a pool of coaches who have indicated to the AFCA their willingness to participate. Each coach submits a Top 25 with a first-place vote worth 25 points, second place 24, and so on down to one point for 25th.
The US LBM Board of Coaches for the 2026 season:
- 1950
- Oklahoma
- Bud Wilkinson
- 1951
- Tennessee
- Robert Neyland
- 1952
- Michigan State
- Biggie Munn
- 1953
- Maryland
- Jim Tatum
- 1954
- UCLA
- Red Sanders
- 1955
- Oklahoma
- Bud Wilkinson
- 1956
- Oklahoma
- Bud Wilkinson
- 1957
- Ohio State
- Woody Hayes
- 1958
- LSU
- Paul Dietzel
- 1959
- Syracuse
- Ben Schwartzwalder
- 1960
- Minnesota
- Murray Warmath
- 1961
- Alabama
- Bear Bryant
- 1962
- USC
- John McKay
- 1963
- Texas
- Darrell Royal
- 1964
- Alabama
- Bear Bryant
- 1965
- Michigan State
- Duffy Daugherty
- 1966
- Notre Dame
- Ara Parseghian
- 1967
- USC
- John McKay
- 1968
- Ohio State
- Woody Hayes
- 1969
- Texas
- Darrell Royal
- 1970
- Texas
- Darrell Royal
- 1971
- Nebraska
- Bob Devaney
- 1972
- USC
- John McKay
- 1973
- Alabama
- Bear Bryant
- 1974
- USC
- John McKay
- 1975
- Oklahoma
- Barry Switzer
- 1976
- Pittsburgh
- Johnny Majors
- 1977
- Notre Dame
- Dan Devine
- 1978
- USC
- John Robinson
- 1979
- Alabama
- Bear Bryant
- 1980
- Georgia
- Vince Dooley
- 1981
- Clemson
- Danny Ford
- 1982
- Penn State
- Joe Paterno
- 1983
- Miami (FL)
- Howard Schnellenberger
- 1984
- BYU
- LaVell Edwards
- 1985
- Oklahoma
- Barry Switzer
- 1986
- Penn State
- Joe Paterno
- 1987
- Miami (FL)
- Jimmy Johnson
- 1988
- Notre Dame
- Lou Holtz
- 1989
- Miami (FL)
- Dennis Erickson
- 1990
- Georgia Tech
- Bobby Ross
- 1991
- Washington
- Don James
- 1992
- Alabama
- Gene Stallings
- 1993
- Florida State
- Bobby Bowden
- 1994
- Nebraska
- Tom Osborne
- 1995
- Nebraska
- Tom Osborne
- 1996
- Florida
- Steve Spurrier
- 1997
- Nebraska
- Tom Osborne
- 1998
- Tennessee
- Phil Fulmer
- 1999
- Florida State
- Bobby Bowden
- 2000
- Oklahoma
- Bob Stoops
- 2001
- Miami (FL)
- Larry Coker
- 2002
- Ohio State
- Jim Tressel
- 2003
- LSU
- Nick Saban
- 2004
- USC
- Pete Carroll
- 2005
- Texas
- Mack Brown
- 2006
- Florida
- Urban Meyer
- 2007
- LSU
- Les Miles
- 2008
- Florida
- Urban Meyer
- 2009
- Alabama
- Nick Saban
- 2010
- Auburn
- Gene Chizik
- 2011
- Alabama
- Nick Saban
- 2012
- Alabama
- Nick Saban
- 2013
- Florida State
- Jimbo Fisher
- 2014
- Ohio State
- Urban Meyer
- 2015
- Alabama
- Nick Saban
- 2016
- Clemson
- Dabo Swinney
- 2017
- Alabama
- Nick Saban
- 2018
- Clemson
- Dabo Swinney
- 2019
- LSU
- Ed Orgeron
- 2020
- Alabama
- Nick Saban
- 2021
- Georgia
- Kirby Smart
- 2022
- Georgia
- Kirby Smart
- 2023
- Michigan
- Jim Harbaugh
- 2024
- Ohio State
- Ryan Day
- 2025
- Indiana
- Curt Cignetti
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Pts. | Prev. | Rec. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas (42) | 1,804 | 3 | 2-0 | |
| 2 | Georgia (15) | 1,732 | 2 | 2-0 | |
| 3 | Notre Dame (4) | 1,639 | 4 | 2-0 | |
| 4 | Indiana (10) | 1,611 | 5 | 2-0 | |
| 5 | Miami (Fla.) (2) | 1,549 | 7 | 2-0 | |
| 6 | Ohio State | 1,480 | 1 | 1-1 | |
| 7 | LSU (1) | 1,405 | 8 | 2-0 | |
| 8 | Texas A&M | 1,311 | 9 | 2-0 | |
| 9 | Mississippi | 1,228 | 11 | 2-0 | |
| 10 | Alabama | 1,206 | 12 | 2-0 | |
| 11 | Southern California | 1,023 | 14 | 2-0 | |
| 12 | Texas Tech | 977 | 13 | 2-0 | |
| 13 | BYU | 975 | 15 | 2-0 | |
| 14 | Tennessee | 679 | 18 | 2-0 | |
| 15 | Penn State | 676 | 16 | 2-0 | |
| 16 | SMU | 605 | 17 | 2-0 | |
| 17 | Utah | 590 | 20 | 2-0 | |
| 18 | Oregon | 564 | 6 | 1-1 | |
| 19 | Michigan | 426 | 24 | 2-0 | |
| 20 | Iowa | 423 | 21 | 2-0 | |
| 21 | Oklahoma | 395 | 10 | 1-1 | |
| 22 | Missouri | 340 | 23 | 2-0 | |
| 23 | Houston | 290 | 22 | 2-0 | |
| 24 | Washington | 268 | 19 | 2-0 | |
| 25 | Virginia | 249 | 25 | 2-0 |
Dropped out: No. 25 Florida (2-0).
Others receiving votes: Florida (2-0) 183; Louisville (1-1) 160; Boise State (1-1) 44; Kansas State (2-0) 24; South Carolina (2-0) 23; Mississippi State (2-0) 20; Vanderbilt (2-0) 19; Duke (2-0) 19; Nebraska (2-0) 18; Oklahoma State (1-1) 16; Pittsburgh (2-0) 16; Auburn (2-0) 15; Western Michigan (1-1) 10; Virginia Tech (2-0) 9; UCLA (2-0) 8; Tulsa (2-0) 7; North Dakota State (3-0) 5; New Mexico (2-0) 4; Clemson (1-1) 3; Arizona (1-1) 1; Wake Forest (2-0) 1.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Pts. | Prev. | Rec. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ohio State (50) | 1,801 | 1 | 1-0 | |
| 2 | Georgia (7) | 1,672 | 3 | 1-0 | |
| 3 | Texas (1) | 1,600 | 4 | 1-0 | |
| 4 | Notre Dame (4) | 1,558 | 5 | 1-0 | |
| 5 | Indiana (11) | 1,537 | 6 | 1-0 | |
| 6 | Oregon (1) | 1,524 | 2 | 1-0 | |
| 7 | Miami (Fla.) | 1,477 | 7 | 1-0 | |
| 8 | LSU | 1,279 | 13 | 1-0 | |
| 9 | Texas A&M | 1,204 | 8 | 1-0 | |
| 10 | Oklahoma | 1,184 | 9 | 1-0 | |
| 11 | Mississippi | 1,141 | 10 | 1-0 | |
| 12 | Alabama | 1,059 | 11 | 1-0 | |
| 13 | Texas Tech | 955 | 12 | 1-0 | |
| 14 | Southern California | 919 | 14 | 2-0 | |
| 15 | Brigham Young | 838 | 15 | 1-0 | |
| 16 | Penn State | 612 | 17 | 1-0 | |
| 17 | SMU | 517 | 20 | 1-0 | |
| 18 | Tennessee | 513 | 18 | 1-0 | |
| 19 | Washington | 432 | 19 | 1-0 | |
| 20 | Utah | 415 | 21 | 1-0 | |
| 21 | Iowa | 411 | 22 | 1-0 | |
| 22 | Houston | 236 | 24 | 1-0 | |
| 23 | Missouri | 231 | 25 | 1-0 | |
| 24 | Michigan | 164 | 16 | 1-0 | |
| 25 | Florida | 157 | NR | 1-0 | |
| 25 | Virginia | 157 | NR | 1-0 |
Dropped out: No. 23 Clemson (0-1).
Others receiving votes: Louisville (0-1) 125; Illinois (1-0) 45; Boise State (0-1) 43; Arizona (1-0) 42; South Carolina (1-0) 36; Memphis (2-0) 24; Auburn (1-0) 19; Vanderbilt (1-0) 17; Pittsburgh (1-0) 14; Virginia Tech (1-0) 11; Nebraska (1-0) 11; Arizona State (1-0) 11; Minnesota (1-0) 9; New Mexico (1-0) 7; Western Michigan (0-1) 7; Kansas State (1-0) 6; North Dakota State (2-0) 6; Navy (1-0) 5; Duke (1-0) 4; UCLA (1-0) 4; Clemson (0-1) 3; UNLV (1-1) 3; North Carolina (1-0) 2; San Diego State (1-0) 2; Colorado (1-0) 1.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Pts. | Prev. | 2025 Rec. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ohio State (38) | 1,741 | 6 | 12-2 | |
| 2 | Oregon (6) | 1,637 | 4 | 13-2 | |
| 3 | Georgia (7) | 1,591 | 5 | 12-2 | |
| 4 | Texas (2) | 1,544 | 13 | 10-3 | |
| 5 | Notre Dame (5) | 1,524 | 11 | 10-2 | |
| 6 | Indiana (14) | 1,522 | 1 | 16-0 | |
| 7 | Miami (Fla.) | 1,409 | 2 | 13-3 | |
| 8 | Texas A&M | 1,174 | 8 | 11-2 | |
| 9 | Oklahoma | 1,104 | 10 | 10-3 | |
| 10 | Mississippi | 1,096 | 3 | 13-2 | |
| 11 | Alabama | 1,050 | 9 | 11-4 | |
| 12 | Texas Tech | 1,034 | 7 | 12-2 | |
| 13 | LSU | 951 | NR | 7-6 | |
| 14 | Southern California | 838 | 21 | 9-4 | |
| 15 | BYU | 781 | 12 | 12-2 | |
| 16 | Michigan | 719 | 22 | 9-4 | |
| 17 | Penn State | 463 | NR | 7-6 | |
| 18 | Tennessee | 428 | NR | 8-5 | |
| 19 | Washington | 406 | NR | 9-4 | |
| 20 | SMU | 378 | NR | 9-4 | |
| 21 | Utah | 313 | 14 | 11-2 | |
| 22 | Iowa | 291 | 17 | 9-4 | |
| 23 | Clemson | 235 | NR | 7-6 | |
| 24 | Houston | 194 | 19 | 10-3 | |
| 25 | Missouri | 158 | NR | 8-5 |
Dropped out: No. 15 Vanderbilt (10-3); No. 16 Virginia (11-3); No. 18 Tulane (11-3); No. 20 James Madison (12-2); No. 23 Navy (11-2); No. 24 Georgia Tech (9-4); No. 25 Illinois (9-4).
Others receiving votes: Louisville (9-4) 153; Florida (4-8) 147; TCU (9-4) 63; Illinois (9-4) 62; Arizona (9-4) 50; South Carolina (4-8) 50; Virginia (11-3) 40; Vanderbilt (10-3) 37; Auburn (5-7) 29; Georgia Tech (9-4) 26; Boise State (9-5) 24; Oklahoma State (1-11) 22; UNLV (10-4) 17; Florida State (5-7) 13; North Carolina State (8-5) 13; Nebraska (7-6) 12; Virginia Tech (3-9) 12; Memphis (8-5) 9; Arizona State (8-5) 8; Duke (9-5) 6; James Madison (12-2) 6; New Mexico (9-4) 4; Pittsburgh (8-5) 4; Navy (11-2) 3; Western Michigan (10-4) 3; San Diego State (9-4) 2; California (7-6) 1; Hawaii (9-4) 1; Jacksonville State (9-5) 1; Kansas State (6-6) 1.
Overview
In response to overwhelming support by NCAA FCS coaches, the American Football Coaches Association began publishing a FCS Top 25 Coaches’ Poll in 2018. Prior to 2018, the NCAA FCS Coaches Poll was administered by the Southern Conference.
Format
The FCS poll follows the same basic format as the US LBM Coaches Poll. The FCS Board of Coaches will have 26 voters representing all FCS football-playing conferences, as well as independent schools. The FCS Coaches’ Poll will be released on Mondays beginning with a preseason poll in August and will run through the final week of the regular season in November. A final poll will be released on the Monday following the NCAA FCS championship game.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week 2 | Next Game | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Montana St. (26) | 3-0 | 650 | 1 | D. Nevada, 20-7 | Sept. 19 vs. Central Connecticut St. | |
| 2 | Montana | 3-0 | 601 | 2 | D. Utah Tech, 35-14 | Sept. 19 at Oregon St. | |
| 3 | South Dakota St. | 2-1 | 595 | 3 | D. New Haven, 57-14 | Sept. 19 vs. No. 9 Youngstown St. | |
| 4 | Illinois St. | 3-0 | 578 | 4 | D. Northern Illinois, 28-24 | Sept. 19 vs. Eastern Illinois | |
| 5 | Tarleton St. | 3-0 | 552 | 5 | D. McNeese, 27-24 | Sept. 19 vs. Merrimack | |
| 6 | North Dakota | 3-0 | 483 | 7 | D. Portland St., 47-23 | Sept. 19 at Nebraska | |
| 7 | Lehigh | 3-0 | 473 | 8 | D. No. 16 William & Mary, 44-20 | Sept. 19 vs. Dartmouth | |
| 8 | Stephen F. Austin | 3-0 | 432 | 9 | D. No. 25 ACU, 26-7 | Sept. 19 at Prairie View A&M | |
| 9 | Youngstown St. | 2-1 | 405 | 10 | D. Duquesne, 70-13 | Sept. 19 at No. 3 South Dakota St. | |
| 10 | Tennessee Tech | 3-0 | 393 | 11 | D. Samford, 45-19 | Sept. 26 at Wofford | |
| 11 | UC Davis | 2-1 | 389 | 6 | Lost to SMU, 56-10 | Sept. 19 vs. Stetson | |
| 12 | South Dakota | 3-0 | 370 | 12 | D. Eastern Washington, 41-23 | Sept. 19 at Boise St. | |
| 13 | Rhode Island | 2-1 | 331 | 13 | D. Elon, 31-10 | Sept. 19 at Stony Brook | |
| 14 | Austin Peay | 2-1 | 317 | 15 | D. Morehead St., 63-7 | Sept. 19 at No. 17 West Florida | |
| 15 | Lamar | 2-1 | 268 | 17 | D. Idaho, 23-17 | Sept. 26 at Nicholls | |
| 16 | South Carolina St. | 3-0 | 194 | 20 | D. Virginia St., 66-0 | Sept. 19 at No. 24 Furman | |
| 17 | West Florida | 2-0 | 178 | 22 | Idle | Sept. 19 vs. No. 14 Austin Peay | |
| 18 | Idaho St. | 3-0 | 177 | 24 | D. San Diego, 59-17 | Sept. 26 at Southern Utah | |
| 19 | Northern Arizona | 2-1 | 174 | 23 | D. UIW, 38-28 | Sept. 19 at Utah Tech | |
| 20 | Yale | 0-0 | 160 | 19 | Idle | Sept. 19 at Holy Cross | |
| 21 | William & Mary | 2-1 | 103 | 16 | Lost to No. 8 Lehigh, 44-20 | Sept. 19 vs. Fordham | |
| 22 | Mercer | 2-1 | 93 | 14 | Lost to Furman, 20-13 | Sept. 19 at Georgia Tech | |
| 23 | Villanova | 1-2 | 83 | 18 | Lost to Louisville, 59-13 | Sept. 19 at LIU | |
| 24 | Furman | 2-1 | 74 | NR | D. No. 14 Mercer, 20-13 | Sept. 19 vs. No. 16 South Carolina St. | |
| 25 | Southern Illinois | 2-1 | 70 | NR | D. Southeast Missouri St., 34-20 | Sept. 19 at Illinois |
Dropped Out: Richmond (21), ACU (25)
Others Receiving Votes: Richmond, 67; Cal Poly, 51; Colgate, 30; Wofford, 27; Jackson St., 20; Prairie View A&M, 20; Harvard, 18; Central Arkansas, 16; Southern Utah, 13; Alabama St., 10; Elon, 7; HCU, 6; Campbell, 4; Robert Morris (Pa.), 4; UAlbany, 3; ACU, 2; Dartmouth, 2; Nicholls, 2; UT Martin, 2; Monmouth (N.J.), 1; San Diego, 1; Southeast Missouri St., 1.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week 1 | Next Game | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Montana St. (25) | 2-0 | 648 | 1 | D. Butler, 51-24 | Sept. 12 at Nevada | |
| 2 | Montana | 2-0 | 591 | 3 | D. Drake, 45-10 | Sept. 12 vs. Utah Tech | |
| 3 | South Dakota St. (1) | 1-1 | 582 | 2 | Lost to Northwestern, 34-18 | Sept. 12 vs. New Haven | |
| 4 | Illinois St. | 2-0 | 575 | 4 | D. Western Illinois, 41-10 | Sept. 12 at Northern Illinois | |
| 5 | Tarleton St. | 2-0 | 551 | 5 | D. Bowling Green, 20-13 | Sept. 12 at McNeese | |
| 6 | UC Davis | 2-0 | 519 | 6 | D. San Diego, 49-17 | Sept. 12 at SMU | |
| 7 | North Dakota | 2-0 | 448 | 9 | D. St. Thomas (Minn.), 62-26 | Sept. 12 at Portland St. | |
| 8 | Lehigh | 2-0 | 425 | 10 | D. Georgetown (D.C.), 45-14 | Sept. 12 vs. No. 16 William & Mary | |
| 9 | Stephen F. Austin | 2-0 | 417 | 11 | D. East Texas A&M, 44-7 | Sept. 12 at No. 25 ACU | |
| 10 | Youngstown St. | 1-1 | 372 | 7 | Lost to Kentucky, 45-13 | Sept. 12 vs. Duquesne | |
| 11 | Tennessee Tech | 2-0 | 357 | 13 | D. Chattanooga, 24-9 | Sept. 12 vs. Samford | |
| 12 | South Dakota | 2-0 | 352 | 12 | D. Northern Colorado, 38-23 | Sept. 12 vs. Eastern Washington | |
| 13 | Rhode Island | 1-1 | 333 | 8 | Lost to Temple, 38-14 | Sept. 12 vs. Elon | |
| 14 | Mercer | 2-0 | 316 | 15 | D. Presbyterian, 62-3 | Sept. 12 vs. Furman | |
| 15 | Austin Peay | 1-1 | 237 | 14 | Lost to Vanderbilt, 28-9 | Sept. 12 vs. Morehead St. | |
| 16 | William & Mary | 2-0 | 216 | 19 | D. Delaware St., 22-15 | Sept. 12 at No. 8 Lehigh | |
| 17 | Lamar | 1-1 | 195 | 16 | Lost to Louisiana, 38-7 | Sept. 12 at Idaho | |
| 18 | Villanova | 1-1 | 163 | 17 | D. Bucknell, 17-16 | Sept. 11 at Louisville | |
| 19 | Yale | 0-0 | 142 | 18 | Idle | Sept. 19 at Holy Cross | |
| 20 | South Carolina St. | 2-0 | 132 | 22 | D. Florida A&M, 31-13 | Sept. 12 vs. Virginia St. | |
| 21 | Richmond | 2-0 | 130 | 23 | D. Howard, 28-21 | Sept. 11 at NC State | |
| 22 | West Florida | 2-0 | 102 | NR | D. No. 24 Central Arkansas, 42-14 | Sept. 19 vs. No. 15 Austin Peay | |
| 23 | Northern Arizona | 1-1 | 101 | 20 | Lost to Arizona, 35-7 | Sept. 12 vs. UIW | |
| 24 | Idaho St. | 2-0 | 75 | NR | D. Utah St., 29-17 | Sept. 12 vs. San Diego | |
| 25 | ACU | 0-2 | 71 | 21 | Lost to Texas Tech, 33-10 | Sept. 12 vs. No. 9 Stephen F. Austin |
Dropped Out: Central Arkansas (24), Southern Illinois (25)
Others Receiving Votes: Wofford, 53; Cal Poly, 44; Southern Illinois, 41; Prairie View A&M, 32; Elon, 31; Colgate, 25; Campbell, 23; UT-Rio Grande Valley, 15; Alabama St., 13; Jackson St., 13; Robert Morris (Pa.), 13; UIW, 13; Harvard, 12; Furman, 10; Southern Utah, 10; UT Martin, 10; Southeast Missouri St., 8; Central Arkansas, 6; Chattanooga, 6; Portland St., 5; Western Carolina, 5; Dartmouth, 4; Monmouth (N.J.), 4; East Tennessee St., 1; Eastern Washington, 1; San Diego, 1; The Citadel, 1.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Season Opener | Next Game | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Montana St. (26) | 1-0 | 650 | 1 | D. Utah Tech, 54-0 | Sept. 5 vs. Butler | |
| 2 | South Dakota St. | 1-0 | 604 | 3 | D. Stetson, 70-7 | Sept. 5 at Northwestern | |
| 3 | Montana | 1-0 | 599 | 2 | D. Southern Utah, 28-21 | Sept. 5 vs. Drake | |
| 4 | Illinois St. | 1-0 | 563 | 4 | D. St. Francis (Ill.), 76-0 | Sept. 5 at Western Illinois | |
| 5 | Tarleton St. | 1-0 | 554 | 5 | D. Prairie View A&M, 49-30 | Sept. 5 at Bowling Green | |
| 6 | UC Davis | 1-0 | 493 | 6 | D. Portland St., 31-24 | Sept. 5 at San Diego | |
| 7 | Youngstown St. | 1-0 | 466 | 9 | D. Mercyhurst, 43-10 | Sept. 5 at Kentucky | |
| 8 | Rhode Island | 1-0 | 463 | 8 | D. Merrimack, 34-7 | Sept. 5 at Temple | |
| 9 | North Dakota | 1-0 | 421 | 10 | D. LIU, 42-21 | Sept. 5 vs. St. Thomas (Minn.) | |
| 10 | Lehigh | 1-0 | 382 | 11 | D. Holy Cross, 35-10 | Sept. 5 at Georgetown (D.C.) | |
| 11 | Stephen F. Austin | 1-0 | 374 | 13 | D. McNeese St., 38-27 | Sept. 5 vs. East Texas A&M | |
| 12 | South Dakota | 1-0 | 354 | 12 | D. Central Connecticut St., 59-20 | Sept. 5 at Northern Colorado | |
| 13 | Tennessee Tech | 1-0 | 330 | 15 | D. No. 23 Monmouth (N.J.), 38-14 | Sept. 5 at Chattanooga | |
| 14 | Austin Peay | 1-0 | 284 | 18 | D. Gardner-Webb, 35-17 | Sept. 5 at Vanderbilt | |
| 15 | Mercer | 1-0 | 267 | 17 | D. East Texas A&M, 23-15 | Sept. 5 vs. Presbyterian | |
| 16 | Lamar | 1-0 | 230 | 21 | D. No. 14 ACU, 21-14 | Sept. 5 at Louisiana | |
| 17 | Villanova | 0-1 | 185 | 7 | Lost to William & Mary, 35-32 | Sept. 5 at Bucknell | |
| 18 | Yale | 0-0 | 158 | 19 | Idle | Sept. 19 at Holy Cross | |
| 19 | William & Mary | 1-0 | 137 | NR | D. No. 7 Villanova, 35-32 | Sept. 5 vs. Delaware St. | |
| 20 | Northern Arizona | 1-0 | 120 | 24 | D. Eastern Washington, 34-27 | Sept. 5 at Arizona | |
| 21 | ACU | 0-1 | 118 | 14 | Lost to No. 21 Lamar, 21-14 | Sept. 5 at Texas Tech | |
| 22 | South Carolina St. | 1-0 | 87 | 25 | D. Savannah St., 87-0 | Sept. 6 vs. Florida A&M | |
| 23 | Richmond | 1-0 | 71 | NR | D. Bucknell, 35-14 | Sept. 5 at Howard | |
| 24 | Central Arkansas | 1-0 | 63 | NR | D. No. 22 UT Martin, 36-24 | Sept. 5 vs. West Florida | |
| 25 | Southern Illinois | 0-1 | 57 | 16 | Lost to West Florida, 34-31 | Sept. 3 at Samford |
Dropped Out: Southeastern Louisiana (20), UT Martin (22), Monmouth (N.J.) (23)
Others Receiving Votes: Western Carolina, 47; UT Martin, 31; Idaho St., 29; Wofford, 29; Southeast Missouri St., 24; Alabama St., 22; Maine, 20; Southeastern Louisiana, 20; Monmouth (N.J.), 17; Furman, 16; Harvard, 16; Prairie View A&M, 14; Southern Utah, 14; Chattanooga, 13; UT-Rio Grande Valley, 13; West Florida, 13; Cal Poly, 11; Elon, 11; HCU, 10; UIW, 10; Delaware St., 9; Dartmouth, 8; Idaho, 7; Jackson St., 7; Campbell, 6; East Tennessee St., 3.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | 2025 Rec. | Pts. | 2025 Rank | Season Opener | Head Coach | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Montana St. (25) | 14-2 | 649 | 1 | Aug. 29 at Utah Tech | Brent Vigen | |
| 2 | Montana | 13-2 | 605 | 3 | Aug. 29 vs. Southern Utah | Bobby Kennedy | |
| 3 | South Dakota St. (1) | 9-5 | 591 | 14 | Aug. 29 vs. Stetson | Dan Jackson | |
| 4 | Illinois St. | 12-5 | 553 | 2 | Aug. 29 vs. St. Francis (Ill.) | Brock Spack | |
| 5 | Tarleton St. | 12-2 | 527 | 6 | Aug. 29 vs. Prairie View A&M | Todd Whitten | |
| 6 | UC Davis | 9-4 | 498 | 8 | Aug. 29 at Portland St. | Tim Plough | |
| 7 | Villanova | 12-3 | 448 | 4 | Aug. 28 vs. William & Mary | Mark Ferrante | |
| 8 | Rhode Island | 11-3 | 434 | 10 | Aug. 28 at Merrimack | Jim Fleming | |
| 9 | Youngstown St. | 8-5 | 428 | 17 | Aug. 27 vs. Mercyhurst | Doug Phillips | |
| 10 | North Dakota | 8-6 | 396 | 16 | Aug. 27 vs. LIU | Eric Schmidt | |
| 11 | Lehigh | 12-1 | 359 | 9 | Aug. 29 at Holy Cross | Richard Nagy | |
| 12 | South Dakota | 10-5 | 347 | 11 | Aug. 29 vs. Central Connecticut St. | Matt Vitzthum | |
| 13 | Stephen F. Austin | 11-3 | 313 | 7 | Aug. 29 at McNeese St. | Colby Carthel | |
| 14 | ACU | 9-5 | 295 | 12 | Aug. 29 at No. 21 Lamar | Keith Patterson | |
| 15 | Tennessee Tech | 11-2 | 294 | 15 | Aug. 29 vs. No. 23 Monmouth (N.J.) | Bobby Wilder | |
| 16 | Southern Illinois | 7-5 | 231 | NR | Aug. 27 at West Florida | Nick Hill | |
| 17 | Mercer | 9-3 | 189 | 18 | Aug. 29 vs. East Texas A&M | Joel Taylor | |
| 18 | Austin Peay | 7-5 | 186 | NR | Aug. 27 vs. Gardner-Webb | Jeff Faris | |
| 19 | Yale | 9-3 | 164 | 13 | Sept. 19 at Holy Cross | Kevin Cahill | |
| 20 | Southeastern Louisiana | 9-4 | 160 | 19 | Aug. 27 vs. HCU | Frank Scelfo | |
| 21 | Lamar | 8-5 | 133 | 21 | Aug. 29 vs. No. 14 ACU | Pete Rossomando | |
| 22 | UT Martin | 6-6 | 123 | NR | Aug. 27 vs. Central Arkansas | Jason Simpson | |
| 23 | Monmouth (N.J.) | 9-3 | 105 | 20 | Aug. 29 at No. 15 Tennessee Tech | Jeff Gallo | |
| 24 | Northern Arizona | 7-5 | 67 | NR | Aug. 29 vs. Eastern Washington | Brian Wright | |
| 25 | South Carolina St. | 10-3 | 63 | 25 | Aug. 29 vs. Savannah St. | Chennis Berry |
*– Ranking in final AFCA FCS Coaches Poll of 2025
Others Receiving Votes: Richmond, 31; Southeast Missouri St., 27; Valparaiso, 23; Alabama St., 21; East Tennessee St., 21; Western Carolina, 20; Idaho St., 15; Harvard, 14; Central Connecticut St., 12; Furman, 12; Jackson St., 11; Chattanooga, 9; Eastern Kentucky, 9; UIW, 9; UT-Rio Grande Valley, 9; Dartmouth, 8; Elon, 7; William & Mary, 7; Holy Cross, 6; Wofford, 5; Prairie View A&M, 4; Northern Colorado, 3; St. Thomas (Minn.), 3; New Hampshire, 2; Central Arkansas, 1; McNeese St., 1; San Diego, 1; Stony Brook, 1.
Overview
In response to overwhelming support by NCAA Division II coaches, the American Football Coaches Association began publishing a Division II Top 25 Coaches’ Poll in 2000. Prior to 2000, there was no coaches’ polls for NCAA Division II. The regional poll had been used to rank teams for consideration for the NCAA playoffs.
Format
The Division II poll follows the same basic format as the US LBM Coaches Poll. The Division II Board of Coaches will have 2 voters from each Division II conference, as well as independent schools. The Division II Coaches’ Poll will be released on Mondays beginning with a preseason poll in August and will run through the final week of the regular season in November. A final poll will be released the Monday following the NCAA Division II championship game.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week 2 | Next Game | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ferris St. (31) | 3-0 | 775 | 1 | D. No. 9 Central Washington, 28-14 | Sept. 26 vs. Kentucky Christian | |
| 2 | Harding | 2-0 | 744 | 2 | D. Southwestern Oklahoma, 37-14 | Sept. 19 vs. Southern Arkansas | |
| 3 | Kutztown | 2-0 | 705 | 3 | D. Clarion, 45-14 | Sept. 19 at Lock Haven | |
| 4 | Minnesota St. | 3-0 | 668 | 4 | D. Bemidji St., 30-13 | Sept. 19 vs. Northern St. | |
| 5 | CSU Pueblo | 3-0 | 653 | 5 | D. Colorado Mines, 45-17 | Sept. 19 at Chadron St. | |
| 6 | Grand Valley St. | 3-0 | 629 | 6 | D. No. 19 Ashland, 20-10 | Sept. 19 vs. Judson | |
| 7 | Northwest Missouri St. | 2-0 | 589 | 7 | D. Washburn, 31-24 | Sept. 19 vs. Missouri Southern | |
| 8 | Western Colorado | 3-0 | 546 | 8 | D. Chadron St., 30-9 | Sept. 19 at Colorado Mesa | |
| 9 | Findlay | 2-0 | 505 | 10 | D. Fairmont St., 37-17 | Sept. 19 at Kentucky Wesleyan | |
| 10 | Western Oregon | 2-0 | 463 | 12 | Idle | Sept. 19 at No. 16 Central Washington | |
| 11 | Slippery Rock | 2-0 | 438 | 13 | D. East Stroudsburg, 59-35 | Sept. 19 at Millersville | |
| 12 | Indiana (Pa.) | 2-0 | 402 | 14 | D. West Chester, 27-21 2OT | Sept. 19 at Shippensburg | |
| 13 | Valdosta St. | 3-0 | 374 | 16 | D. Fayetteville St., 38-9 | Sept. 19 at UNC Pembroke | |
| 14 | Minnesota-Duluth | 2-1 | 342 | 15 | D. Wayne St. (Neb.), 20-13 | Sept. 19 vs. Winona St. | |
| 15 | Northeastern St. | 3-0 | 295 | 18 | D. Truman St., 31-24 | Sept. 19 at Northern Colorado | |
| 16 | Central Washington | 0-2 | 281 | 9 | Lost to No. 1 Ferris St., 28-14 | Sept. 19 vs. No. 10 Western Oregon | |
| 17 | Emporia St. | 3-0 | 258 | 24 | D. No. 20 Michigan Tech, 34-20 | Sept. 19 vs. Nebraska-Kearney | |
| 18 | West Alabama | 3-0 | 210 | NR | D. No. 25 Pittsburg St., 24-23 | Sept. 19 vs. North Greenville | |
| 19 | Benedict | 2-0 | 206 | 21 | Idle | Sept. 19 at Fort Valley St. | |
| 20 | Augustana (S.D.) | 2-1 | 162 | 22 | D. Minot St., 38-33 | Sept. 19 vs. MSU Moorhead | |
| 21 | Newberry | 1-1 | 125 | 11 | Lost to Lenoir-Rhyne, 21-14 | Sept. 19 at Wingate | |
| 22 | Carson-Newman | 3-0 | 122 | NR | D. Wingate, 24-23 | Sept. 19 at Virginia-Wise | |
| 23 | Frostburg St. | 1-1 | 109 | 23 | D. Assumption, 24-19 | Sept. 19 at West Liberty | |
| 24 | Davenport | 3-0 | 107 | NR | D. No. 17 UIndy, 19-12 | Sept. 19 at Northern Michigan | |
| 25t. | Michigan Tech | 2-1 | 45 | 20 | Lost to No. 24 Emporia St., 34-20 | Sept. 19 vs. Upper Iowa | |
| 25t. | Northwood | 2-0 | 45 | NR | D. Saginaw Valley St., 35-28 | Sept. 19 vs. Hillsdale |
Dropped Out: UIndy (17), Ashland (19), Pittsburg St. (25)
Others Receiving Votes: Lenoir-Rhyne, 43; UT Permian Basin, 37; Northern St., 35; California (Pa.), 29; Henderson St., 24; Ashland, 18; Fort Hays St., 18; UIndy, 18; North Greenville, 14; Virginia Union, 11; Shepherd, 10; Black Hills St., 6; Central Oklahoma, 5; Wayne St. (Neb.), 3; Central Missouri, 2; Walsh, 2; Colorado Mesa, 1; Concord, 1.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week 1 | Next Game | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ferris St. (31) | 2-0 | 775 | 1 | D. Bentley, 38-3 | Sept. 12 at No. 9 Central Washington | |
| 2 | Harding | 1-0 | 744 | 2 | D. Northwestern Oklahoma, 76-0 | Sept. 10 at Southwestern Oklahoma | |
| 3 | Kutztown | 1-0 | 707 | 3 | D. Assumption, 56-35 | Sept. 12 vs. Clarion | |
| 4 | Minnesota St. | 2-0 | 666 | 4 | D. UMary, 48-7 | Sept. 12 vs. Bemidji St. | |
| 5 | CSU Pueblo | 2-0 | 647 | 5 | D. No. 25 Fort Hays St., 35-17 | Sept. 12 vs. Colorado Mines | |
| 6 | Grand Valley St. | 2-0 | 626 | 7 | D. West Texas A&M, 56-14 | Sept. 12 at No. 19 Ashland | |
| 7 | Northwest Missouri St. | 1-0 | 579 | 8 | Idle | Sept. 12 vs. Washburn | |
| 8 | Western Colorado | 2-0 | 536 | 11 | D. Angelo St., 23-21 | Sept. 12 vs. Chadron St. | |
| 9 | Central Washington | 0-1 | 480 | 6 | Lost to Cal Poly, 24-17 | Sept. 12 vs. No. 1 Ferris St. | |
| 10 | Findlay | 1-0 | 477 | 15 | D. No. 9 UIndy, 30-10 | Sept. 12 vs. Fairmont St. | |
| 11 | Newberry | 1-0 | 463 | 13 | D. Reinhardt, 38-3 | Sept. 12 vs. Lenoir-Rhyne | |
| 12 | Western Oregon | 2-0 | 421 | 17 | D. Southern Oregon, 65-35 | Sept. 19 at No. 9 Central Washington | |
| 13 | Slippery Rock | 1-0 | 361 | 18 | Idle | Sept. 12 at East Stroudsburg | |
| 14 | Indiana (Pa.) | 1-0 | 329 | 22 | D. No. 12 Ashland, 34-24 | Sept. 12 at West Chester | |
| 15 | Minnesota-Duluth | 1-1 | 316 | 19 | D. No. 16 Augustana (S.D.), 30-23 | Sept. 12 at Wayne St. (Neb.) | |
| 16 | Valdosta St. | 2-0 | 284 | 23 | D. Warner, 59-10 | Sept. 12 at Fayetteville St. | |
| 17 | UIndy | 1-1 | 247 | 9 | Lost to No. 15 Findlay, 30-10 | Sept. 12 at Davenport | |
| 18 | Northeastern St. | 2-0 | 225 | 24 | D. Missouri S&T, 27-7 | Sept. 12 at Truman St. | |
| 19 | Ashland | 0-1 | 170 | 12 | Lost to No. 22 Indiana (Pa.), 34-24 | Sept. 12 vs. No. 6 Grand Valley St. | |
| 20 | Michigan Tech | 2-0 | 127 | NR | D. Midwestern St., 48-27 | Sept. 12 at No. 24 Emporia St. | |
| 21 | Benedict | 2-0 | 115 | NR | D. Shorter, 24-20 | Sept. 19 at Fort Valley St. | |
| 22 | Augustana (S.D.) | 1-1 | 112 | 16 | Lost to No. 19 Minnesota-Duluth, 30-23 | Sept. 12 vs. Minot St. | |
| 23 | Frostburg St. | 0-1 | 71 | 14 | Lost to Shepherd, 34-26 | Sept. 12 vs. Assumption | |
| 24 | Emporia St. | 2-0 | 60 | NR | D. No. 10 Pittsburg St., 21-10 | Sept. 12 vs. No. 20 Michigan Tech | |
| 25 | Pittsburg St. | 0-2 | 57 | 10 | Lost to Emporia St., 21-10 | Sept. 12 at West Alabama |
Dropped Out: Ouachita Baptist (20), Lenoir-Rhyne (21), Fort Hays St. (25)
Others Receiving Votes: West Alabama, 55; Central Oklahoma, 52; Fort Hays St., 41; Carson-Newman, 38; UT Permian Basin, 36; Northwood, 35; California (Pa.), 30; Virginia St., 24; Davenport, 23; Lenoir-Rhyne, 20; East Stroudsburg, 18; Shepherd, 18; North Greenville, 17; Henderson St., 14; Ouachita Baptist, 9; Concord, 8; Virginia Union, 7; East Central, 6; Black Hills St., 5; Fayetteville St., 4; MSU Moorhead, 4; Wingate, 4; Northern St., 3; Walsh, 3; Saginaw Valley St., 2; Arkansas Tech, 1; Assumption, 1; Lincoln (Mo.), 1; Wayne St. (Neb.), 1.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Season Opener | Next Game | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ferris St. (31) | 1-0 | 775 | 1 | D. No. 4 Pittsburg St., 42-14 | Sept. 4 vs. Bentley | |
| 2 | Harding | 0-0 | 743 | 2 | Idle | Sept. 3 vs. Northwestern Oklahoma St. | |
| 3 | Kutztown | 0-0 | 708 | 3 | Idle | Sept. 3 at Assumption | |
| 4 | Minnesota St. | 1-0 | 671 | 5 | D. Colorado Mesa, 38-14 | Sept. 5 at UMary | |
| 5 | CSU Pueblo | 1-0 | 645 | 6 | D. Central Missouri, 44-25 | Sept. 3 at No. 25 Fort Hays St. | |
| 6 | Central Washington | 0-0 | 585 | 7 | Idle | Sept. 5 at Cal Poly | |
| 7 | Grand Valley St. | 1-0 | 568 | 9t | D. Charleston, 38-10 | Sept. 3 vs. West Texas A&M | |
| 8 | Northwest Missouri St. | 1-0 | 561 | 8 | D. Texas A&M-Kingsville, 48-3 | Sept. 12 vs. Washburn | |
| 9 | UIndy | 1-0 | 517 | 9t | D. Marian, 39-7 | Sept. 5 vs. No. 15 Findlay | |
| 10 | Pittsburg St. | 0-1 | 492 | 4 | Lost to No. 1 Ferris St., 42-14 | Sept. 5 vs. Emporia St. | |
| 11 | Western Colorado | 1-0 | 482 | 11 | D. West Texas A&M, 52-21 | Sept. 3 vs. Angelo St. | |
| 12 | Ashland | 0-0 | 414 | 13 | Idle | Sept. 3 vs. No. 22 Indiana (Pa.) | |
| 13 | Newberry | 0-0 | 372 | 15 | Idle | Sept. 5 vs. Reinhardt | |
| 14 | Frostburg St. | 0-0 | 310 | 17 | Idle | Sept. 5 at Shepherd | |
| 15 | Findlay | 0-0 | 296 | 16 | Idle | Sept. 5 at No. 9 UIndy | |
| 16 | Augustana (S.D.) | 1-0 | 262 | 20 | D. Missouri Western, 63-58 | Sept. 3 at No. 19 Minnesota-Duluth | |
| 17 | Western Oregon | 1-0 | 258 | 22 | D. Colorado Mines, 22-20 | Sept. 5 at Southern Oregon | |
| 18 | Slippery Rock | 1-0 | 200 | NR | D. No. 12 Minnesota-Duluth, 45-43 2OT | Sept. 12 at East Stroudsburg | |
| 19 | Minnesota-Duluth | 0-1 | 185 | 12 | Lost to Slippery Rock, 45-43 2OT | Sept. 3 vs. No. 16 Augustana (S.D.) | |
| 20 | Ouachita Baptist | 0-0 | 161 | 24 | Idle | Sept. 3 vs. East Central | |
| 21 | Lenoir-Rhyne | 1-0 | 145 | NR | D. No. 14 Virginia Union, 45-3 | Sept. 5 vs. West Alabama | |
| 22 | Indiana (Pa.) | 0-0 | 110 | 25 | Idle | Sept. 3 at No. 12 Ashland | |
| 23 | Valdosta St. | 1-0 | 94 | NR | D. Emory & Henry, 38-10 | Sept. 3 vs. Warner | |
| 24 | Northeastern St. | 1-0 | 75 | NR | D. Delta St., 52-0 | Sept. 5 at Missouri S&T | |
| 25 | Fort Hays St. | 1-0 | 62 | NR | D. Angelo St., 35-14 | Sept. 3 vs. No. 5 CSU Pueblo |
Dropped Out: Virginia Union (14), UT Permian Basin (18), Wingate (19), Albany St. (21), Johnson C. Smith (23)
Others Receiving Votes: Benedict, 55; UNC Pembroke, 47; UT Permian Basin, 41; Virginia Union, 38; Central Oklahoma, 36; Michigan Tech, 34; Albany St., 30; North Greenville, 22; Northwood, 18; Wingate, 18; California (Pa.), 11; Southern Arkansas, 9; East Stroudsburg, 6; Assumption, 5; Johnson C. Smith, 5; Davenport, 3; Carson-Newman, 2; Upper Iowa, 2; Charleston, 1; Virginia St., 1.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | 2025 Rec. | Pts. | 2025 Rank | Season Opener | Head Coach | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ferris St. (31) | 16-0 | 775 | 1 | Aug. 27 at No. 4 Pittsburg St. | Tony Annese | |
| 2 | Harding | 15-1 | 738 | 2 | Sept. 3 vs. Northwestern Oklahoma St. | Roddy Mote | |
| 3 | Kutztown | 14-1 | 684 | 3 | Sept. 3 at Assumption | Jim Clements | |
| 4 | Pittsburg St. | 10-3 | 647 | 6 | Aug. 27 vs. No. 1 Ferris St. | Tom Anthony | |
| 5 | Minnesota St. | 10-4 | 587 | 8 | Aug. 27 at Colorado Mesa | Todd Hoffner | |
| 6 | Colorado St.-Pueblo | 10-2 | 581 | 11 | Aug. 27 vs. Central Missouri | Philip Vigil | |
| 7 | Central Washington | 10-2 | 478 | 13 | Sept. 5 at Cal Poly | Scott Power | |
| 8 | Northwest Missouri St. | 9-3 | 470 | 17 | Aug. 29 at Texas A&M-Kingsville | John McMenamin | |
| 9t. | Grand Valley St. | 7-3 | 451 | NR | Aug. 27 at Charleston | Scott Wooster | |
| 9t. | UIndy | 11-2 | 451 | 10 | Aug. 27 vs. Marian | Chris Keevers | |
| 11 | Western Colorado | 10-3 | 379 | 12 | Aug. 27 at West Texas A&M | Jas Bains | |
| 12 | Minnesota-Duluth | 10-2 | 372 | 16 | Aug. 27 at Slippery Rock | Curt Wiese | |
| 13 | Ashland | 10-3 | 328 | 15 | Sept. 3 vs. No. 25 Indiana (Pa.) | Doug Geiser | |
| 14 | Virginia Union | 9-3 | 318 | 21 | Aug. 28 at Lenoir-Rhyne | Alvin Parker | |
| 15 | Newberry | 12-2 | 276 | 4 | Sept. 5 vs. Reinhardt | Todd Knight | |
| 16 | Findlay | 10-2 | 250 | 19 | Sept. 5 at No. 9t UIndy | Tyler Johns | |
| 17 | Frostburg St. | 11-3 | 228 | 14 | Sept. 5 at Shepherd | Eric Wagoner | |
| 18 | UT Permian Basin | 11-3 | 197 | 5 | Aug. 29 at UT Rio Grande Valley | Chris Softley | |
| 19 | Wingate | 9-3 | 183 | NR | Aug. 27 at UNC Pembroke | Rashaan Jordan | |
| 20 | Augustana (S.D.) | 9-2 | 181 | 25 | Aug. 27 at Missouri Western | Jerry Olszewski | |
| 21 | Albany St. | 12-2 | 172 | 7 | Aug. 29 at Florida A&M | David Bowser | |
| 22 | Western Oregon | 8-3 | 165 | NR | Aug. 29 at Colorado Mines | Arne Ferguson | |
| 23 | Johnson C. Smith | 10-2 | 159 | 18 | Aug. 29 at Benedict | Maurice Flowers | |
| 24 | Ouachita Baptist | 7-4 | 146 | NR | Sept. 3 vs. East Central | Todd Knight | |
| 25 | Indiana (Pa.) | 7-4 | 97 | NR | Sept. 3 at No. 13 Ashland | Paul Tortorella |
*– Ranking in final AFCA Division II Poll of 2025
Others Receiving Votes: Valdosta St., 86; Chadron St., 83; Central Oklahoma, 64; North Greenville, 61; Slippery Rock, 56; California (Pa.), 53; Northwood, 50; Delta St., 33; Michigan Tech, 31; Assumption, 29; Bentley, 27; Benedict, 25; Lenoir-Rhyne, 21; Colorado Mines, 18; Northeastern St., 16; Southern Arkansas, 14; Charleston, 13; Fort Hays St., 13; Truman St., 13; West Texas A&M, 10; UNC Pembroke, 8; Central Missouri, 7; Edward Waters, 7; Henderson St., 6; Angelo St., 4; East Stroudsburg, 4; Nebraska-Kearney, 4; Upper Iowa, 3; Davenport, 2; Carson-Newman, 1.
Overview
In response to overwhelming support by NCAA Division III coaches, the American Football Coaches Association began publishing a Division III Top 25 Coaches’ Poll in 1999.
Prior to 1999, there were no coaches’ polls for any NCAA divisions other than the Football Bowl Subdivision. The NCAA had published a regional poll for Division III prior to 1999, but discontinued the poll because of changes in the selection process for the Division III playoffs that took effect in 1999.
Format
The Division III poll follows the same basic format as the US LBM Coaches’ Poll. The Division III Board of Coaches will have 2 voters representing each Division III conference. The Division III Coaches’ Poll will be released on Mondays beginning with a preseason poll in August and will run through the final week of the regular season in November. A final poll will be released the Monday following the NCAA Division III championship game.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week 2 | Next Game | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Central (52) | 2-0 | 1324 | 1 | D. No. 10 Wartburg, 26-20 | Sept. 19 at North Park | |
| 2 | Wheaton | 2-0 | 1262 | 2 | D. Albion, 45-3 | Sept. 19 vs. Millikin | |
| 3 | UW-Platteville | 2-0 | 1187 | 4 | D. Dubuque, 59-0 | Sept. 19 at Springfield | |
| 4 | UW-River Falls (1) | 2-0 | 1169 | 5 | D. No. 21 Coe, 38-6 | Sept. 19 at No. 10 Wartburg | |
| 5 | St. John’s (Minn.) | 1-0 | 1020 | 8 | Idle | Sept. 19 vs. Hamline | |
| 6 | John Carroll | 2-0 | 971 | 9 | D. Ohio Wesleyan, 44-7 | Sept. 19 vs. Kenyon | |
| 7 | Bethel (Minn.) | 0-1 | 917 | 7 | Idle | Sept. 19 vs. Gustavus Adolphus | |
| 8 | Mount Union | 1-1 | 896 | 6 | D. Grove City, 21-17 | Sept. 19 vs. Heidelberg | |
| 9 | UW-Whitewater | 2-0 | 887 | 11 | D. Saint Xavier, 49-14 | Sept. 26 at Keystone | |
| 10 | Wartburg | 1-1 | 847 | 10 | Lost to No. 1 North Central, 26-20 | Sept. 19 vs. No. 4 UW-River Falls | |
| 11 | Trinity (Tex.) | 2-0 | 806 | 12 | D. McMurry, 31-17 | Sept. 19 vs. Pacific Lutheran | |
| 12 | Hardin-Simmons | 2-0 | 760 | 16 | D. No. 14 UW-La Crosse, 28-20 | Sept. 19 vs. Clutch City Prep | |
| 13 | Berry | 2-0 | 662 | 15 | D. LaGrange, 20-17 | Sept. 19 vs. Carnegie Mellon | |
| 14 | Salisbury | 1-0 | 594 | 17 | D. McDaniel, 31-0 | Sept. 19 vs. Washington & Lee | |
| 15 | Johns Hopkins | 1-1 | 526 | 3 | Lost to Randolph-Macon, 28-21 | Sept. 19 vs. No. 19 Susquehanna | |
| 16 | Christopher Newport | 2-0 | 512 | 18 | D. Western Connecticut, 37-7 | Sept. 26 at No. 19 Susquehanna | |
| 17 | Mary Hardin-Baylor | 2-0 | 502 | 19 | D. Pacific Lutheran, 29-6 | Sept. 19 vs. No. 22 Endicott | |
| 18 | Hope | 2-0 | 444 | 20 | D. UW-Stevens Point, 38-10 | Sept. 19 at Hanover | |
| 19 | Susquehanna | 2-0 | 333 | 22 | D. Bridgewater (Va.), 41-14 | Sept. 19 at No. 15 Johns Hopkins | |
| 20 | Linfield | 1-0 | 305 | 23 | Idle | Sept. 19 at Chapman | |
| 21 | Cortland | 2-0 | 252 | 24 | D. Union (N.Y.), 26-0 | Sept. 19 vs. Hartwick | |
| 22 | Endicott | 2-0 | 209 | 25 | D. Muhlenberg, 49-21 | Sept. 19 at No. 17 Mary Hardin-Baylor | |
| 23t. | UW-La Crosse | 0-2 | 200 | 14 | Lost to No. 16 Hardin-Simmons, 28-20 | Sept. 19 at Wayne St. (Mich.) | |
| 23t. | WashU | 2-0 | 200 | NR | D. No. 13 DePauw, 37-27 | Sept. 19 at Wittenberg | |
| 25 | DePauw | 1-1 | 113 | 13 | Lost to WashU, 37-27 | Sept. 19 vs. Ohio Wesleyan | |
Dropped Out: Coe (21)
Others Receiving Votes: Springfield, 61; Randolph-Macon, 52; Coe, 37; Utica, 36; Franklin & Marshall, 35; Wabash, 18; Calvin, 15; Hanover, 12; Mount St. Joseph, 9; UW-Oshkosh, 8; Hampden-Sydney, 6; Illinois Wesleyan, 6; UW-Stout, 6; Baldwin-Wallace, 5; Dickinson, 4; Grove City, 4; LaGrange, 4; Lake Forest, 4; Adrian, 2; Augustana (Ill.), 1; Chapman, 1; Hobart, 1.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Season Opener | Next Game | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Central (52) | 1-0 | 1324 | 1 | D. No. 2 Bethel (Minn.), 44-21 | Sept. 12 at No. 10 Wartburg | |
| 2 | Wheaton | 1-0 | 1242 | 5 | D. No. 3 Mount Union, 24-23 | Sept. 12 at Albion | |
| 3 | Johns Hopkins | 1-0 | 1191 | 4 | D. Ithaca, 30-21 | Sept. 12 at Randolph-Macon | |
| 4 | UW-Platteville | 1-0 | 1114 | 6 | D. Aurora, 44-7 | Sept. 12 vs. Dubuque | |
| 5 | UW-River Falls (1) | 1-0 | 1081 | 7 | D. Southern Virginia, 73-7 | Sept. 12 at No. 21 Coe | |
| 6 | Mount Union | 0-1 | 982 | 3 | Lost to No. 5 Wheaton, 24-23 | Sept. 12 vs. Grove City | |
| 7 | Bethel (Minn.) | 0-1 | 958 | 2 | Lost to No. 1 North Central, 44-21 | Sept. 19 vs. Gustavus Adolphus | |
| 8 | St. John’s (Minn.) | 1-0 | 953 | 11 | D. No. 10 UW-La Crosse, 24-21 | Sept. 19 vs. Hamline | |
| 9 | John Carroll | 1-0 | 945 | 8 | D. Carnegie Mellon, 17-7 | Sept. 12 at Ohio Wesleyan | |
| 10 | Wartburg | 1-0 | 895 | 9 | D. Monmouth (Ill.), 36-21 | Sept. 12 vs. No. 1 North Central | |
| 11 | UW-Whitewater | 1-0 | 795 | 12 | D. Carleton, 69-7 | Sept. 12 vs. Saint Xavier | |
| 12 | Trinity (Tex.) | 1-0 | 670 | 14 | D. Texas Lutheran, 36-14 | Sept. 12 vs. McMurry | |
| 13 | DePauw | 1-0 | 623 | 13 | D. Rose-Hulman, 31-23 | Sept. 12 at WashU | |
| 14 | UW-La Crosse | 0-1 | 611 | 10 | Lost to No. 11 St. John’s (Minn.), 24-21 | Sept. 12 vs. No. 16 Hardin-Simmons | |
| 15 | Berry | 1-0 | 606 | 15 | D. Huntingdon, 50-20 | Sept. 12 vs. LaGrange | |
| 16 | Hardin-Simmons | 1-0 | 554 | 16 | D. Chapman, 44-24 | Sept. 12 at No. 14 UW-La Crosse | |
| 17 | Salisbury | 0-0 | 444 | 17 | Idle | Sept. 12 vs. McDaniel | |
| 18 | Christopher Newport | 1-0 | 398 | 18 | D. Newport News, 43-14 | Sept. 12 at Western Connecticut | |
| 19 | Mary Hardin-Baylor | 1-0 | 384 | 20 | D. Rowan, 35-14 | Sept. 12 at Pacific Lutheran | |
| 20 | Hope | 1-0 | 363 | 19 | D. Denison, 28-14 | Sept. 12 vs. UW-Stevens Point | |
| 21 | Coe | 1-0 | 227 | 22 | D. Cornell (Iowa), 49-7 | Sept. 12 vs. No. 5 UW-River Falls | |
| 22 | Susquehanna | 1-0 | 222 | 21 | D. Union (N.Y.), 23-17 OT | Sept. 12 at Bridgewater (Va.) | |
| 23 | Linfield | 1-0 | 181 | NR | D. UW-Oshkosh, 41-15 | Sept. 19 at Chapman | |
| 24 | Cortland | 1-0 | 153 | 25 | D. Grove City, 28-18 | Sept. 12 at Union (N.Y.) | |
| 25 | Endicott | 1-0 | 149 | 24 | D. Eastern, 24-14 | Sept. 12 at Muhlenberg | |
Dropped Out: Randolph-Macon (23)
Others Receiving Votes: WashU, 24; Springfield, 23; Franklin & Marshall, 21; Utica, 18; Wabash, 15; Hanover, 9; UW-Oshkosh, 8; UW-Stout, 8; Augustana (Ill.), 7; LaGrange, 5; Brockport, 4; Calvin, 4; Illinois Wesleyan, 3; Ithaca, 3; Adrian, 2; Baldwin-Wallace, 1; Dickinson, 1; Lake Forest, 1; Muhlenberg, 1; Ohio Northern, 1; Whitworth, 1.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | 2025 Rec. | Pts. | 2025 Rank* | Season Opener | Head Coach | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Central (50) | 14-1 | 1322 | 2 | Sept. 5 vs. No. 2 Bethel (Minn.) | Brad Spencer | |
| 2 | Bethel (Minn.) | 12-1 | 1228 | 5 | Sept. 5 at No. 1 North Central | Mike McElroy | |
| 3 | Mount Union | 11-1 | 1202 | 6 | Sept. 5 at No. 5 Wheaton | Geoff Dartt | |
| 4 | Johns Hopkins | 12-2 | 1162 | 4 | Sept. 5 vs. Ithaca | Dan Wodicka | |
| 5 | Wheaton | 11-3 | 1030 | 7 | Sept. 5 vs. No. 3 Mount Union | Jesse Scott | |
| 6 | UW-Platteville | 9-3 | 1025 | 11 | Sept. 5 vs. Aurora | Ryan Munz | |
| 7 | UW-River Falls (3) | 14-1 | 961 | 1 | Sept. 3 vs. Southern Virginia | Jake Wissing | |
| 8 | John Carroll | 12-2 | 930 | 3 | Sept. 5 at Carnegie Mellon | Brian Polian | |
| 9 | Wartburg | 10-1 | 904 | 14 | Sept. 5 at Monmouth (Ill.) | Chris Winter | |
| 10 | UW-La Crosse | 8-3 | 836 | 10 | Sept. 5 at No. 11 St. John’s (Minn.) | Michael Zweifel | |
| 11 | St. John’s (Minn.) | 10-2 | 835 | 8 | Sept. 5 vs. No. 10 UW-La Crosse | Gary Fasching | |
| 12 | UW-Whitewater | 8-3 | 666 | 20 | Sept. 5 vs. Carleton | Jace Rindahl | |
| 13 | DePauw | 10-2 | 627 | 13 | Sept. 5 at Rose-Hulman | Brett Dietz | |
| 14 | Trinity (Tex.) | 10-2 | 617 | 16 | Sept. 5 vs. Texas Lutheran | Jerheme Urban | |
| 15 | Berry | 11-2 | 567 | 9 | Sept. 5 at Huntingdon | Tony Kunczewski | |
| 16 | Hardin-Simmons | 9-2 | 563 | 19 | Sept. 5 vs. Chapman | Jesse Burleson | |
| 17 | Salisbury | 10-2 | 482 | 12 | Sept. 12 vs. McDaniel | Sherman Wood | |
| 18 | Christopher Newport | 10-1 | 382 | 18 | Sept. 5 vs. Newport News | Paul Crowley | |
| 19 | Hope | 9-2 | 351 | 17 | Sept. 5 at Denison | Peter Stuursma | |
| 20 | Mary Hardin-Baylor | 7-3 | 305 | NR | Sept. 4 at Rowan | Larry Harmon | |
| 21 | Susquehanna | 11-3 | 272 | 15 | Sept. 5 at Union (N.Y.) | Chris Pincince | |
| 22 | Coe | 9-3 | 177 | NR | Sept. 5 vs. Cornell (Iowa) | Tyler Staker | |
| 23 | Randolph-Macon | 9-2 | 137 | 21 | Sept. 4 at Dickinson | Pedro Arruza | |
| 24 | Endicott | 9-2 | 119 | 24 | Sept. 5 vs. Eastern (Pa.) | Paul McGonagle | |
| 25 | Cortland | 8-3 | 112 | NR | Sept. 5 at Grove City | Tom Blumenauer | |
*– Record and ranking in final AFCA Division III Poll of 2025
Others Receiving Votes: UW-Oshkosh, 53; Linfield, 47; Alma, 40; Franklin & Marshall, 33; Monmouth (Ill.), 28; Washington & Jefferson, 28; Central (Iowa), 22; Chapman, 22; LaGrange, 20; Springfield, 20; Whitworth, 16; Eastern (Pa.), 11; Grove City, 9; Hampden-Sydney, 7; Augustana (Ill.), 6; Baldwin-Wallace, 6; Concordia (Wis.), 6; UW-Stout, 6; Wabash, 6; Adrian, 4; Hanover, 4; Calvin, 3; Muhlenberg, 3; Washington (Mo.), 3; Carnegie Mellon, 2; Illinois Wesleyan, 2; Union (N.Y.), 2; Utica (N.Y.), 2; Lake Forest, 1; Rowan, 1.
