[NAIA POLL] Lindsey Wilson Claims the NAIA National Title and No. 1 in the AFCA NAIA Coaches Top 25 Poll
May 17, 2021
Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) rolled through the spring regular season, and continued their dominance in the NAIA playoffs, beating all four opponents by at least 22 points or more to claim the program’s first NAIA national title. The Blue Raiders beat Northwestern (Iowa), 45-13, in the championship game. Lindsey Wilson ends the 2020-21 season at No. 1, followed by Northwestern, who rose four places, at No. 2.
RELATED CONTENT: [NAIA POLL] Lindsey Wilson Stays at No.3 in the NAIA Top 25
Morningside (Iowa) drops to No. 3 after losing to Northwestern, 44-41, in the semifinals. The other semifinal competitor was Keiser (Fla.), who stayed at No. 4. Grand View (Iowa) rounds out the Top 5. The Vikings fell in the quarterfinals to Northwestern, 27-24.
Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) jumped into the Top 10 at No. 9 with their 8-1 record and appearance in the NAIA playoffs. The biggest mover in the final Top 25 was Dordt (Iowa), who rose three spots to No. 15. The Defenders lost to Grand View, 38-10, in the first round of the playoffs and finished with an 8-3 mark.
2020-21 American Football Coaches Association NAIA Coaches’ Top 25 Poll – May 17, 2021
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Post-season Head Coach
1 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) 11-0 366 3 D. No. 6 Northwestern (Iowa), 45-13, in championship Chris Oliver
2 Northwestern (Iowa) 11-2 352 6 Lost to No. 3 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.), 45-13, in championship Matt McCarty
3 Morningside (Iowa) (17) 10-1 338 1 Lost to No. 6 Northwestern (Iowa), 44-41, in semifinals Steve Ryan
4 Keiser (Fla.) 9-1 322 4 Lost to No. 3 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.), 38-14, in semifinals Doug Socha
5 Grand View (Iowa) (1) 7-1 310 2 Lost to No. 6 Northwestern (Iowa), 27-24, in quarterfinals Joe Woodley
6 Concordia (Mich.) 6-1 294 5 Lost to No. 3 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.), 49-27, in quarterfinals Joshua Schumacher
7 Baker (Kan.) 7-1 280 7 Lost to No. 1 Morningside (Iowa), 45-29, in quarterfinals Jason Thoren
8 Reinhardt (Ga.) 9-1 274 8 Lost to No. 4 Keiser (Fla.), 42-14, in quarterfinals James Miller
9 Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) 8-1 243 11 Lost to No. 7 Baker (Kan.), 59-54, in first round Eric Hehman
10 Marian (Ind.) 5-2 242 9 Lost to No. 8 Reinhardt (Ga.), 40-29. In first round Mark Henninger
11 Dickinson St. (N.D.) 9-1 215 10 Lost to No. 6 Northwestern (Iowa), 31-7, in first round Pete Stanton
12 Bethel (Kan.) 9-2 195 13 Lost to No. 3 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.), 42-10, in first round Terry Harrison
13 Georgetown (Ky.) 6-2 192 14 Lost to No. 5 Concordia (Mich.), 21-7, in first round Bill Cronin
14 Arizona Christian 9-2 184 12 Lost to No. 4 Keiser (Fla.), 63-21, in first round Jeff Bowen
15 Dordt (Iowa) 8-3 168 18 Lost to No. 2 Grand View (Iowa), 38-10, in first round Joel Penner
16 Benedictine (Kan.) 8-2 158 16 DNQ Playoffs Larry Wilcox/Joel Osborn
17 Saint Francis (Ind.) 2-2 139 17 DNQ Playoffs Kevin Donley
18 College of Idaho 3-1 129 15 DNQ Playoffs Mike Moroski
19 Avila (Mo.) 8-1 117 19 DNQ Playoffs Marc Benavidez
20 Roosevelt (Ill.) 6-1 90 20t DNQ Playoffs Jared Williamson
21 Eastern Oregon 3-1 84 20t DNQ Playoffs Tim Camp
22 Carroll (Mont.) 3-2 72 22 Lost to No. 1 Morningside (Iowa), 55-0, in first round Troy Purcell
23 Ottawa (Ariz.) 4-1 46 23 DNQ Playoffs Mike Nesbitt
24 Southwestern (Kan.) 7-2 39 24 DNQ Playoffs Brad Griffin
25 Kansas Wesleyan 8-2 35 25 DNQ Playoffs Myers Hendrickson
Dropped Out: None
Others Receiving Votes: Southeastern (Fla.), 27; Valley City St. (N.D.), 15.
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.
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Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) rolled through the spring regular season, and continued their dominance in the NAIA playoffs, beating all four opponents by at least 22 points or more to claim the program’s first NAIA national title. The Blue Raiders beat Northwestern (Iowa), 45-13, in the championship game. Lindsey Wilson ends the 2020-21 season at No. 1, followed by Northwestern, who rose four places, at No. 2.
RELATED CONTENT: [NAIA POLL] Lindsey Wilson Stays at No.3 in the NAIA Top 25
Morningside (Iowa) drops to No. 3 after losing to Northwestern, 44-41, in the semifinals. The other semifinal competitor was Keiser (Fla.), who stayed at No. 4. Grand View (Iowa) rounds out the Top 5. The Vikings fell in the quarterfinals to Northwestern, 27-24.
Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) jumped into the Top 10 at No. 9 with their 8-1 record and appearance in the NAIA playoffs. The biggest mover in the final Top 25 was Dordt (Iowa), who rose three spots to No. 15. The Defenders lost to Grand View, 38-10, in the first round of the playoffs and finished with an 8-3 mark.
2020-21 American Football Coaches Association NAIA Coaches’ Top 25 Poll – May 17, 2021
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Post-season | Head Coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) | 11-0 | 366 | 3 | D. No. 6 Northwestern (Iowa), 45-13, in championship | Chris Oliver |
| 2 | Northwestern (Iowa) | 11-2 | 352 | 6 | Lost to No. 3 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.), 45-13, in championship | Matt McCarty |
| 3 | Morningside (Iowa) (17) | 10-1 | 338 | 1 | Lost to No. 6 Northwestern (Iowa), 44-41, in semifinals | Steve Ryan |
| 4 | Keiser (Fla.) | 9-1 | 322 | 4 | Lost to No. 3 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.), 38-14, in semifinals | Doug Socha |
| 5 | Grand View (Iowa) (1) | 7-1 | 310 | 2 | Lost to No. 6 Northwestern (Iowa), 27-24, in quarterfinals | Joe Woodley |
| 6 | Concordia (Mich.) | 6-1 | 294 | 5 | Lost to No. 3 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.), 49-27, in quarterfinals | Joshua Schumacher |
| 7 | Baker (Kan.) | 7-1 | 280 | 7 | Lost to No. 1 Morningside (Iowa), 45-29, in quarterfinals | Jason Thoren |
| 8 | Reinhardt (Ga.) | 9-1 | 274 | 8 | Lost to No. 4 Keiser (Fla.), 42-14, in quarterfinals | James Miller |
| 9 | Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) | 8-1 | 243 | 11 | Lost to No. 7 Baker (Kan.), 59-54, in first round | Eric Hehman |
| 10 | Marian (Ind.) | 5-2 | 242 | 9 | Lost to No. 8 Reinhardt (Ga.), 40-29. In first round | Mark Henninger |
| 11 | Dickinson St. (N.D.) | 9-1 | 215 | 10 | Lost to No. 6 Northwestern (Iowa), 31-7, in first round | Pete Stanton |
| 12 | Bethel (Kan.) | 9-2 | 195 | 13 | Lost to No. 3 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.), 42-10, in first round | Terry Harrison |
| 13 | Georgetown (Ky.) | 6-2 | 192 | 14 | Lost to No. 5 Concordia (Mich.), 21-7, in first round | Bill Cronin |
| 14 | Arizona Christian | 9-2 | 184 | 12 | Lost to No. 4 Keiser (Fla.), 63-21, in first round | Jeff Bowen |
| 15 | Dordt (Iowa) | 8-3 | 168 | 18 | Lost to No. 2 Grand View (Iowa), 38-10, in first round | Joel Penner |
| 16 | Benedictine (Kan.) | 8-2 | 158 | 16 | DNQ Playoffs | Larry Wilcox/Joel Osborn |
| 17 | Saint Francis (Ind.) | 2-2 | 139 | 17 | DNQ Playoffs | Kevin Donley |
| 18 | College of Idaho | 3-1 | 129 | 15 | DNQ Playoffs | Mike Moroski |
| 19 | Avila (Mo.) | 8-1 | 117 | 19 | DNQ Playoffs | Marc Benavidez |
| 20 | Roosevelt (Ill.) | 6-1 | 90 | 20t | DNQ Playoffs | Jared Williamson |
| 21 | Eastern Oregon | 3-1 | 84 | 20t | DNQ Playoffs | Tim Camp |
| 22 | Carroll (Mont.) | 3-2 | 72 | 22 | Lost to No. 1 Morningside (Iowa), 55-0, in first round | Troy Purcell |
| 23 | Ottawa (Ariz.) | 4-1 | 46 | 23 | DNQ Playoffs | Mike Nesbitt |
| 24 | Southwestern (Kan.) | 7-2 | 39 | 24 | DNQ Playoffs | Brad Griffin |
| 25 | Kansas Wesleyan | 8-2 | 35 | 25 | DNQ Playoffs | Myers Hendrickson |
Dropped Out: None
Others Receiving Votes: Southeastern (Fla.), 27; Valley City St. (N.D.), 15.
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.
