[NAIA POLL] 2019 National Champion Morningside Begins 2020-21 At No. 1 In The AFCA NAIA Coaches’ Top 25 Poll
February 22, 2021
Morningside (Iowa) claimed the top spot in the first AFCA NAIA Coaches’ Top 25 Poll for the 2020 fall and 2021 spring seasons. The two-time defending NAIA national champions received 17 first-place votes and were followed by Marian (Ind.) at No. 2, Grand View (Iowa), who received one first-place vote, at No. 3, Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) at No. 4 and College of Idaho at No. 5.
RELATED ARTICLE: [NAIA Poll] Morningside Ends Regular Season at No. 1
The Great Plains Athletic Conference, Heart of America Athletic Conference and North Star Athletic Association played in the fall while the Frontier Conference and the Mid-States Football Association are playing this spring.
The Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference, Mid-South Conference and the Sooner Athletic Conference have split their seasons between fall 2020 and spring 2021.
Sixteen teams will qualify for the NAIA playoffs, with three rounds of competition beginning April 17 on campus before the 65th Annual NAIA Football National Championship on May 10 at Eddie G. Robinson Stadium in Grambling, Louisiana.
2021 American Football Coaches Association NAIA Coaches’ Top 25 Poll – February 22, 2021
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Head Coach
1 Morningside (Iowa) (17) 8-0 418 NR Steve Ryan
2 Marian (Ind.) 1-0 396 NR Mark Henninger
3 Grand View (Iowa) (1) 6-0 390 NR Joe Woodley
4 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) 1-0 367 NR Chris Oliver
5 College of Idaho 0-0 335 NR Mike Moroski
6 Keiser (Fla.) 6-0 334 NR Doug Socha
7 Northwestern (Iowa) 8-1 309 NR Matt McCarty
8 Baker (Kan.) 6-0 291 NR Jason Thoren
9 Saint Francis (Ind.) 0-0 272 NR Kevin Donley
10 Reinhardt (Ga.) 2-0 264 NR James Miller
11 Bethel (Kan.) 8-0 255 NR Terry Harrison
12 Dickinson St. (N.D.) 9-0 244 NR Pete Stanton
13 Concordia (Mich.) 0-0 234 NR Joshua Schumacher
14 Saint Xavier (Ill.) 1-1 170 NR Mike Feminis
15 Benedictine (Kan.) 7-2 147 NR Joel Osborn
16 Ottawa (Ariz.) 0-0 144 NR Mike Nesbitt
17 Cumberlands (Ky.) 1-1 137 NR Matt Rhymer
18 Dordt (Iowa) 7-2 120 NR Joel Penner
19 Georgetown (Ky.) 1-0 88 NR Bill Cronin
20 Roosevelt (Ill.) 2-0 85 NR Jared Williamson
21 Southwestern (Kan.) 4-1 81 NR Brad Griffin
22 Siena Heights (Mich.) 0-0 78 NR Matt Kohn
23 Avila (Mo.) 5-1 77 NR Marc Benavidez
24 Arizona Christian 4-1 73 NR Jeff Bowen
25 Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) 2-0 55 NR Eric Hehman
Dropped Out: N/A
Others Receiving Votes: Eastern Oregon, 53; Kansas Wesleyan, 45; Southeastern (Fla.), 37; Valley City St. (N.D.), 25; Carroll (Mont.), 20; Midland (Neb.), 14; Waldorf (Iowa), 10; Langston (Okla.), 9; Montana Western, 4.
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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Morningside (Iowa) claimed the top spot in the first AFCA NAIA Coaches’ Top 25 Poll for the 2020 fall and 2021 spring seasons. The two-time defending NAIA national champions received 17 first-place votes and were followed by Marian (Ind.) at No. 2, Grand View (Iowa), who received one first-place vote, at No. 3, Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) at No. 4 and College of Idaho at No. 5.
RELATED ARTICLE: [NAIA Poll] Morningside Ends Regular Season at No. 1
The Great Plains Athletic Conference, Heart of America Athletic Conference and North Star Athletic Association played in the fall while the Frontier Conference and the Mid-States Football Association are playing this spring.
The Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference, Mid-South Conference and the Sooner Athletic Conference have split their seasons between fall 2020 and spring 2021.
Sixteen teams will qualify for the NAIA playoffs, with three rounds of competition beginning April 17 on campus before the 65th Annual NAIA Football National Championship on May 10 at Eddie G. Robinson Stadium in Grambling, Louisiana.
2021 American Football Coaches Association NAIA Coaches’ Top 25 Poll – February 22, 2021
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Head Coach | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Morningside (Iowa) (17) | 8-0 | 418 | NR | Steve Ryan | |
| 2 | Marian (Ind.) | 1-0 | 396 | NR | Mark Henninger | |
| 3 | Grand View (Iowa) (1) | 6-0 | 390 | NR | Joe Woodley | |
| 4 | Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) | 1-0 | 367 | NR | Chris Oliver | |
| 5 | College of Idaho | 0-0 | 335 | NR | Mike Moroski | |
| 6 | Keiser (Fla.) | 6-0 | 334 | NR | Doug Socha | |
| 7 | Northwestern (Iowa) | 8-1 | 309 | NR | Matt McCarty | |
| 8 | Baker (Kan.) | 6-0 | 291 | NR | Jason Thoren | |
| 9 | Saint Francis (Ind.) | 0-0 | 272 | NR | Kevin Donley | |
| 10 | Reinhardt (Ga.) | 2-0 | 264 | NR | James Miller | |
| 11 | Bethel (Kan.) | 8-0 | 255 | NR | Terry Harrison | |
| 12 | Dickinson St. (N.D.) | 9-0 | 244 | NR | Pete Stanton | |
| 13 | Concordia (Mich.) | 0-0 | 234 | NR | Joshua Schumacher | |
| 14 | Saint Xavier (Ill.) | 1-1 | 170 | NR | Mike Feminis | |
| 15 | Benedictine (Kan.) | 7-2 | 147 | NR | Joel Osborn | |
| 16 | Ottawa (Ariz.) | 0-0 | 144 | NR | Mike Nesbitt | |
| 17 | Cumberlands (Ky.) | 1-1 | 137 | NR | Matt Rhymer | |
| 18 | Dordt (Iowa) | 7-2 | 120 | NR | Joel Penner | |
| 19 | Georgetown (Ky.) | 1-0 | 88 | NR | Bill Cronin | |
| 20 | Roosevelt (Ill.) | 2-0 | 85 | NR | Jared Williamson | |
| 21 | Southwestern (Kan.) | 4-1 | 81 | NR | Brad Griffin | |
| 22 | Siena Heights (Mich.) | 0-0 | 78 | NR | Matt Kohn | |
| 23 | Avila (Mo.) | 5-1 | 77 | NR | Marc Benavidez | |
| 24 | Arizona Christian | 4-1 | 73 | NR | Jeff Bowen | |
| 25 | Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) | 2-0 | 55 | NR | Eric Hehman |
Dropped Out: N/A
Others Receiving Votes: Eastern Oregon, 53; Kansas Wesleyan, 45; Southeastern (Fla.), 37; Valley City St. (N.D.), 25; Carroll (Mont.), 20; Midland (Neb.), 14; Waldorf (Iowa), 10; Langston (Okla.), 9; Montana Western, 4.
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.
