[NAIA POLL] Morningside Ends 2021 Regular Spring Season At No. 1
April 11, 2021
Morningside stayed at No. 1 during the entire regular season in the AFCA NAIA Coaches’ Spring Top 25 Poll and will host No. 22 Carroll (Mont.) in the first round of the NAIA Football Championship Series. The defending national champions are 8-0 and last played a game on November 21, 2020.
RELATED CONTENT: [NAIA POLL] Lindsey Wilson Stays at No. 3 in the NAIA Top 25
The rest of the Top 5 remained the same with No. 2 Grand View (Iowa), No. 3 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.), No. 4 Keiser (Fla.) and No. 5 Concordia (Mich.). The College of Idaho lost to Carroll (Mont.), 28-19, dropping the Coyotes from No. 6 to No. 15 and allowing the Saints to win a share of the Frontier Conference and come in ranked No. 22. This will be Carroll’s first appearance in the playoffs since 2014.
Marian (Ind.) rose one spot to No. 9 after scoring 20 unanswered points in the second quarter and holding on for a 41-34 win over then-No. 11 Saint Francis (Ind.). The loss dropped the Cougars to No. 17 and gave Marian an automatic bid in the NAIA playoffs where they will face No. 8 Reinhardt (Ga.).
The Top 14 teams all earned a spot in the playoffs along with No. 18 Dordt (Iowa) and No. 22 Carroll (Mont.). Dordt will travel to No. 2 Grand View (Iowa). Other first round action includes No. 3 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) hosting No. 13 Bethel (Kan.) while No. 12 Arizona Christian must go across the country and face No. 4 Keiser (Fla.). No. 5 Concordia (Mich.) is the highest ranked team that isn’t hosting a first round game. The Cardinals must travel to No. 14 Georgetown (Ky.).
2020-21 American Football Coaches Association NAIA Coaches’ Top 25 Poll – April 11, 2021
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. April 9-10 Next Game
1 Morningside (Iowa) (17) 8-0 418 1 -- April 17 vs. No. 22 Carroll (Mont.)
2 Grand View (Iowa) (1) 6-0 401 2 -- April 17 vs. No. 18 Dordt (Iowa)
3 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) 7-0 387 3 D. Bethel (Tenn.), 49-7 April 17 vs. No. 13 Bethel (Kan.)
4 Keiser (Fla.) 7-0 359 4 -- April 17 vs. No. 12 Arizona Christian
5 Concordia (Mich.) 5-0 354 5 -- April 17 at No. 14 Georgetown (Ky.)
6 Northwestern (Iowa) 8-1 333 7 -- April 17 vs. No. 10 Dickinson St. (N.D.)
7 Baker (Kan.) 6-0 314 8 -- April 17 vs. No. 11 Olivet Nazarene (Ill.)
8 Reinhardt (Ga.) 8-0 307 9 -- April 17 vs. No. 9 Marian (Ind.)
9 Marian (Ind.) 5-1 295 10 D. No. 11 Saint Francis (Ind.), 41-34 April 17 at No. 8 Reinhardt (Ga.)
10 Dickinson St. (N.D.) 9-0 268 12 -- April 17 at No. 6 Northwestern (Iowa)
11 Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) 8-0 264 13 D. Trinity International (Ill.), 37-18 April 17 at No. 7 Baker (Kan.)
12 Arizona Christian 9-1 220 14 D. Wayland Baptist (Tex.), 42-7 April 17 at No. 4 Keiser (Fla.)
13 Bethel (Kan.) 9-1 207 15 -- April 17 at No. 3 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.)
14 Georgetown (Ky.) 6-1 201 16 D. Pikeville (Ky.), 36-23 April 17 vs. No. 5 Concordia (Mich.)
15 College of Idaho 3-1 185 6 Lost to Carroll (Mont.), 28-19 Season Complete
16 Benedictine (Kan.) 8-2 170 18 D. Hastings (Neb.), 49-0 Season Complete
17 Saint Francis (Ind.) 2-2 163 11 Lost to No. 10 Marian (Ind.), 41-34 Season Complete
18 Dordt (Iowa) 8-2 158 17 -- April 17 at No. 2 Grand View (Iowa)
19 Avila (Mo.) 8-1 147 19 -- Season Complete
20t. Eastern Oregon 3-1 104 21 D. Montana St.-Northern, 21-6 Season Complete
20t. Roosevelt (Ill.) 5-1 104 20 D. St. Ambrose (Iowa), 24-17 Season Complete
22 Carroll (Mont.) 3-1 67 NR D. No. 6 College of Idaho, 28-19 April 17 at No. 1 Morningside (Iowa)
23 Ottawa (Ariz.) 4-1 57 22 D. Langston (Okla.), 28-24 Season Complete
24 Southwestern (Kan.) 7-2 49 24 D. Ottawa (Kan.), 28-14 Season Complete
25 Kansas Wesleyan 8-2 36 23 -- Season Complete
Dropped Out: Valley City St. (N.D.) (25)
Others Receiving Votes: Valley City St. (N.D.), 19; Southeastern (Fla.), 13; Faulkner (Ala.), 9; St. Ambrose (Iowa), 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 stayed at No. 1 during the entire regular season in the AFCA NAIA Coaches’ Spring Top 25 Poll and will host No. 22 Carroll (Mont.) in the first round of the NAIA Football Championship Series. The defending national champions are 8-0 and last played a game on November 21, 2020.
RELATED CONTENT: [NAIA POLL] Lindsey Wilson Stays at No. 3 in the NAIA Top 25
The rest of the Top 5 remained the same with No. 2 Grand View (Iowa), No. 3 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.), No. 4 Keiser (Fla.) and No. 5 Concordia (Mich.). The College of Idaho lost to Carroll (Mont.), 28-19, dropping the Coyotes from No. 6 to No. 15 and allowing the Saints to win a share of the Frontier Conference and come in ranked No. 22. This will be Carroll’s first appearance in the playoffs since 2014.
Marian (Ind.) rose one spot to No. 9 after scoring 20 unanswered points in the second quarter and holding on for a 41-34 win over then-No. 11 Saint Francis (Ind.). The loss dropped the Cougars to No. 17 and gave Marian an automatic bid in the NAIA playoffs where they will face No. 8 Reinhardt (Ga.).
The Top 14 teams all earned a spot in the playoffs along with No. 18 Dordt (Iowa) and No. 22 Carroll (Mont.). Dordt will travel to No. 2 Grand View (Iowa). Other first round action includes No. 3 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) hosting No. 13 Bethel (Kan.) while No. 12 Arizona Christian must go across the country and face No. 4 Keiser (Fla.). No. 5 Concordia (Mich.) is the highest ranked team that isn’t hosting a first round game. The Cardinals must travel to No. 14 Georgetown (Ky.).
2020-21 American Football Coaches Association NAIA Coaches’ Top 25 Poll – April 11, 2021
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | April 9-10 | Next Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Morningside (Iowa) (17) | 8-0 | 418 | 1 | -- | April 17 vs. No. 22 Carroll (Mont.) |
| 2 | Grand View (Iowa) (1) | 6-0 | 401 | 2 | -- | April 17 vs. No. 18 Dordt (Iowa) |
| 3 | Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) | 7-0 | 387 | 3 | D. Bethel (Tenn.), 49-7 | April 17 vs. No. 13 Bethel (Kan.) |
| 4 | Keiser (Fla.) | 7-0 | 359 | 4 | -- | April 17 vs. No. 12 Arizona Christian |
| 5 | Concordia (Mich.) | 5-0 | 354 | 5 | -- | April 17 at No. 14 Georgetown (Ky.) |
| 6 | Northwestern (Iowa) | 8-1 | 333 | 7 | -- | April 17 vs. No. 10 Dickinson St. (N.D.) |
| 7 | Baker (Kan.) | 6-0 | 314 | 8 | -- | April 17 vs. No. 11 Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) |
| 8 | Reinhardt (Ga.) | 8-0 | 307 | 9 | -- | April 17 vs. No. 9 Marian (Ind.) |
| 9 | Marian (Ind.) | 5-1 | 295 | 10 | D. No. 11 Saint Francis (Ind.), 41-34 | April 17 at No. 8 Reinhardt (Ga.) |
| 10 | Dickinson St. (N.D.) | 9-0 | 268 | 12 | -- | April 17 at No. 6 Northwestern (Iowa) |
| 11 | Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) | 8-0 | 264 | 13 | D. Trinity International (Ill.), 37-18 | April 17 at No. 7 Baker (Kan.) |
| 12 | Arizona Christian | 9-1 | 220 | 14 | D. Wayland Baptist (Tex.), 42-7 | April 17 at No. 4 Keiser (Fla.) |
| 13 | Bethel (Kan.) | 9-1 | 207 | 15 | -- | April 17 at No. 3 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) |
| 14 | Georgetown (Ky.) | 6-1 | 201 | 16 | D. Pikeville (Ky.), 36-23 | April 17 vs. No. 5 Concordia (Mich.) |
| 15 | College of Idaho | 3-1 | 185 | 6 | Lost to Carroll (Mont.), 28-19 | Season Complete |
| 16 | Benedictine (Kan.) | 8-2 | 170 | 18 | D. Hastings (Neb.), 49-0 | Season Complete |
| 17 | Saint Francis (Ind.) | 2-2 | 163 | 11 | Lost to No. 10 Marian (Ind.), 41-34 | Season Complete |
| 18 | Dordt (Iowa) | 8-2 | 158 | 17 | -- | April 17 at No. 2 Grand View (Iowa) |
| 19 | Avila (Mo.) | 8-1 | 147 | 19 | -- | Season Complete |
| 20t. | Eastern Oregon | 3-1 | 104 | 21 | D. Montana St.-Northern, 21-6 | Season Complete |
| 20t. | Roosevelt (Ill.) | 5-1 | 104 | 20 | D. St. Ambrose (Iowa), 24-17 | Season Complete |
| 22 | Carroll (Mont.) | 3-1 | 67 | NR | D. No. 6 College of Idaho, 28-19 | April 17 at No. 1 Morningside (Iowa) |
| 23 | Ottawa (Ariz.) | 4-1 | 57 | 22 | D. Langston (Okla.), 28-24 | Season Complete |
| 24 | Southwestern (Kan.) | 7-2 | 49 | 24 | D. Ottawa (Kan.), 28-14 | Season Complete |
| 25 | Kansas Wesleyan | 8-2 | 36 | 23 | -- | Season Complete |
Dropped Out: Valley City St. (N.D.) (25)
Others Receiving Votes: Valley City St. (N.D.), 19; Southeastern (Fla.), 13; Faulkner (Ala.), 9; St. Ambrose (Iowa), 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.
