[NAIA POLL] Morningside Still Sits at No. 1 in the Spring AFCA NAIA Coaches’ Top 25 Poll
March 22, 2021
Morningside (Iowa) still claims the top spot in the 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 but are now followed by No. 2 Grand View (Iowa), No. 3 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.), No. 4 Keiser (Fla.) and No. 5 College of Idaho. All those teams moved up because then-No. 2 Marian (Ind.) recorded a loss to Concordia (Mich.), 16-14, on March 6, dropping the Knights to No. 9 from the last ranking on February 22.
RELATED ARTICLE: [NAIA POLL] 2019 National Champion Morningside Begins 2020-21 At No. 1 In The AFCA NAIA Coaches’ Top 25 Poll
Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) made the biggest jump in the poll, moving up 11 places to No. 14 after going 6-0 on the season with a 26-7 win over then-No. 20 Roosevelt (Ill.). The Tigers will face No. 18t Saint Xavier (Ill.) on April 3. Ottawa (Ariz.) had the biggest fall, dropping eight spots to No. 24. The Spirit will face Wayland Baptist (Tex.) this coming Saturday.
Eastern Oregon and Bethel (Tenn.) join the poll at No. 21 and No. 25, respectively. The Mountaineers blanked Carroll (Mont.), 28-0, in their first game of the season and will face Rocky Mountain (Mont.) this weekend. Bethel (Tenn.) lost to No. 17 Georgetown (Ky.), 17-14, but still managed to get enough votes to be ranked with their 3-1 record. The Wildcats will take on Pikeville (Ky.) on Friday.
2021 American Football Coaches Association NAIA Coaches’ Top 25 Poll – March 22, 2021
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Mar. 19 & 20 Next Game
1 Morningside (Iowa) (17) 8-0 418 1 -- Regular Season Complete
2 Grand View (Iowa) (1) 6-0 400 3 -- Regular Season Complete
3 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) 5-0 386 4 D. Thomas More (Ky.), 52-20 April 1 at Campbellsville (Ky.)
4 Keiser (Fla.) 7-0 339 6 -- Regular Season Complete
5 College of Idaho 2-0 332 5 D. Rocky Mountain (Mont.), 10-3 April 3 at No. 21 Eastern Oregon
6 Concordia (Mich.) 4-0 326 13 D. Taylor (Ind.), 17-14 OT Mar. 27 vs. Madonna (Mich.)
7 Northwestern (Iowa) 8-1 323 7 -- Regular Season Complete
8 Baker (Kan.) 6-0 303 8 -- Regular Season Complete
9 Marian (Ind.) 3-1 301 2 Mar. 20 at Lawrence Tech (Mich.), cancelled Mar. 27 vs. Siena Heights (Mich.)
10 Reinhardt (Ga.) 6-0 285 10 D. Faulkner (Ala.), 35-24 Mar. 27 at Bluefield (Va.)
11 Bethel (Kan.) 9-0 258 11 Idle Mar. 27 vs. Kansas Wesleyan
12 Saint Francis (Ind.) 2-1 245 9 D. Indiana Wesleyan, 17-13 Mar. 27 vs. Lawrence Tech (Mich.)
13 Dickinson St. (N.D.) 9-0 244 12 -- Regular Season Complete
14 Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) 6-0 208 25 D. No. 20 Roosevelt (Ill.), 26-7 Apr. 3 vs. No. 18t Saint Xavier (Ill.)
15 Benedictine (Kan.) 7-2 155 15 Idle Mar. 27 vs. Doane (Neb.)
16 Arizona Christian 7-1 153 24 Idle Mar. 27 at Southwestern Assemblies (Tex.)
17 Georgetown (Ky.) 4-1 150 19 D. Bethel (Tenn.), 17-14 Apr. 2 at Thomas More (Ky.)
18t. Dordt (Iowa) 7-2 148 18 Idle Mar. 27 at Oklahoma Panhandle St.
18t. Saint Xavier (Ill.) 4-1 148 14 Idle Mar. 27 vs. St. Ambrose (Iowa)
20 Avila (Mo.) 6-1 123 23 Mar. 20 at McPherson (Kan.), cancelled Mar. 27 vs. Ottawa (Kan.)
21 Eastern Oregon 1-0 93 NR D. Carroll (Mont.), 28-0 Mar. 27 at Rocky Mountain (Mont.)
22 Roosevelt (Ill.) 3-1 87 20 Lost to No. 25 Olivet Nazarene (Ill.), 26-7 Mar. 27 vs. Trinity International (Ill.)
23 Southwestern (Kan.) 5-2 41 21 D. Sterling (Kan.), 47-15 Mar. 27 at Friends (Kan.)
24 Ottawa (Ariz.) 1-1 35 16 Idle Mar. 27 vs. Wayland Baptist (Tex.)
25 Bethel (Tenn.) 3-1 26 NR Lost to No. 19 Georgetown (Ky.), 17-14 Mar. 26 vs. Pikeville (Ky.)
Dropped Out: Cumberlands (Ky.) (17), Siena Heights (Mich.) (22)
Others Receiving Votes: Southeastern (Fla.), 21; Valley City St. (N.D.), 20; Kansas Wesleyan, 17; Kentucky Christian, 12; Southwestern Assemblies (Tex.), 10; Siena Heights (Mich.), 5; Midland (Neb.), 3.
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Morningside (Iowa) still claims the top spot in the 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 but are now followed by No. 2 Grand View (Iowa), No. 3 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.), No. 4 Keiser (Fla.) and No. 5 College of Idaho. All those teams moved up because then-No. 2 Marian (Ind.) recorded a loss to Concordia (Mich.), 16-14, on March 6, dropping the Knights to No. 9 from the last ranking on February 22.
RELATED ARTICLE: [NAIA POLL] 2019 National Champion Morningside Begins 2020-21 At No. 1 In The AFCA NAIA Coaches’ Top 25 Poll
Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) made the biggest jump in the poll, moving up 11 places to No. 14 after going 6-0 on the season with a 26-7 win over then-No. 20 Roosevelt (Ill.). The Tigers will face No. 18t Saint Xavier (Ill.) on April 3. Ottawa (Ariz.) had the biggest fall, dropping eight spots to No. 24. The Spirit will face Wayland Baptist (Tex.) this coming Saturday.
Eastern Oregon and Bethel (Tenn.) join the poll at No. 21 and No. 25, respectively. The Mountaineers blanked Carroll (Mont.), 28-0, in their first game of the season and will face Rocky Mountain (Mont.) this weekend. Bethel (Tenn.) lost to No. 17 Georgetown (Ky.), 17-14, but still managed to get enough votes to be ranked with their 3-1 record. The Wildcats will take on Pikeville (Ky.) on Friday.
2021 American Football Coaches Association NAIA Coaches’ Top 25 Poll – March 22, 2021
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Mar. 19 & 20 | Next Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Morningside (Iowa) (17) | 8-0 | 418 | 1 | -- | Regular Season Complete |
| 2 | Grand View (Iowa) (1) | 6-0 | 400 | 3 | -- | Regular Season Complete |
| 3 | Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) | 5-0 | 386 | 4 | D. Thomas More (Ky.), 52-20 | April 1 at Campbellsville (Ky.) |
| 4 | Keiser (Fla.) | 7-0 | 339 | 6 | -- | Regular Season Complete |
| 5 | College of Idaho | 2-0 | 332 | 5 | D. Rocky Mountain (Mont.), 10-3 | April 3 at No. 21 Eastern Oregon |
| 6 | Concordia (Mich.) | 4-0 | 326 | 13 | D. Taylor (Ind.), 17-14 OT | Mar. 27 vs. Madonna (Mich.) |
| 7 | Northwestern (Iowa) | 8-1 | 323 | 7 | -- | Regular Season Complete |
| 8 | Baker (Kan.) | 6-0 | 303 | 8 | -- | Regular Season Complete |
| 9 | Marian (Ind.) | 3-1 | 301 | 2 | Mar. 20 at Lawrence Tech (Mich.), cancelled | Mar. 27 vs. Siena Heights (Mich.) |
| 10 | Reinhardt (Ga.) | 6-0 | 285 | 10 | D. Faulkner (Ala.), 35-24 | Mar. 27 at Bluefield (Va.) |
| 11 | Bethel (Kan.) | 9-0 | 258 | 11 | Idle | Mar. 27 vs. Kansas Wesleyan |
| 12 | Saint Francis (Ind.) | 2-1 | 245 | 9 | D. Indiana Wesleyan, 17-13 | Mar. 27 vs. Lawrence Tech (Mich.) |
| 13 | Dickinson St. (N.D.) | 9-0 | 244 | 12 | -- | Regular Season Complete |
| 14 | Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) | 6-0 | 208 | 25 | D. No. 20 Roosevelt (Ill.), 26-7 | Apr. 3 vs. No. 18t Saint Xavier (Ill.) |
| 15 | Benedictine (Kan.) | 7-2 | 155 | 15 | Idle | Mar. 27 vs. Doane (Neb.) |
| 16 | Arizona Christian | 7-1 | 153 | 24 | Idle | Mar. 27 at Southwestern Assemblies (Tex.) |
| 17 | Georgetown (Ky.) | 4-1 | 150 | 19 | D. Bethel (Tenn.), 17-14 | Apr. 2 at Thomas More (Ky.) |
| 18t. | Dordt (Iowa) | 7-2 | 148 | 18 | Idle | Mar. 27 at Oklahoma Panhandle St. |
| 18t. | Saint Xavier (Ill.) | 4-1 | 148 | 14 | Idle | Mar. 27 vs. St. Ambrose (Iowa) |
| 20 | Avila (Mo.) | 6-1 | 123 | 23 | Mar. 20 at McPherson (Kan.), cancelled | Mar. 27 vs. Ottawa (Kan.) |
| 21 | Eastern Oregon | 1-0 | 93 | NR | D. Carroll (Mont.), 28-0 | Mar. 27 at Rocky Mountain (Mont.) |
| 22 | Roosevelt (Ill.) | 3-1 | 87 | 20 | Lost to No. 25 Olivet Nazarene (Ill.), 26-7 | Mar. 27 vs. Trinity International (Ill.) |
| 23 | Southwestern (Kan.) | 5-2 | 41 | 21 | D. Sterling (Kan.), 47-15 | Mar. 27 at Friends (Kan.) |
| 24 | Ottawa (Ariz.) | 1-1 | 35 | 16 | Idle | Mar. 27 vs. Wayland Baptist (Tex.) |
| 25 | Bethel (Tenn.) | 3-1 | 26 | NR | Lost to No. 19 Georgetown (Ky.), 17-14 | Mar. 26 vs. Pikeville (Ky.) |
Dropped Out: Cumberlands (Ky.) (17), Siena Heights (Mich.) (22)
Others Receiving Votes: Southeastern (Fla.), 21; Valley City St. (N.D.), 20; Kansas Wesleyan, 17; Kentucky Christian, 12; Southwestern Assemblies (Tex.), 10; Siena Heights (Mich.), 5; Midland (Neb.), 3.
For more information about the AFCA, visit www.AFCA.com. For more interesting articles, check out insider.afca.com 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.
