Football

Five KCAC Teams Recognized in Latest Netting Professionals NAIA Football Coaches' Poll

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Five teams from the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) were recognized in the latest edition of the Netting Professionals NAIA Football Coaches' Poll, the national office announced Monday.

Friends University moved up one spot to No. 5, entering the Top 5 of the poll for the first time this season. Southwestern College and McPherson College both moved up in the polls, with the Moundbuilders moving up two spots to No. 16 and the Bulldogs moving up three spots to No. 21. Evangel University and Kansas Wesleyan University both remained in the "Receiving Votes" category of the poll.

The next edition of the Netting Professionals NAIA Football Coaches' Poll will be released Monday, October 13.
 
 

Poll Methodology

  • The national poll is for publicity purposes only and does not influence the selection process for national championship consideration.
  • A panel of head coaches representing each conference and the Continental Athletic Conference (Independents) votes in the poll.
  • The Top 25 teams are selected using a points-based system:
    • 30 points for a 1st-place vote, 29 for 2nd, 28 for 3rd, and so on.
  • The highest and lowest rankings received by each team are discarded before final tallying.
  • Teams receiving only one point are not listed as “receiving votes.”
  • For a complete look at the Netting Professionals NAIA Top 25 Coaches' Poll throughout the regular season, and for historical rankings, click here

Key: RV - Receiving Votes, NR - Not Ranked
 



TOP 10 CAPSULES
 

1. Grand View (Iowa)

The top-ranked Vikings claimed the Rock & Ladder Trophy Saturday over No. 20 William Penn (Iowa), pulling away with a 21-point fourth quarter to remain unbeaten in their fourth-straight double-digit win. The defense didn’t allow a touchdown until the fourth quarter, holding one of the NAIA’s top backs, Destynd Loring, under 50 yards. Jackson Waring threw four touchdowns for GVU and added another on the ground, responsible for five TDs in all. Grand View’s next game is scheduled for Thursday night, following a conference bye week, against Peru State (Neb.) on Oct. 16.

2. Keiser (Fla.)

The Seahawks are gaining momentum with back-to-back 30+ point wins, including Saturday’s 49-3 victory over Thomas (Ga.), setting a school record with 692 yards of total offense, including a program-best 398 on the ground. Dillon Simon ran for 152 yards and two scores, while Jorden Miller ran for 141 and another rushing score. Saturday, the Seahawks will look to stop the momentum from upset-minded Florida Memorial, after the Lions knocked off Southeastern (Fla.) last week.

  

3. Benedictine (Kan.)

Benedictine is averaging 56 points per game over its four-game winning streak, including last week’s 52-21 win over Missouri Baptist. The Heart of America Athletic Conference takes a bye week across the board, and when play resumes, Oct. 18, the Ravens travel to Central Methodist. In Saturday’s game, MBU enjoyed a brief lead before BC put up 31-straight, and the Ravens rushed for 316 yards.

4. Morningside (Iowa)

The Mustangs put up a season-high 69 points in a 63-point homecoming win over Waldorf (Iowa) last week, as Zach Chevalier completed 17-of-18 for 327 yards and five touchdowns. In all, the Mustangs gained 651 yards of total offense, building a 49-0 lead by halftime, while the defense held Waldorf to 175 total yards. Morningside returns to its GPAC slate Saturday afternoon, in Mitchell, S.D., at Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.).

 

5. Friends (Kan.) 

The Falcons remained one of the most dominant teams through six weeks in the NAIA, closing up cross-divisional play in the KCAC with a 28-7 win at Ottawa (Kan.). Friends did trail for the first time this season, as OU scored five minutes into the game, but Friends scored 28 unanswered on rushing TDs in the first, second, third, and fourth quarters.

 

6. Lindsey Wilson (Ky.)

The Blue Raiders get a second-consecutive stern test in the Mid-South Conference, as Cumberlands (Ky.) visits Lindsey Wilson Saturday afternoon. Last week, Lindsey prevailed 37-13 at No. 11 Georgetown (Ky.), as Davontaye Saunders ran for 153 yards on 24 carries with three touchdowns, his third-straight game with more than 150 yards rushing. Lindsey Wilson was  10-of-14 on third downs.

 

7. Montana Tech 

Montana Tech turned in its most dominant 2025 performance to date in its Frontier East opener, using 21 first-quarter points to build a 28-7 halftime lead on the way to a 49-21 win over Dakota State (S.D.). The Orediggers’ first-quarter scoring plays went for 62, 75, and 65 yards, and quarterback Jarrett Wilson accounted for five touchdowns in the game – three through the air and two more on the ground. This week, Montana Tech travels to Montana State-Northern.

 

8. Montana Western

The Bulldogs are 1-0 in Frontier West play and have won four straight since a season-opening loss to No. 5 Montana Tech. Last week, Michael Palandri led Montana Western to a 40-20 win over Southern Oregon, throwing two touchdowns to Seth Shook, and Jakob Humphrey scored two of the Bulldogs’ three TDs on the ground. SOU’s Dom Montiel threw for three scores against UMW, but the Bulldogs were able to cement the game with three interceptions. Saturday, the Bulldogs are back at home, hosting nationally ranked Carroll (Mont.) at 1 p.m. MT.

 

 

9. St. Thomas (Fla.)

The Bobcats were dominant to open their conference schedule in The Sun, up 42-0 at the half on Ave Maria (Fla.), on the way to winning their conference opener 59-0. Keely Watson threw three first-quarter touchdown passes and two more in the third, and the Bobcats piled up 27 first downs to the Gyrenes’ seven, holding Ave Maria to negative rushing yards and only 83 yards of total offense. The Bobcats are at Warner (Fla.), Saturday. Warner seeks its first win of the season after falling last week, by a touchdown, to Webber International (Fla.).

 

10. Campbellsville (Ky.)

The Tigers continue to surge after a 49-34 win over Cumberlands (Ky.) last Saturday at Finley Stadium, remaining unbeaten into a bye week. Campbellsville running back Tre Bass delivered a historic performance, accounting for five total touchdowns (three rushing, two receiving) and 316 all-purpose yards. The Tigers got on the board seconds into the game, as Ashton Auker scored on the opening kickoff, and the Tigers never trailed. After an idle week, Campbellsville welcomes No. 7 Lindsey Wilson to Finley Stadium on Oct. 18.

 

FULL TOP 25 RANKINGS
 
Rank Last Poll Institution [First-Place Votes] Record Points
1 1 Grand View (Iowa) [15] 5-0 435
2 2 Keiser (Fla.) 4-0 421
3 3 Benedictine (Kan.) 5-1 404
4 4 Morningside (Iowa) 4-1 386
5 6 Friends (Kan.) 6-0 359
6 7 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) 5-0 354
7 5 Montana Tech 6-0 349
8 8 Montana Western 4-1 340
9 9 St. Thomas (Fla.) 3-1 316
10 12 Campbellsville (Ky.) 5-0 297
11 13 Dordt (Iowa) 4-0 293
12 14 Marian (Ind.) 4-1 280
13 15 OUAZ (Ariz.) 4-0 256
14 16 Indiana Wesleyan 4-2 221
14 17 Carroll (Mont.) 4-1 221
16 18 Southwestern (Kan.) 5-1 203
17 19 Concordia (Neb.) 4-0 197
18 10 Southeastern (Fla.) 3-1 190
19 11 Georgetown (Ky.) 3-2 169
20 21 Texas Wesleyan 3-2 155
21 24 McPherson (Kan.) 6-0 146
22 25 College of Idaho 4-1 140
23 23 MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) 5-1 129
24 RV Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) 3-1 88
25 RV Saint Francis (Ind.) 4-1 82

Receiving Votes: William Penn (Iowa) 79; Cumberland (Tenn.) 35; Evangel (Mo.) 27; Bethel (Tenn.) 11; Kansas Wesleyan 11; Louisiana Christian 11; Taylor (Ind.) 10; Northwestern (Iowa) 7; Florida Memorial 5; Peru State (Neb.) 2

Dropped out of Top 25: William Penn (Iowa), Northwestern (Iowa).
 
—KCAC—