Northwestern College moved up one spot in this week’s edition of the NAIA Football Coaches’ poll released Monday by the national office.
Ranked fifth in the last three polls, Northwestern climbed to fourth in the Oct. 1 edition after handing Doane its first loss of the season last weekend, 28-25. This marks the highest ranking for the Red Raiders since the first two weeks of the 2001 season. Northwestern is one of four GPAC teams recognized in this week’s poll, joining Morningside, Midland and Doane.
For the first time in 2018 there is a new number one as Morningside moved up to the top spot after University of Saint Francis (Ind.), the previous No.1, lost to then-No.6 Marian (Ind.) last weekend. The unbeaten Mustangs received 13 of 16 possible first place votes after defeating Hastings (Neb.) on the road 65-0. Southern Oregon moved up from third to No.2 and earned four first place votes, followed by Marian, Northwestern and Saint Francis.
Northwestern will host Dordt this weekend, Oct. 6, for a 1 pm kickoff at DeValois Stadium..
2018 NAIA Football Coaches’ Top 25 Poll – Poll Four (Oct. 1)
| RANK | LAST WEEK | SCHOOL | RECORD | FINAL POINTS |
| 1 | 2 | Morningside (Iowa) [13] | 5-0 | 364 |
| 2 | 3 | Southern Oregon [2] | 4-0 | 352 |
| 3 | 6 | Marian (Ind.) [1] | 4-0 | 336 |
| 4 | 5 | Northwestern (Iowa) | 5-0 | 322 |
| 5 | 1 | Saint Francis (Ind.) | 4-1 | 311 |
| 6 | 7 | Reinhardt (Ga.) | 4-1 | 285 |
| 7 | 4 | Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) | 3-1 | 284 |
| 8 | 8 | Evangel (Mo.) | 6-0 | 277 |
| 9 | 10 | Grand View (Iowa) | 3-1 | 249 |
| 10 | 14 | Bethel (Tenn.) | 5-0 | 231 |
| 11 | 12 | Kansas Wesleyan | 5-0 | 224 |
| 12 | 16 | Benedictine (Kan.) | 4-1 | 200 |
| 13 | 14 | Langston (Okla.) | 3-1 | 181 |
| 14 | 17 | Concordia (Mich.) | 4-1 | 180 |
| 15 | 9 | Georgetown (Ky.) | 3-2 | 161 |
| 16 | 18 | Dickinson State (N.D.) | 4-1 | 145 |
| 17 | 11 | Baker (Kan.) | 3-2 | 137 |
| 18 | 13 | Cumberlands (Ky.) | 5-1 | 130 |
| 19 | 19 | Arizona Christian | 5-0 | 128 |
| 20 | 20 | Montana Tech | 3-1 | 124 |
| 21 | 23 | Rocky Mountain (Mont.) | 3-2 | 70 |
| 22 | 24 | Montana Western | 3-1 | 60 |
| 23 | 25 | Siena Heights (Mich.) | 4-0 | 47 |
| 24 | NR | Southeastern (Fla.) | 3-2 | 38 |
| 25 | NR | St. Ambrose (Iowa) | 4-1 | 24 |
Dropped from the Top 25: Faulkner (Ala.), Webber International (Fla.)
Others Receiving Votes: Midland (Neb.) 21, Webber International (Fla.) 15, Avila (Mo.) 9, Eastern Oregon 8, Ottawa (Kan.) 7, Doane (Neb.) 4, Saint Xavier (Ill.) 3
