[NAIA Poll] Morningside Stays No. 1 After Blowout Win Over No. 24 Dordt
Defending national champion Morningside (Iowa) remained No. 1 in the AFCA NAIA Coaches’ Top 25 Poll after moving its record to 2-0 on the season thanks to a 56-14 victory over then-No. 24 Dordt (Iowa). The Mustangs received all 17 first-place votes in the first regular season poll and will host Midland (Neb.) this coming Saturday. The rest of the top five remained the same from the preseason poll with Benedictine (Kan.) at No. 2, Saint Francis (Ind.) at No. 3, Kansas Wesleyan at No. 4 and Saint Xavier (Ill.) at No. 5.
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Montana Western made the biggest jump in the poll, moving up five places to No. 20 after beating conference foe Montana State-Northern, 38-13. The Bulldogs also have the only Top 25 matchup this coming weekend as they travel to No. 24 Rocky Mountain (Mont.) for another crucial Frontier Conference battle.
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There are three new teams in the Top 25 this week, starting with No. 22 Siena Heights (Mich.). The Saints won a defensive battle against Robert Morris (Ill.), 6-0, and moved their record to 2-0. Ottawa (Ariz.) climbs into the poll at No. 23 after being idle this past week. The Spirit will host Texas Wesleyan on Saturday. The final newcomer is Cumberland (Tenn.), who beat Thomas More (Ky.), 17-14, and sits No. 25 with a 2-0 record.
2019 American Football Coaches Association NAIA Coaches’ Top 25 Poll – September 16, 2019
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week 3 | Next Game | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Morningside (Iowa) (17) | 2-0 | 392 | 1 | D. No. 24 Dordt (Iowa), 56-14 | Sept. 21 vs. Midland (Neb.) | |
| 2 | Benedictine (Kan.) | 3-0 | 377 | 2 | D. Peru St. (Neb.), 48-17 | Sept. 21 vs. Clarke (Iowa) | |
| 3 | Saint Francis (Ind.) | 1-0 | 362 | 3 | Idle | Sept. 21 at Robert Morris (Ill.) | |
| 4 | Kansas Wesleyan | 3-0 | 342 | 4 | D. Friends (Kan.), 56-3 | Sept. 21 vs. Bethany (Kan.) | |
| 5 | Saint Xavier (Ill.) | 1-0 | 327 | 5 | Idle | Sept. 21 vs. Wisconsin-Whitewater | |
| 6 | Concordia (Mich.) | 2-0 | 315 | 6 | D. Olivet Nazarene (Ill.), 22-14 | Sept. 21 vs. St. Francis (Ill.) | |
| 7 | Marian (Ind.) | 1-0 | 302 | 7 | D. Saint Ambrose (Iowa), 49-14 | Sept. 21 at Trinity International (Ill.) | |
| 8 | Reinhardt (Ga.) | 3-0 | 271 | 10 | D. Campbellsville (Ky.), 28-0 | Sept. 21 at Keiser (Fla.) | |
| 9 | Grand View (Iowa) | 3-0 | 270 | 12 | D. Central Methodist (Mo.), 28-7 | Sept. 21 at Missouri Valley | |
| 10 | Northwestern (Iowa) | 2-0 | 258 | 11 | D. Midland (Neb.), 26-25 | Sept. 21 at Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) | |
| 11 | College of Idaho | 3-0 | 232 | 15 | D. No. 20 Southern Oregon, 41-38 | Sept. 28 at No. 24 Rocky Mountain (Mont.) | |
| 12 | Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) | 3-0 | 231 | 13 | D. Faulkner (Ala.), 26-14 | Sept. 21 at Warner (Fla.) | |
| 13 | Baker (Kan.) | 2-1 | 202 | 8 | D. Graceland (Iowa), 70-6 | Sept. 21 vs. William Penn (Iowa) | |
| 14t. | Evangel (Mo.) | 3-0 | 189 | 18 | D. Clarke (Iowa), 28-0 | Sept. 21 vs. Culver-Stockton (Mo.) | |
| 14t. | Cumberlands (Ky.) | 1-0 | 189 | 17 | Idle | Sept. 19 vs. Webber International (Fla.) | |
| 16 | Dickinson St. (N.D.) | 1-1 | 151 | 9 | Idle | Sept. 21 vs. Wisconsin-La Crosse | |
| 17 | Southeastern (Fla.) | 1-0 | 140 | 19 | D. Point (Ga.), 27-6 | Sept. 21 vs. Georgetown (Ky.) | |
| 18 | Bethel (Tenn.) | 2-1 | 134 | 16 | D. Warner (Fla.), 35-20 | Sept. 28 at Point (Ga.) | |
| 19 | Langston (Okla.) | 1-1 | 127 | 14 | Lost to Arkansas-Pine Bluff, 53-15 | Sept. 21 vs. Oklahoma Panhandle St. | |
| 20 | Montana Western | 2-0 | 109 | 25 | D. Montana St.-Northern, 38-13 | Sept. 21 at No. 24 Rocky Mountain (Mont.) | |
| 21 | Ottawa (Kan.) | 1-0 | 104 | 22 | Idle | Sept. 21 at Sterling (Kan.) | |
| 22 | Siena Heights (Mich.) | 2-0 | 66 | NR | D. Robert Morris (Ill.), 6-0 | Sept. 21 at Saint Ambrose (Iowa) | |
| 23 | Ottawa (Ariz.) | 2-0 | 54 | NR | Idle | Sept. 21 vs. Texas Wesleyan | |
| 24 | Rocky Mountain (Mont.) | 2-1 | 44 | 23 | Lost to Carroll (Mont.), 37-7 | Sept. 21 vs. No. 20 Montana Western | |
| 25 | Cumberland (Tenn.) | 2-0 | 33 | NR | D. Thomas More (Ky.), 17-14 | Sept. 21 at St. Andrews (N.C.) |
Dropped Out: Southern Oregon (20), Georgetown (Ky.) (21), Dordt (Iowa) (24)
Others Receiving Votes: Keiser (Fla.), 12; Montana Tech, 10; Sterling (Kan.), 9; Midland (Neb.), 4; Hastings (Neb.), 3; Kentucky Christian, 3.
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