Saints climb to No. 11 in NAIA football coaches poll

Few teams in the NAIA have been as hot as the Fighting Saints (5-1, 2-0) in recent weeks. For the second week in a row, Carroll picked up a lopsided victory, knocking off Montana Western 52-10, and was rewarded with a one-spot bump in the national ranking.

Carroll moves back up to the spot in which it started, coming into the 2026 season at No. 11 in the Preseason Coaches Poll. The Saints are now once again knocking on the door of the top 10, looking to break in for the first time in nearly a year (Oct. 20, 2025 – No. 8).

The Saints are now one of just three teams appearing inside the NAIA top 25. College of Idaho remains at No. 1 following a bye week. Montana Tech moved up one spot to No. 5 following a win over MSU-Northern. Dakota State, which was ranked No. 23 in last week's poll, dropped out of the top 25 into the receiving votes portion following its loss to Dickinson State at home this past weekend.

Carroll, averaging 53 points per game over the last four weeks, will look to keep things rolling this weekend as it makes its first-ever trip to Redding, Calif., for a showdown with a Simpson team that is averaging 36.7 points per game on the season.

NAIA Football Coaches' Top 25 Poll

• No. 1 (last week: 1) – College of Idaho [9], 5-0
• No. 2 (last week: 2) – Keiser (Fla.) [4], 4-1
• No. 3 (last week: 4) – Benedictine (Kan.), 5-1
• No. 4 (last week: 5) – Grand View (Iowa), 5-1
• No. 5 (last week: 6) – Montana Tech, 6-1
• No. 6 (last week: 7) – Morningside (Iowa), 6-1
• No. 7 (last week: 8) – Friends (Kan.), 6-0
• No. 8 (last week: 10) – Marian (Ind.), 5-1
• No. 9 (last week: 9) – St. Thomas (Fla.), 6-0
• No. 10 (last week: 3) – Indiana Wesleyan, 5-1
• No. 11 (last week: 12) – Carroll (Mont.), 5-1
• No. 12 (last week: 14) – McPherson (Kan.), 6-0
• No. 13 (last week: 13) – Campbellsville (Ky.), 5-1
• No. 14 (last week: 15) – Dordt (Iowa), 4-2
• No. 15 (last week: 16) – Louisiana Christian, 6-1
• No. 16 (last week: 17) – Olivet Nazarene (Ill.), 5-0
• No. 17 (last week: 22) – Georgetown (Ky.), 4-2
• No. 18 (last week: 11) – Lindsey Wilson (Ky.), 5-2
• No. 19 (last week: 19) – Midland (Neb.), 5-1
• No. 20 (last week: 20) – Northwestern (Iowa), 5-2
• No. 21 (last week: 18) – William Penn (Iowa), 5-1
• No. 22 (last week: 21) – Southeastern (Fla.), 4-1
• No. 23 (last week: 24) – Baker (Kan.), 5-1
• No. 24 (last week: 25) – Evangel (Mo.), 4-2
• No. 25 (last week: RV) – Cumberland (Tenn.), 3-2

Dropped out of the top 25: Dakota State (S.D.)