Northern State University’s head football coach Mike Schmidt, right, talks to Gabe Gutierrez (32) during a game against Winona State University earlier this season at Dacotah Bank Stadium. Photo by John Davis taken 9/3/2026
PRESS RELEASE
The Northern State University football team is off to their best start since 1989 and with that comes votes in each of the national polls released by the AFCA and D2Football.com. The Wolves are currently receiving votes for the second straight week in the AFCA poll and sitting at No. 25 in the D2Football poll.
Northern tallied 32 more votes following their win over Southwest Minnesota State in the AFCA release, sitting at approximately 29th in the standings. On the D2Football side of things, the ranking marks the first for NSU under the direction of Mike Schmidt.
The Wolves travel to No. 4 / No. 3 Minnesota State this coming Saturday for a nationally ranked match-up.
AFCA TOP-25 POLL
Rank
School (1st votes)
Rec.
Pts.
Prev.
1
Ferris St. (31)
3-0
775
1
2
Harding
2-0
744
2
3
Kutztown
2-0
705
3
4
Minnesota St.
3-0
668
4
5
CSU Pueblo
3-0
653
5
6
Grand Valley St.
3-0
629
6
7
Northwest Missouri St.
2-0
589
7
8
Western Colorado
3-0
546
8
9
Findlay
2-0
505
10
10
Western Oregon
2-0
463
12
11
Slippery Rock
2-0
438
13
12
Indiana (Pa.)
2-0
402
14
13
Valdosta St.
3-0
374
16
14
Minnesota-Duluth
2-1
342
15
15
Northeastern St.
3-0
295
18
16
Central Washington
0-2
281
9
17
Emporia St.
3-0
258
24
18
West Alabama
3-0
210
NR
19
Benedict
2-0
206
21
20
Augustana (S.D.)
2-1
162
22
21
Newberry
1-1
125
11
22
Carson-Newman
3-0
122
NR
23
Frostburg St.
1-1
109
23
24
Davenport
3-0
107
NR
25t.
Michigan Tech
2-1
45
20
25t.
Northwood
2-0
45
NR
Others Receiving Votes: Lenoir-Rhyne, 43; UT Permian Basin, 37; Northern St., 35; California (Pa.), 29; Henderson St., 24; Ashland, 18; Fort Hays St., 18; UIndy, 18; North Greenville, 14; Virginia Union, 11; Shepherd, 10; Black Hills St., 6; Central Oklahoma, 5; Wayne St. (Neb.), 3; Central Missouri, 2; Walsh, 2; Colorado Mesa, 1; Concord, 1.
D2FOOTBALL.COM TOP-25 POLL 1. Ferris State (3-0) 2. Harding (2-0) 3. Minnesota State (3-0) 4. Kutztown (2-0) 5. Northwest Missouri State (2-0) 6. Grand Valley State (3-0) 7. CSU Pueblo (3-0) 8. Western Colorado (3-0) 9. Valdosta State (3-0) 10. Central Washington (0-2) 11. Western Oregon (2-0) 12. Findlay (2-0) 13. Northeastern State (3-0) 14. Slippery Rock (2-0) 15. Minnesota Duluth (2-1) 16. Emporia State (3-0) 17. Augustana (2-1) 18. IUP (2-0) 19. West Alabama (3-0) 20. Benedict (2-0) 21. Davenport (3-0) 22. Carson-Newman (3-0) 23. Northwood (2-0) 24. Lenoir-Rhyne (2-1) 25. Northern State (3-0)
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