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Northern State football in pair of national polls

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

RankSchool (1st votes)Rec.Pts.Prev.
1Ferris St. (31)3-07751
2Harding2-07442
3Kutztown2-07053
4Minnesota St.3-06684
5CSU Pueblo3-06535
6Grand Valley St.3-06296
7Northwest Missouri St.2-05897
8Western Colorado3-05468
9Findlay2-050510
10Western Oregon2-046312
11Slippery Rock2-043813
12Indiana (Pa.)2-040214
13Valdosta St.3-037416
14Minnesota-Duluth2-134215
15Northeastern St.3-029518
16Central Washington0-22819
17Emporia St.3-025824
18West Alabama3-0210NR
19Benedict2-020621
20Augustana (S.D.)2-116222
21Newberry1-112511
22Carson-Newman3-0122NR
23Frostburg St.1-110923
24Davenport3-0107NR
25t.Michigan Tech2-14520
25t.Northwood2-045NR

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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