2025 NAIA football season

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Total No. of teams94
Regular seasonAugust 28 – November 15, 2025
PostseasonNovember 22 – December 20, 2025
National ChampionshipCrowley ISD Multi-Purpose Stadium
Fort Worth, TX
December 20, 2025
2025 NAIA football season
Total No. of teams94
Regular seasonAugust 28 – November 15, 2025
PostseasonNovember 22 – December 20, 2025
National ChampionshipCrowley ISD Multi-Purpose Stadium
Fort Worth, TX
December 20, 2025
ChampionGrand View
Player of the YearJackson Waring, QB, Grand View

The 2025 NAIA football season is the component of the 2025 college football season organized by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) in the United States.

The regular season began on August 28 and concluded on November 15.[1]

The playoffs, known as the NAIA Football National Championship, began on November 22 and culminated with the championship game on December 20 at Crowley ISD Multi-Purpose Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas.

SchoolFormer conferenceNew conferenceRef
Concordia (MI) CardinalsMid-StatesDropped athletics[3]
Dakota State TrojansNorth StarFrontier[2]
Dickinson State Blue HawksNorth StarFrontier[4]
Jamestown JimmiesNorth StarNSIC (NCAA D-II)[5]
Mayville State CometsNorth StarFrontier[2]
North American StallionsSoonerDropped program[6]
Rio Grande RedStormNew programAppalachian[7]
St. Andrews KnightsAppalachianSchool closed[8]
Simpson Red HawksIndependentFrontier[9]
Valley City State VikingsNorth StarFrontier[2]


Top 10 matchups

Upsets

Conference standings

2025 Appalachian Athletic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
No. 23 Reinhardt $^ 6–0  7–4 
Pikeville 4–2  4–6 
Point 4–2  4–6 
Bluefield 3–3  4–6 
Kentucky Christian 2–4  4–6 
Union Commonwealth 2–4  3–6 
Rio Grande 0–6  0–9 
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NAIA playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Coaches' Poll
2025 Frontier Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
East Division
No. 5 Montana Tech x^ 6–0  12–1 
No. 25 Dakota State 5–1  8–2 
Rocky Mountain 4–2  4–6 
Valley City State 3–3  6–4 
Mayville State 2–4  5–6 
Dickinson State 1–5  3–7 
Montana State–Northern 0–6  1–10 
West Division
No. 4 College of Idaho x^ 6–0  11–2 
No. 13 Carroll (MT) ^ 5–1  9–3 
No. 18 Montana Western 4–2  7–3 
Eastern Oregon 3–3  4–6 
Southern Oregon 2–4  3–7 
Arizona Christian 1–5  2–8 
Simpson (CA) 0–6  0–10 
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • ^ – NAIA playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Coaches' Poll
2025 Great Plains Athletic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
No. 9 Dordt +^ 9–1  10–1 
No. 8 Morningside +^ 9–1  9–3 
Concordia (NE) 7–3  7–3 
Northwestern (IA) 6–4  6–4 
Midland 6–4  6–5 
Briar Cliff 5–5  6–5 
Hastings 5–5  5–5 
Mount Marty 3–7  4–7 
Dakota Wesleyan 3–7  4–7 
Doane 2–8  2–8 
Waldorf 0–10  0–10 
  • + – Conference co-champions
  • ^ – NAIA playoff participant
    Marian (IN) forfeited its NAIA playoff victory over Dordt.
Rankings from NAIA Coaches' Poll
2025 Heart of America Athletic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
North
No. 1 Grand View x^ 6–0  14–0 
No. 12 William Penn ^ 5–1  11–2 
Peru State 3–3  6–5 
St. Ambrose 3–3  4–7 
Culver–Stockton 2–4  5–6 
Graceland 1–5  3–7 
Clarke 1–5  2–9 
South
No. 3 Benedictine (KS) x^ 6–0  12–2 
Baker 5–1  6–4 
MidAmerica Nazarene 4–2  7–4 
Missouri Baptist 3–3  4–6 
Central Methodist 2–4  3–8 
William Woods 1–5  1–10 
Missouri Valley 0–6  3–7 
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • ^ – NAIA playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Coaches' Poll
2025 Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
Bissell Division
No. 6 Friends x^ 5–0  12–1 
No. 22 McPherson 3–2  9–2 
No. 21 Southwestern (KS) 3–2  8–3 
Kansas Wesleyan 3–2  7–4 
Saint Mary (KS) 1–4  3–8 
Sterling 0–5  1–10 
Kessinger Division
No. 19 Evangel x^ 5–0  9–3 
Ottawa (KS) 4–1  6–5 
Tabor 3–2  5–6 
Bethel (KS) 1–4  3–8 
Bethany (KS) 1–4  3–8 
Avila 1–4  1–10 
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • ^ – NAIA playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Coaches' Poll
2025 Mid-South Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
No. 7 Lindsey Wilson $^ 5–1  10–2 
No. 11 Campbellsville ^ 4–2  8–3 
No. 20 Georgetown (KY) 4–2  7–3 
Cumberland (TN) 3–3  7–4 
Bethel (TN) 3–3  4–5 
Faulkner 1–5  4–6 
Cumberlands (KY) 1–5  4–6 
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NAIA playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Coaches' Poll
2025 Mid-States Football Association standings
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
Mideast League
No. 10 Indiana Wesleyan x^ 5–0  9–3 
Taylor 4–1  7–4 
Siena Heights 3–2  5–5 
Defiance 2–3  4–7 
Lawrence Tech 1–4  2–8 
Madonna 0–5  1–10 
Midwest League
No. 16 Saint Francis (IN) x^ 4–1  10–3 
Saint Xavier x 4–1  8–3 
No. 15 Marian (IN) ^ 3–2  8–4 
Olivet Nazarene 2–3  6–4 
St. Francis (IL) 1–4  3–7 
Judson 1–4  1–10 
  • x – League champion/co-champions
    ^ – NAIA playoff participant
    Marian compiled an overall record of 10–1 in the regular season with a mark of 5–0 in conference play, winning the Mid-States Football Association's Midwest League title. The Knights advanced to the NAIA playoffs, where, after a first round bye, they defeated Dordt. However, Marian was removed from the NAIA playoffs prior to the team's quarterfinal game against Keiser due to self-reported player eligibility violation. The Vikings forfeited conference wins over Judson and Saint Xavier and the playoff victory over Dordt.
Rankings from NAIA Coaches' Poll
2025 Sooner Athletic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
OUAZ + 7–1  8–1 
Louisiana Christian + 7–1  8–3 
No. 24 Texas Wesleyan +^ 7–1  7–5 
Wayland Baptist 5–3  6–3 
Langston 3–5  3–7 
Nelson 3–5  3–7 
OK Panhandle State 2–6  3–7 
Arkansas Baptist 1–7  2–8 
Texas College 1–7  1–8 
  • + – Conference co-champions
  • ^ – NAIA playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Coaches' Poll
2025 Sun Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
No. 2 Keiser $^ 7–0  12–1 
No. 14 Southeastern ^ 5–2  9–3 
No. 17 St. Thomas (FL) ^ 5–2  7–4 
Florida Memorial 4–3  4–6 
Webber International 3–4  5–6 
Ave Maria 2–5  3–7 
Warner 2–5  2–8 
Thomas 0–7  0–11 
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NAIA playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Coaches' Poll

Postseason

Teams

Bracket

First Round
November 22
Campus sites		Second Round
November 29
Campus sites		Quarterfinals
December 6
Campus sites		Semifinals
December 13
Campus sites		Championship
December 20
Crowley ISD Multi-Purpose Stadium
Fort Worth, Texas
7Lindsey Wilson57
11Indiana Wesleyan31
7Lindsey Wilson7
1Grand View35
1Grand View62
16Saint Francis (IN)1316Saint Francis (IN)20
1Grand View17
18Evangel12
5Benedictine (KS)10
5Benedictine (KS)21
12Campbellsville17
5Benedictine (KS)24
4Friends18
4Friends53
13William Penn3813William Penn36
1Grand View22
20Texas Wesleyan9
2Keiser16
8College of Idaho37
9Morningside19
8College of Idaho41
3Montana Tech26
3Montana Tech31
14Carroll (MT)4214Carroll (MT)21
8College of Idaho27
17St. Thomas (FL)35
2Keiser36
6Marian (IN)26
10Dordt18
6Marian (IN)*
2Keiserw/o
2Keiser44
15Southeastern2415Southeastern16
19Reinhardt22

*– Marian was removed from the NAIA playoffs prior to the team's quarterfinal game against Keiser due to a self-reported player eligibility violation.[48]

Rankings

Coaching changes

See also

References

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