2025 NAIA football season

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.

Membership changes

School Former conference New conference Ref
Concordia (MI) Cardinals Mid-States Dropped athletics [3]
Dakota State Trojans North Star Frontier [2]
Dickinson State Blue Hawks North Star Frontier [4]
Jamestown Jimmies North Star NSIC (NCAA D-II) [5]
Mayville State Comets North Star Frontier [2]
North American Stallions Sooner Dropped program [6]
Rio Grande RedStorm New program Appalachian [7]
St. Andrews Knights Appalachian School closed [8]
Simpson Red Hawks Independent Frontier [9]
Valley City State Vikings North Star Frontier [2]


Conference standings

2025 Appalachian Athletic Conference football standings
Conf. Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
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. 4 Montana Tech x^   6 – 0     12 – 1  
No. 24 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. 9 College of Idaho x^   6 – 0     11 – 2  
No. 13 Carroll (MT) ^   5 – 1     9 – 3  
No. 17 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. 11 Dordt +^   9 – 1     9 – 2  
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
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     13 – 0  
No. 14 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 – 1  
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. 5 Friends x^   5 – 0     12 – 1  
No. 23 McPherson   3 – 2     9 – 2  
No. 22 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. 21 Evangel x^   5 – 0     9 – 3  
Ottawa   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. 15 Campbellsville ^   4 – 2     8 – 3  
No. 18 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. 19 Saint Francis (IN) x^   4 – 1     10 – 3  
Saint Xavier x   4 – 1     8 – 3  
No. 6 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  
No. 20 OUAZ +   7 – 1     8 – 1  
Louisiana Christian +   7 – 1     8 – 3  
No. 25 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 – 0  
No. 12 Southeastern ^   5 – 2     9 – 3  
No. 16 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 – 4     2 – 8  
Thomas   0 – 7     0 – 11  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NAIA playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Coaches' Poll

Postseason

Teams

See also: List of NAIA national football championship series appearances by team

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.[10]

Rankings

Main article: 2025 NAIA football rankings

Coaching changes

Preseason and in-season

This is restricted to coaching changes that took place on or after May 1, 2025, and will include any changes announced after a team's last regularly scheduled games but before its playoff games.

School Outgoing coach Date Reason Replacement Previous position
Saint Francis (IN) Kevin Donley December 2, 2024 Retired[11] Adam Sherman Saint Francis (IN) offensive coordinator (2024)
Graceland Patrick Ross July 31, 2025 Resigned (named as team's general manager)[12] Phil Staback Graceland offensive coordinator (2024)


See also

References

  1. ^ "NAIA Football Scoreboard". NAIA.com. NAIA. Retrieved 28 May 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d "Frontier Conference Expands to 11 Full-time Members". Frontier Conference (Press release). May 21, 2024. Retrieved May 28, 2025.
  3. ^ Cunningham, Darren (June 14, 2024). "Concordia University Ann Arbor discontinuing athletics after 2024-25 academic year". WXYZ. Retrieved May 28, 2025.
  4. ^ "Frontier Adding Dickinson State as Newest Conference Member". Frontier Conference (Press release). December 12, 2023. Retrieved May 28, 2025.
  5. ^ "NSIC Extends Invitation to the University of Jamestown". Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (Press release). November 21, 2023. Retrieved May 28, 2025.
  6. ^ "North American University Discontinues Stallion Football Program" (Press release). North American Stallions Athletics. February 10, 2025. Retrieved May 28, 2025.
  7. ^ Dannelly, Jason (April 23, 2024). "University of Rio Grande Adding Football in Fall '25". victorysportsnetwork.co. Retrieved May 28, 2025.
  8. ^ "St. Andrews University to Cease Operations — A Heartbreaking Goodbye". St. Andrews University (North Carolina). April 25, 2025. Retrieved May 28, 2025.
  9. ^ "Simpson University Football Joins Frontier Conference, Ushering in a New Era of Simpson Athletics" (Press release). Simpson University Athletics. May 30, 2024. Retrieved May 28, 2025.
  10. ^ Schroeder, Joe (December 4, 2025). "Marian University football removed from NAIA Playoffs over ineligible player". WXIN. Retrieved December 4, 2025.
  11. ^ "Kevin Donley ends run as University of Saint Francis football coach" (Press release). Saint Francis Cougars Athletics. May 22, 2025. Retrieved May 28, 2025.
  12. ^ "Graceland Announces Football Leadership Transition: Phil Staback Promoted to Head Coach" (Press release). Graceland Yellowjackets Athletics. July 31, 2025. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.