# 2003 NAIA football rankings

Legend :
| | Increase in ranking |
| | Decrease in ranking |
| | Not ranked previous week |
| * | NAIA National Champion |
| т | Tied with team above or below also with this symbol |
One human poll made up the 2003 National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) football rankings, sometimes called the NAIA Coaches' Poll or the football ratings. Once the regular season was complete, the NAIA sponsored a playoff to determine the year's national champion. A final poll was then taken after completion of the 2003 NAIA Football National Championship.

## Poll release dates

The poll release dates were:
* August 26, 2003 (Preseason)
* September 9, 2003 (Week 1)
* September 16, 2003 (Week 2)
* September 23, 2003 (Week 3)
* September 30, 2003 (Week 4)
* October 7, 2003 (Week 5)
* October 14, 2003 (Week 6)
* October 21, 2003 (Week 7)
* October 28, 2003 (Week 8)
* November 4, 2003 (Week 9)
* November 11, 2003 (Week 10)
* November 16, 2003 (Final)
* January 12, 2004 (Postseason)

## Week by week poll

| | Week 0-Preseason Aug 26 | Week Poll 1 Sep 9 | Week Poll 2 Sep 16 | Week Poll 3 Sep 23 | Week Poll 4 Sep 30 | Week Poll 5 Oct 7 | Week Poll 6 Oct 14 | Week Poll 7 Oct 21 | Week Poll 8 Oct 28 | Week Poll 9 Nov 4 | Week Poll 10 Nov 11 | Week Final Nov 16 | Week Postseason Jan 12 | |
| 1. | Carroll (MT) | Carroll (MT) | Carroll (MT) | Carroll (MT) | Carroll (MT) | Carroll (MT) | Carroll (MT) | Carroll (MT) | Carroll (MT) | Carroll (MT) | Carroll (MT) | Carroll (MT) | *Carroll (MT) | 1. |
| 2. | Georgetown (KY) | Georgetown (KY) | McKendree (IL) | McKendree (IL) | McKendree (IL) | McKendree (IL) | McKendree (IL) | Sioux Falls (SD) | Sioux Falls (SD) | Sioux Falls (SD) | Sioux Falls (SD) | Sioux Falls (SD) | Northwestern Oklahoma State | 2. |
| 3. | Sioux Falls (SD) | Sioux Falls (SD) | Sioux Falls (SD) | Sioux Falls (SD) | Sioux Falls (SD) | Sioux Falls (SD) | Sioux Falls (SD) | Dickinson State (ND) | Dickinson State (ND) | Dickinson State (ND) | Dickinson State (ND) | Dickinson State (ND) | Sioux Falls (SD) | 3. |
| 4. | McKendree (IL) | McKendree (IL) | Northwestern Oklahoma State | Northwestern Oklahoma State | Dickinson State (ND) | Dickinson State (ND) | Dickinson State (ND) | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | Saint Francis (IN) | 4. |
| 5. | Southern Oregon | Southern Oregon | Southern Oregon | Dickinson State (ND) | Georgetown (KY) | Georgetown (KY) | Georgetown (KY) | Saint Francis (IN) | Saint Francis (IN) | Saint Francis (IN) | Saint Francis (IN) | Saint Francis (IN) | Dickinson State (ND) | 5. |
| 6. | Northwestern Oklahoma State | Northwestern Oklahoma State | Dickinson State (ND) | Evangel (MO) | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | Northwestern Oklahoma State | Northwestern Oklahoma State | Northwestern Oklahoma State | Northwestern Oklahoma State | Northwestern Oklahoma State | Mary (ND) | 6. |
| 7. | Dickinson State (ND) | Dickinson State (ND) | Evangel (MO) | Georgetown (KY) | Saint Francis (IN) | Saint Francis (IN) | Saint Francis (IN) | Mary (ND) | Mary (ND) | Mary (ND) | Mary (ND) | Mary (ND) | Northwestern (IA) | 7. |
| 8. | Mary (ND) | Evangel (MO) | Georgetown (KY) | Mary (ND) | Azusa Pacific (CA) | Azusa Pacific (CA) | Northwestern Oklahoma State | McKendree (IL) | McKendree (IL) | McKendree (IL) | McKendree (IL) | Northwestern (IA) | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | 8. |
| 9. | Evangel (MO) | Mary (ND) | Mary (ND) | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | Northwestern Oklahoma State | Northwestern Oklahoma State | Benedictine (KS) | Azusa Pacific (CA) | Azusa Pacific (CA) | Azusa Pacific (CA) | Northwestern (IA) | Azusa Pacific (CA) | St. Ambrose (IA) | 9. |
| 10. | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | Azusa Pacific (CA) | Northwestern (IA) | Northwestern (IA) | Mary (ND) | Evangel (MO) | Northwestern (IA) | Northwestern (IA) | Azusa Pacific (CA) | Georgetown (KY) | Lambuth (TN) | 10. |
| 11. | Saint Francis (IN) | Azusa Pacific (CA) | Azusa Pacific (CA) | Saint Francis (IN) | Benedictine (KS) | Benedictine (KS) | Evangel (MO) | Northwestern (IA) | Evangel (MO) | Georgetown (KY) | Georgetown (KY) | Lambuth (TN) | Georgetown (KY) | 11. |
| 12. | Azusa Pacific (CA) | Saint Francis (IN) | Saint Francis (IN) | St. Ambrose (IA) | Mary (ND) | Mary (ND) | Azusa Pacific (CA) | Georgetown (KY) | Georgetown (KY) | Lambuth (TN) | Lambuth (TN) | (T) Benedictine (KS) | Benedictine (KS) | 12. |
| 13. | St. Ambrose (IA) | St. Ambrose (IA) | St. Ambrose (IA) | Southern Oregon | Lambuth (TN) | Evangel (MO) | Northwestern (IA) | Tabor (KS) | Tabor (KS) | Benedictine (KS) | Benedictine (KS) | (T) Ottawa (KS) | Azusa Pacific (CA) | 13. |
| 14. | Montana Western | Walsh (OH) | Walsh (OH) | Northwestern (IA) | Evangel (MO) | Cumberlands (KY) | Tabor (KS) | Campbellsville (KY) | (T) Campbellsville (KY) | (T) Cumberlands (KY) | Ottawa (KS) | McKendree (IL) | Ottawa (KS) | 14. |
| 15. | Doane (NE) | Northwestern (IA) | Northwestern (IA) | Campbellsville (KY) | St. Ambrose (IA) | Southern Nazarene (OK) | Southern Nazarene (OK) | Lambuth (TN) | (T) Lambuth (TN) | (T) Ottawa (KS) | Cumberlands (KY) | Tabor (KS) | McKendree (IL) | 15. |
| 16. | Benedictine (KS) | Kansas Wesleyan | Hastings (NE) | Lambuth (TN) | Kansas Wesleyan | Minot State (ND) | Campbellsville (KY) | Walsh (OH) | Saint Xavier (IL) | Tabor (KS) | Tabor (KS) | St. Ambrose (IA) | Campbellsville (KY) | 16. |
| 17. | Saint Xavier (IL) | Hastings (NE) | Campbellsville (KY) | Benedictine (KS) | Southern Nazarene (OK) | Tabor (KS) | Walsh (OH) | Saint Xavier (IL) | Walsh (OH) | Evangel (MO) | (T) Minot State (ND) | Campbellsville (KY) | Tabor (KS) | 17. |
| 18. | Kansas Wesleyan | Lambuth (TN) | Lambuth (TN) | Trinity International (IL) | Hastings (NE) | Campbellsville (KY) | Midland Lutheran (NE) | Benedictine (KS) | Benedictine (KS) | Minot State (ND) | (T) Campbellsville (KY) | Minot State (ND) | Minot State (ND) | 18. |
| 19. | Minot State (ND) | Saint Xavier (IL) | Benedictine (KS) | Kansas Wesleyan | Cumberlands (KY) | Walsh (OH) | Lambuth (TN) | Cumberlands (KY) | (T) Cumberlands (KY) | Campbellsville (KY) | Walsh (OH) | Trinity International (IL) | Trinity International (IL) | 19. |
| 20. | Lambuth (TN) | Campbellsville (KY) | Valley City State (ND) | Southern Nazarene (OK) | Tabor (KS) | Midland Lutheran (NE) | Cumberlands (KY) | Ottawa (KS) | (T) Ottawa (KS) | Saint Xavier (IL) | Trinity International (IL) | Cumberlands (KY) | Cumberlands (KY) | 20. |
| 21. | Walsh (OH) | Benedictine (KS) | Kansas Wesleyan | Tabor (KS) | Minot State (ND) | Lambuth (TN) | Ottawa (KS) | Hastings (NE) | Southern Nazarene (OK) | Walsh (OH) | St. Ambrose (IA) | Saint Xavier (IL) | Saint Xavier (IL) | 21. |
| 22. | Missouri Valley (MO) | Bacone (OK) | Trinity International (IL) | Minot State (ND) | Walsh (OH) | (T) St. Ambrose (IA) | St. Ambrose (IA) | Midland Lutheran (NE) | Minot State (ND) | Olivet Nazarene (IL) | Evangel (MO) | Walsh (OH) | Walsh (OH) | 22. |
| 23. | Northwestern (IA) | Doane (NE) | Southern Nazarene (OK) | Hastings (NE) | Campbellsville (KY) | (T) Ottawa (KS) | Saint Xavier (IL) | Southern Nazarene (OK) | Midland Lutheran (NE) | St. Ambrose (IA) | Nebraska Wesleyan | Montana Western | Southern Oregon | 23. |
| 24. | Hastings (NE) | Valley City State (ND) | Tabor (KS) | Nebraska Wesleyan | Southern Oregon | Saint Xavier (IL) | Minot State (ND) | Olivet Nazarene (IL) | Olivet Nazarene (IL) | Trinity International (IL) | Midland Lutheran (NE) | Southern Oregon | Montana Western | 24. |
| 25. | Campbellsville (KY) | (T) Montana Western(T) Montana Tech | Minot State (ND) | Walsh (OH) | Midland Lutheran (NE) | Kansas Wesleyan | Hastings (NE) | Minot State (ND) | Peru State (NE) | Peru State (NE) | McPherson (KS) | Midland Lutheran (NE) | Midland Lutheran (NE) | 25. |
| | Week 0-Preseason Aug 26 | Week Poll 1 Sep 9 | Week Poll 2 Sep 16 | Week Poll 3 Sep 23 | Week Poll 4 Sep 30 | Week Poll 5 Oct 7 | Week Poll 6 Oct 14 | Week Poll 7 Oct 21 | Week Poll 8 Oct 28 | Week Poll 9 Nov 4 | Week Poll 10 Nov 11 | Week Final Nov 16 | Week Postseason Jan 12 | |
| | | Dropped: Minot State (ND)Missouri Valley (MO) | Dropped: Saint Xavier (IL)Bacone (OK)Doane (NE)Montana WesternMontana Tech | Dropped: Valley City State (ND) | Dropped: Trinity International (IL)Nebraska Wesleyan | Dropped: Hastings (NE)Southern Oregon | Dropped: Kansas Wesleyan | Dropped: St. Ambrose (IA) | Dropped: Hastings (NE) | Dropped: Southern Nazarene (OK)Midland Lutheran (NE) | Dropped: Saint Xavier (IL)Olivet Nazarene (IL)Peru State (NE) | Dropped: Evangel (MO)Nebraska WesleyanMcPherson (KS) | Dropped: NONE | |

## Leading vote-getters

Since the inception of the Coaches' Poll in 1999, the #1 ranking in the various weekly polls has been held by only a select group of teams. Through the postseason poll of the 2003 season, the teams and the number of times they have held the #1 weekly ranking are shown below. The number of times a team has been ranked #1 in the postseason poll (the national champion) is shown in parentheses.
In 1999, the results of a postseason poll, if one was conducted, are not known. Therefore, an additional poll has been presumed, and the #1 postseason ranking has been credited to the postseason tournament champion, the Northwestern Oklahoma State Rangers.
| Team | Total #1 Rankings |
| Georgetown (KY) | 23 (2) |
| Carroll (MT) | 14 (2) |
| Northwestern Oklahoma State | 12 (1) |
| Sioux Falls (SD) | 10 |
| Azusa Pacific (CA) | 3 |