# 2017 NAIA football rankings

One human poll made up the 2017 National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) football rankings, sometimes called the NAIA Coaches' Poll or the football ratings. When the regular season was complete, the NAIA conducted a playoff to determine the year's national champion. A final poll was taken after completion of the 2017 NAIA Football National Championship.

## Poll release dates

The poll released a spring edition of the rankings on April 10, 2017. A complete schedule of poll release dates will be:
2017 Poll Release Dates :
| Spring | April 10 |
| Preseason | August 7 |
| Week 1 | September 11 |
| Week 2 | September 18 |
| Week 3 | September 25 |
| Week 4 | October 2 |
| Week 5 | October 9 |
| Week 6 | October 16 |
| Week 7 | October 23 |
| Week 8 | October 30 |
| Week 9 | November 6 |
| Week 10 (Final Regular Season) | November 12 |
| Postseason | December 19 |

## Week by week poll

| | Week 0-Spring Apr 10 | Week 0-Preseason Aug 7 | Week 1-Poll 1 Sep 11 | Week 2-Poll 2 Sep 18 | Week 3-Poll 3 Sep 25 | Week 4-Poll 4 Oct 2 | Week 5-Poll 5 Oct 9 | Week 6-Poll 6 Oct 16 | Week 7-Poll 7 Oct 23 | Week 8-Poll 8 Oct 30 | Week 9-Poll 9 Nov 6 | Week 10-Final Nov 12 | Week 11-Postseason Dec 19 | |
| 1. | Saint Francis (IN) | Saint Francis (IN) | Saint Francis (IN) | Saint Francis (IN) | Saint Francis (IN) | Saint Francis (IN) | Saint Francis (IN) | Saint Francis (IN) | Saint Francis (IN) | Saint Francis (IN) | Saint Francis (IN) | Saint Francis (IN) | Saint Francis (IN) | 1. |
| 2. | Baker (KS) | Baker (KS) | Baker (KS) | Baker (KS) | Baker (KS) | Baker (KS) | Baker (KS) | Baker (KS) | Baker (KS) | Baker (KS) | Reinhardt (GA) | Reinhardt (GA) | Reinhardt (GA) | 2. |
| 3. | Reinhardt (GA) | Reinhardt (GA) | Reinhardt (GA) | Reinhardt (GA) | Reinhardt (GA) | Reinhardt (GA) | Reinhardt (GA) | Reinhardt (GA) | Reinhardt (GA) | Reinhardt (GA) | Morningside (IA) | Morningside (IA) | Morningside (IA) | 3. |
| 4. | Eastern Oregon | Morningside (IA) | Morningside (IA) | Morningside (IA) | Morningside (IA) | Morningside (IA) | Morningside (IA) | Morningside (IA) | Morningside (IA) | Morningside (IA) | Lindsey Wilson (KY) | Lindsey Wilson (KY) | Southern Oregon | 4. |
| 5. | Marian (IN) | Marian (IN) | Montana Tech | Montana Tech | Montana Tech | Montana Tech | Lindsey Wilson (KY) | Lindsey Wilson (KY) | Lindsey Wilson (KY) | Lindsey Wilson (KY) | Southern Oregon | Southern Oregon | Lindsey Wilson (KY) | 5. |
| 6. | Morningside (IA) | Montana Tech | Lindsey Wilson (KY) | Lindsey Wilson (KY) | Lindsey Wilson (KY) | Lindsey Wilson (KY) | Grand View (IA) | Grand View (IA) | Grand View (IA) | Grand View (IA) | Grand View (IA) | Baker (KS) | Saint Xavier (IL) | 6. |
| 7. | Montana Tech | Eastern Oregon | Doane (NE) | Doane (NE) | Grand View (IA) | Grand View (IA) | Southern Oregon | Southern Oregon | Southern Oregon | Southern Oregon | Baker (KS) | Langston (OK) | Georgetown (KY) | 7. |
| 8. | Lindsey Wilson (KY) | Lindsey Wilson (KY) | Marian (IN) | Grand View (IA) | Marian (IN) | Southern Oregon | Langston (OK) | Langston (OK) | Langston (OK) | Langston (OK) | Langston (OK) | Saint Xavier (IL) | Northwestern (IA) | 8. |
| 9. | Grand View (IA) | Grand View (IA) | Grand View (IA) | Marian (IN) | Southern Oregon | Langston (OK) | Georgetown (KY) | Georgetown (KY) | Georgetown (KY) | Georgetown (KY) | Saint Xavier (IL) | Southeastern (FL) | Baker (KS) | 9. |
| 10. | Doane (NE) | Tabor (KS) | Southeastern (FL) | Southeastern (FL) | Arizona Christian | Georgetown (KY) | Saint Xavier (IL) | Saint Xavier (IL) | Saint Xavier (IL) | Saint Xavier (IL) | Southeastern (FL) | Northwestern (IA) | Southeastern (FL) | 10. |
| 11. | Missouri Valley (MO) | Doane (NE) | Eastern Oregon | Saint Xavier (IL) | Langston (OK) | Saint Xavier (IL) | Montana Tech | Montana Tech | Montana Tech | Benedictine (KS) | Northwestern (IA) | Grand View (IA) | Grand View (IA) | 11. |
| 12. | Tabor (KS) | Missouri Valley (MO) | Arizona Christian | Arizona Christian | Georgetown (KY) | Doane (NE) | Benedictine (KS) | Benedictine (KS) | Benedictine (KS) | Southeastern (FL) | (T) Georgetown (KY) | (T) Georgetown (KY) | Benedictine (KS) | 12. |
| 13. | Sterling (KS) | Robert Morris (IL) | Saint Xavier (IL) | Southern Oregon | Saint Xavier (IL) | Marian (IN) | Marian (IN) | Marian (IN) | Southeastern (FL) | Northwestern (IA) | (T) Dickinson State (ND) | (T) Dickinson State (ND) | Langston (OK) | 13. |
| 14. | Dickinson State (ND) | Sterling (KS) | Southern Oregon | Benedictine (KS) | Doane (NE) | Benedictine (KS) | Southeastern (FL) | Southeastern (FL) | Northwestern (IA) | Dickinson State (ND) | Concordia (MI) | Concordia (MI) | Dickinson State (ND) | 14. |
| 15. | Robert Morris (IL) | Dickinson State (ND) | Langston (OK) | Langston (OK) | Northwestern (IA) | Southeastern (FL) | Sterling (KS) | Northwestern (IA) | Dickinson State (ND) | Concordia (MI) | Benedictine (KS) | Benedictine (KS) | Concordia (MI) | 15. |
| 16. | Dakota Wesleyan (SD) | Southeastern (FL) | (T) Georgetown (KY) | Georgetown (KY) | Southeastern (FL) | Tabor (KS) | Arizona Christian | Dickinson State (ND) | Concordia (MI) | SAGU | Sterling (KS) | Sterling (KS) | Sterling (KS) | 16. |
| 17. | Kansas Wesleyan | Dakota Wesleyan (SD) | (T) Benedictine (KS) | Tabor (KS) | Tabor (KS) | Sterling (KS) | Northwestern (IA) | Concordia (MI) | SAGU | Montana Tech | Tabor (KS) | Tabor (KS) | Tabor (KS) | 17. |
| 18. | Southeastern (FL) | Arizona Christian | Tabor (KS) | Sterling (KS) | Benedictine (KS) | Arizona Christian | Dickinson State (ND) | SAGU | Sterling (KS) | Sterling (KS) | Campbellsville (KY) | SAGU | Marian (IN) | 18. |
| 19. | Montana Western | Montana Western | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | Northwestern (IA) | Sterling (KS) | Northwestern (IA) | (T) Doane (NE) | Doane (NE) | Tabor (KS) | Tabor (KS) | Marian (IN) | Marian (IN) | SAGU | 19. |
| 20. | Concordia (NE) | Kansas Wesleyan | Sterling (KS) | Dickinson State (ND) | Dickinson State (ND) | Concordia (MI) | (T) Hastings (NE) | (T) Sterling (KS) | Campbellsville (KY) | Marian (IN) | SAGU | Campbellsville (KY) | Campbellsville (KY) | 20. |
| 21. | Langston (OK) | Georgetown (KY) | Dickinson State (ND) | Cumberland (TN) | Concordia (MI) | Dickinson State (ND) | Concordia (MI) | (T) Tabor (KS) | Marian (IN) | Campbellsville (KY) | Arizona Christian | Kansas Wesleyan | Kansas Wesleyan | 21. |
| 22. | Arizona Christian | Langston (OK) | Dakota Wesleyan (SD) | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | Cumberland (TN) | Dakota Wesleyan (SD) | SAGU | Cumberland (TN) | Cumberland (TN) | Cumberland (TN) | Montana Tech | Faulkner (AL) | Faulkner (AL) | 22. |
| 23. | Georgetown (KY) | William Penn (IA) | St. Ambrose (IA) | Eastern Oregon | Peru State (NE) | SAGU | Tabor (KS) | Arizona Christian | Arizona Christian | Arizona Christian | Evangel (MO) | Dakota State (SD) | Dakota State (SD) | 23. |
| 24. | Benedictine (KS) | Saint Xavier (IL) | Northwestern (IA) | Kansas Wesleyan | Midland (NE) | Hastings (NE) | Cumberland (TN) | Kansas Wesleyan | Doane (NE) | Doane (NE) | Kansas Wesleyan | Oklahoma Panhandle State | Oklahoma Panhandle State | 24. |
| 25. | William Penn (IA) | Southern Oregon | Kansas Wesleyan | (T) Concordia (MI)(T) Hastings (NE) | Dakota Wesleyan (SD) | Kansas Wesleyan | Kansas Wesleyan | Campbellsville (KY) | Dakota State (SD) | Evangel (MO) | Concordia (NE) | Evangel (MO) | Evangel (MO) | 25. |
| | Week 0-Spring Apr 10 | Week 0-Preseason Aug 7 | Week 1-Poll 1 Sep 11 | Week 2-Poll 2 Sep 18 | Week 3-Poll 3 Sep 25 | Week 4-Poll 4 Oct 2 | Week 5-Poll 5 Oct 9 | Week 6-Poll 6 Oct 16 | Week 7-Poll 7 Oct 23 | Week 8-Poll 8 Oct 30 | Week 9-Poll 9 Nov 6 | Week 10-Final Nov 12 | Week 11-Postseason Dec 19 | |
| | | Dropped: Concordia (NE)Benedictine (KS) | Dropped: Missouri Valley (MO)Robert Morris (IL)Montana WesternWilliam Penn (IA) | Dropped: Dakota Wesleyan (SD)St. Ambrose (IA) | Dropped: MidAmerica Nazarene (KS)Eastern OregonKansas WesleyanHastings (NE) | Dropped: Peru State (NE)Midland (NE)Cumberland (TN) | Dropped: Dakota Wesleyan (SD) | Dropped: Hastings (NE) | Dropped: Kansas Wesleyan | Dropped: Dakota State (SD) | Dropped: Cumberland (TN)Doane (NE) | Dropped: Arizona ChristianMontana TechConcordia (NE) | Dropped: NONE | |
Legend :
| | No change in ranking |
| | Increase in ranking |
| | Decrease in ranking |
| | Not ranked previous week |
| | NAIA National Champion |
| (т) | Tied with team above or below also with this symbol |

## 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 last (postseason) poll of the 2017 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.
There has been only one tie for the leading vote-getter in a weekly poll. In 2015, Southern Oregon was tied with Marian (IN) in the preseason poll.
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 |
| Carroll (MT) | 57 (6) |
| Sioux Falls (SD) | 55 (3) |
| Georgetown (KY) | 25 (2) |
| Marian (IN) | 24 (2) |
| Morningside (IA) | 20 |
| Saint Francis (IN) | 17 (2) |
| Saint Xavier (IL) | 14 (1) |
| Northwestern Oklahoma State | 12 (1) |
| Southern Oregon | 5 (1) |
| Grand View (IA) | 4 (1) |
| Lindsey Wilson (KY) | 4 |
| Azusa Pacific (CA) | 3 |
| Cumberlands (KY) | 2 |