# 2023 NCAA Division II football rankings

The 2023 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II football rankings consists primarily of The AFCA Coaches' Poll, determined by coaches part of NCAA Division II football programs. The following weekly polls determine the top 25 teams at the NCAA Division II level of college football for the 2023 season.

## Legend

| | Increase in ranking |
| | Decrease in ranking |
| | Not ranked previous week or no change |
| | Selected for College Football Playoff |
| (#–#) | Win–loss record |
| (Italics) | Number of first place votes |
| т | Tied with team above or below also with this symbol |

## American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) poll

| | Preseason August 14 | Week 1 September 5 | Week 2 September 11 | Week 3 September 18 | Week 4 September 25 | Week 5 October 2 | Week 6 October 9 | Week 7 October 16 | Week 8 October 23 | Week 9 October 30 | Week 10 November 6 | Week 11 November 13 | Week 12 (Final) | |
| 1. | Ferris State (29) | Ferris State (1–0) (27) | Ferris State (2–0) (27) | Ferris State (2–1) (23) | Ferris State (2–1) (23) | Ferris State (3–1) (26) | Ferris State (4–1) (27) | Colorado Mines (7–0) (28) | Colorado Mines (8–0) (28) | Colorado Mines (9–0) (26) | Colorado Mines (10–0) (26) | Colorado Mines (11–0) (27) | Harding (15–0) (28) | 1. |
| 2. | Colorado Mines | Colorado Mines (1–0) (1) | Colorado Mines (2–0) (1) | Colorado Mines (3–0) (7) | Colorado Mines (4–0) (6) | Colorado Mines (5–0) (3) | Colorado Mines (6–0) (3) | Pittsburg State (7–0) | Pittsburg State (8–0) | Pittsburg State (9–0) (1) | Grand Valley State (8–1) т | Grand Valley State (9–1) | Colorado Mines (14–1) | 2. |
| 3. | Grand Valley State | Pittsburg State (1–0) | Pittsburg State (2–0) | Pittsburg State (3–0) | Pittsburg State (4–0) | Pittsburg State (5–0) | Pittsburg State (6–0) | Minnesota State (7–0) | Grand Valley State (6–1) | Grand Valley State (7–1) (1) | Harding (10–0) (1) т | Harding (11–0) (1) | Grand Valley State (11–2) | 3. |
| 4. | Pittsburg State | Angelo State (1–0) | West Florida (2–0) | Ouachita Baptist (3–0) | Minnesota State (4–0) | Minnesota State (5–0) | Minnesota State (6–0) | Grand Valley State (5–1) | Harding (8–0) | Harding (9–0) | Slippery Rock (10–0) (1) | Benedict (11–0) (1) | Lenoir–Rhyne (13–2) | 4. |
| 5. | Angelo State | NW Missouri State (1–0) | Ouachita Baptist (2–0) | Minnesota State (3–0) | Ouachita Baptist (4–0) | Ouachita Baptist (5–0) | Ouachita Baptist (6–0) | Delta State (7–0) | Benedict (8–0) | Slippery Rock (9–0) (1) | Benedict (10–0) | Ferris State (8–2) | Pittsburg State (11–2) | 5. |
| 6. | NW Missouri State | West Florida (1–0) | Minnesota State (2–0) | Grand Valley State (2–1) | West Florida (3–1) | West Florida (4–1) | West Florida (5–1) | Harding (7–0) | Slippery Rock (8–0) (1) | Benedict (9–0) | Ferris State (7–2) | Central Missouri (10–1) | Central Missouri (11–2) | 6. |
| 7. | West Florida | Grand Valley State (0–1) | Grand Valley State (1–1) | West Florida (2–1) | Grand Valley State (2–1) | Grand Valley State (3–1) | Grand Valley State (4–1) | Slippery Rock (7–0) | Lenoir–Rhyne (8–0) | Ferris State (6–2) | Central Missouri (9–1) | Pittsburg State (10–1) | Kutztown (12–3) | 7. |
| 8. | Ouachita Baptist | Ouachita Baptist (1–0) | Delta State (2–0) | Delta State (3–0) | Delta State (4–0) | Delta State (5–0) | Delta State (6–0) | Benedict (7–0) | Ferris State (5–2) | Indianapolis (8–0) | Pittsburg State (9–1) | Delta State (9–1) | Valdosta State (12–2) | 8. |
| 9. | Minnesota State | Minnesota State (1–0) | Angelo State (1–1) | Bemidji State (3–0) | Bemidji State (4–0) | Harding (5–0) | Harding (6–0) | Ferris State (4–2) | Western Colorado (8–0) | Davenport (8–0) | Minnesota State (9–1) | Tiffin (11–0) | Ferris State (8–3) | 9. |
| 10. | Delta State | Delta State (1–0) | Bemidji State (2–0) | Harding (3–0) | Harding (4–0) | Slippery Rock (5–0) | Slippery Rock (6–0) | Lenoir–Rhyne (7–0) | Indianapolis (7–0) | Minnesota State (8–1) | Ouachita Baptist (9–1) | Western Colorado (10–1) | Slippery Rock (12–2) | 10. |
| 11. | Bemidji State | Bemidji State (1–0) | Harding (2–0) | Emporia State (3–0) | Emporia State (4–0) | Benedict (5–0) (1) | Benedict (6–0) (1) | Indianapolis (6–0) | Davenport (7–0) | Central Missouri (8–1) | Delta State (8–1) | Lenoir–Rhyne (10–1) | Delta State (10–2) | 11. |
| 12. | Ashland | Harding (1–0) | Emporia State (2–0) | Slippery Rock (3–0) | Slippery Rock (4–0) | Indianapolis (4–0) | Lenoir–Rhyne (6–0) | Western Colorado (7–0) | Augustana (SD) (8–0) | Ouachita Baptist (8–1) | Bemidji State (8–1) | Texas–Permian Basin (10–1) | Benedict (11–1) | 12. |
| 13. | Shepherd | IUP (1–0) | Slippery Rock (2–0) | Shepherd (3–0) | Benedict (4–0) | Lenoir–Rhyne (5–0) | Indianapolis (5–0) | Davenport (6–0) | Minnesota State (7–1) | Bemidji State (7–1) | Western Colorado (9–1) | Virginia Union (10–1) | Augustana (SD) (11–2) | 13. |
| 14. | Harding | Shepherd (1–0) | Shepherd (2–0) | Benedict (3–0) | Indianapolis (3–0) | Bemidji State (4–1) | Western Colorado (6–0) | Ouachita Baptist (6–1) | Ouachita Baptist (7–1) | Delta State (7–1) | Tiffin (10–0) | Valdosta State (10–1) | Tiffin (11–1) | 14. |
| 15. | Slippery Rock | Slippery Rock (1–0) | NW Missouri State (1–1) | Virginia Union (3–0) | Lenoir–Rhyne (4–0) | Western Colorado (5–0) | Bemidji State (4–1) | Bemidji State (5–1) | Central Missouri (7–1) | Western Colorado (8–1) | Lenoir–Rhyne (9–1) | Slippery Rock (10–1) | Western Colorado (10–2) | 15. |
| 16. | IUP | Benedict (1–0) (1) | Benedict (2–0) | Indianapolis (2–0) | Texas A&M–Kingsville (3–0) | Davenport (4–0) | Davenport (5–0) | Central Missouri (6–1) | Bemidji State (6–1) т | Lenoir–Rhyne (8–1) | Davenport (8–1) | Augustana (SD) (10–1) | Bemidji State (9–3) | 16. |
| 17. | Benedict (1) | Virginia Union (1–0) | Virginia Union (2–0) (1) | Lenoir–Rhyne (3–0) | Western Colorado (4–0) | Minnesota Duluth (5–0) | Central Missouri (5–1) | Augustana (SD) (7–0) | Delta State (7–1) т | Tiffin (9–0) | Texas–Permian Basin (9–1) | Indianapolis (9–1) т | Central Washington (9–4) | 17. |
| 18. | Virginia Union | Emporia State (1–0) | Indianapolis (1–0) | Texas A&M–Kingsville (3–0) | Davenport (3–0) | Central Missouri (4–1) | Henderson State (5–1) | West Florida (5–2) | West Florida (6–2) | Texas–Permian Basin (8–1) | Virginia Union (9–1) (1) | Minnesota Duluth (9–2) т | Texas–Permian Basin (10–2) | 18. |
| 19. | Emporia State | Indianapolis (1–0) | Assumption (2–0) | Western Colorado (3–0) | Minnesota Duluth (4–0) | Valdosta State (5–0) | Truman (6–0) | Angelo State (4–2) | Tiffin (8–0) | Virginia Union (8–1) | Valdosta State (9–1) | Minnesota State (9–2) | Charleston (WV) (10–2) | 19. |
| 20. | Indianapolis | West Georgia (1–0) | Lenoir–Rhyne (2–0) | Henderson State (3–0) | Angelo State (2–2) | Emporia State (4–1) | Angelo State (3–2) | Virginia State (7–0) (1) | Shepherd (7–1) | Valdosta State (8–1) | Augustana (SD) (9–1) | Ouachita Baptist (9–2) | Virginia Union (10–2) | 20. |
| 21. | Wingate | Ashland (0–1) | Texas A&M–Kingsville (2–0) | Davenport (2–0) | Central Missouri (3–1) | Angelo State (3–2) | Assumption (4–1) | Assumption (5–1) | Truman (7–1) | Augustana (SD) (8–1) | Missouri Western (8–2) | Bemidji State (8–2) | Minnesota State (9–3) | 21. |
| 22. | West Georgia | Wingate (1–0) | CSU Pueblo (1–1) | Angelo State (1–2) | Valdosta State (4–0) | Henderson State (4–1) | Augustana (SD) (6–0) | Shepherd (6–1) | Texas–Permian Basin (7–1) | Virginia State (8–1) | Indianapolis (8–1) | Davenport (8–2) | Indianapolis (9–2) | 22. |
| 23. | Assumption | Assumption (1–0) | Henderson State (2–0) | Minnesota Duluth (3–0) | Assumption (2–1) | Assumption (3–1) | Shepherd (5–1) | Tiffin (7–0) | Virginia Union (7–1) | Missouri Western (7–2) | Central Washington (7–2) | West Florida (8–3) | West Florida (8–4) | 23. |
| 24. | Newberry | Lenoir–Rhyne (1–0) | Davenport (2–0) | Assumption (2–1) | Henderson State (3–1) | Truman (5–0) | Virginia State (6–0) | Emporia State (5–2) | Valdosta State (7–1) | Central Washington (7–2) | Minnesota Duluth (8–2) | Charleston (WV) (9–1) | Henderson State (9–3) | 24. |
| 25. | Lenoir–Rhyne | CSU Pueblo (1–0) | Western Colorado (2–0) | Central Missouri (2–1) | Shepherd (3–1) | Shepherd (4–1) | Emporia State (4–2) | Truman (6–1) | Minnesota Duluth (7–1) | Mars Hill (7–1) | West Florida (7–3) | Henderson State (9–2) | Minnesota–Duluth (9–2) | 25. |
| | Preseason August 14 | Week 1 September 5 | Week 2 September 11 | Week 3 September 18 | Week 4 September 25 | Week 5 October 2 | Week 6 October 9 | Week 7 October 16 | Week 8 October 23 | Week 9 October 30 | Week 10 November 6 | Week 11 November 13 | Week 12 (Final) | |
| | | Dropped: Newberry | Dropped: IUPWest GeorgiaAshlandWingate | Dropped: NW Missouri StateCSU Pueblo | Dropped: Virginia Union | Dropped: Texas A&M–Kingsville | Dropped: Minnesota DuluthValdosta State | Dropped: Henderson State | Dropped: Angelo StateVirginia StateAssumptionEmporia State | Dropped: West Florida Shepherd Truman Minnesota Duluth | Dropped: Virginia StateMars Hill | Dropped: Missouri Western Central Washington | Dropped: Ouachita Baptist Davenport | |

## D2Football.com poll

| | Preseason August 20 | Week 1 September 4 | Week 2 September 11 | Week 3 September 18 | Week 4 September 25 | Week 5 October 2 | Week 6 October 9 | Week 7 October 16 | Week 8 October 23 | Week 9 October 30 | Week 10 November 6 | Week 11 November 13 | Week 12 (Final) December 19 | |
| 1. | Ferris State | Ferris State (1–0) | Ferris State (2–0) | Ferris State (2–1) | Ferris State (2–1) | Ferris State (3–1) | Ferris State (4–1) | Colorado Mines (7–0) | Colorado Mines (8–0) | Colorado Mines (9–0) | Colorado Mines (10–0) | Colorado Mines (11–0) | Harding (15–0) | 1. |
| 2. | Grand Valley State | Colorado Mines (1–0) | Colorado Mines (2–0) | Colorado Mines (3–0) | Colorado Mines (4–0) | Colorado Mines (5–0) | Colorado Mines (6–0) | Grand Valley State (5–1) | Grand Valley State (6–1) | Grand Valley State (7–1) | Grand Valley State (8–1) | Grand Valley State (9–1) | Colorado Mines (14–1) | 2. |
| 3. | Pittsburg State | Pittsburg State (1–0) | Pittsburg State (2–0) | Pittsburg State (3–0) | Pittsburg State (4–0) | Pittsburg State (5–0) | Pittsburg State (6–0) | Pittsburg State (7–0) | Pittsburg State (8–0) | Pittsburg State (9–0) | Ferris State (7–2) | Ferris State (8–2) | Grand Valley State (11–2) | 3. |
| 4. | Colorado Mines | Grand Valley State (0–1) | Grand Valley State (1–1) | Grand Valley State (2–1) | Grand Valley State (2–1) | Grand Valley State (3–1) | Grand Valley State (4–1) | Minnesota State (7–0) | Ferris State (5–2) | Ferris State (6–2) | Harding (10–0) | Harding (11–0) | Central Missouri (11–2) | 4. |
| 5. | NW Missouri State | NW Missouri State (1–0) | Minnesota State (2–0) | Minnesota State (3–0) | Minnesota State (4–0) | Minnesota State (5–0) | Minnesota State (6–0) | Ferris State (4–2) | Harding (8–0) | Harding (9–0) | Slippery Rock (10–0) | Pittsburg State (10–1) | Pittsburg State (11–2) | 5. |
| 6. | Angelo State | Angelo State (1–0) | West Florida (2–0) | Delta State (3–0) | Delta State (4–0) | Delta State (5–0) | Delta State (6–0) | Delta State (7–0) | Slippery Rock (8–0) | Slippery Rock (9–0) | Benedict (10–0) | Benedict (11–0) | Ferris State (8–3) | 6. |
| 7. | Minnesota State | Minnesota State (1–0) | Bemidji State (2–0) | Bemidji State (3–0) | Bemidji State (4–0) | West Florida (4–1) | West Florida (5–1) | Harding (7–0) | Lenoir–Rhyne (8–0) | Benedict (9–0) | Pittsburg State (9–1) | Central Missouri (10–1) | Lenoir–Rhyne (13–2) | 7. |
| 8. | West Florida | West Florida (1–0) | Delta State (2–0) | West Florida (2–1) | West Florida (3–1) | Ouachita Baptist (5–0) | Ouachita Baptist (6–0) | Slippery Rock (5–1) | West Florida (6–2) | Central Missouri (8–1) | Central Missouri (9–1) | Delta State (9–1) | Kutztown (12–3) | 8. |
| 9. | Delta State | Delta State (1–0) | Ouachita Baptist (2–0) | Ouachita Baptist (3–0) | Ouachita Baptist (4–0) | Harding (5–0) | Harding (6–0) | Bemidji State (7–0) | Benedict (8–0) | Bemidji State (7–1) | Bemidji State (8–1) | Augustana (SD) (10–1) | Valdosta State (12–2) | 9. |
| 10. | Bemidji State | Bemidji State (1–0) | Angelo State (1–1) | Emporia State (3–0) | Emporia State (4–0) | Slippery Rock (5–0) | Slippery Rock (6–0) | Benedict (7–0) | Augustana (SD) (8–0) | Minnesota State (8–1) | Minnesota State (9–1) | Texas–Permian Basin (10–1) | Central Washington (9–4) | 10. |
| 11. | Ouachita Baptist | Ouachita Baptist (1–0) | Emporia State (2–0) | Harding (3–0) | Harding (4–0) | Bemidji State (4–1) | Bemidji State (4–1) | Lenoir–Rhyne (7–0) | Central Missouri (7–1) | Indianapolis (8–0) | Delta State (8–1) | Lenoir–Rhyne (10–1) | Slippery Rock (12–2) | 11. |
| 12. | IUP | IUP (1–0) | Harding (2–0) | Slippery Rock (3–0) | Slippery Rock (4–0) | Benedict (5–0) | Benedict (6–0) | Indianapolis (6–0) | Bemidji State (6–1) | Delta State (7–1) | Ouachita Baptist (9–1) | Western Colorado (10–1) | Bemidji State (9–3) | 12. |
| 13. | Shepherd | Harding (1–0) | NW Missouri State (1–1) | Benedict (3–0) | Benedict (4–0) | Lenoir–Rhyne (5–0) | Lenoir–Rhyne (6–0) | West Florida (5–2) | Western Colorado (8–0) | Davenport (8–0) | Lenoir–Rhyne (9–1) | Slippery Rock (10–1) | Delta State (10–2) | 13. |
| 14. | Ashland | Shepherd (1–0) | Slippery Rock (2–0) | Shepherd (3–0) | Lenoir–Rhyne (4–0) | Indianapolis (4–0) | Indianapolis (5–0) | Western Colorado (7–0) | Indianapolis (7–0) | Ouachita Baptist (8–1) | Augustana (SD) (9–1) | Valdosta State (10–1) | Benedict (11–1) | 14. |
| 15. | Harding | Emporia State (1–0) | Benedict (2–0) | Lenoir–Rhyne (3–0) | Indianapolis (3–0) | Davenport (4–0) | Western Colorado (6–0) | Davenport (6–0) | Minnesota State (7–1) | Lenoir–Rhyne (8–1) | Western Colorado (9–1) | Bemidji State (8–2) | Augustana (SD) (11–2) | 15. |
| 16. | Slippery Rock | Slippery Rock (1–0) | Shepherd (2–0) | Virginia Union (3–0) | Davenport (3–0) | Western Colorado (5–0) | Davenport (5–0) | Ouachita Baptist (6–1) | Delta State (7–1) | Augustana (SD) (8–1) | Texas–Permian Basin (9–1) | Minnesota State (9–2) | Western Colorado (10–2) | 16. |
| 17. | Emporia State | Wingate (1–0) | Lenoir–Rhyne (2–0) | Indianapolis (2–0) | Western Colorado (4–0) | Emporia State (4–1) | Central Missouri (5–1) | Central Missouri (6–1) | Davenport (7–0) | Western Colorado (8–1) | Valdosta State (9–1) | Virginia Union (9–1) | Texas–Permian Basin (10–2) | 17. |
| 18. | Wingate | West Georgia (1–0) | Virginia Union (2–0) | Davenport (2–0) | IUP (3–1) | Central Missouri (4–1) | Truman State (6–0) | Angelo State (4–2) | Ouachita Baptist (7–1) | Texas–Permian Basin (8–1) | Virginia Union (9–1) | Tiffin (11–0) | Charleston (WV) (10–2) | 18. |
| 19. | West Georgia | Ashland (0–1) | Indianapolis (1–0) | IUP (2–1) | Angelo State (2–2) | Angelo State (3–2) | Angelo State (3–2) | Shepherd (6–1) | Texas–Permian Basin (7–1) | Valdosta State (8–1) | Missouri Western (8–2) | West Florida (8–3) | Tiffin (11–1) | 19. |
| 20. | Benedict | CSU Pueblo (1–0) | Davenport (2–0) | Western Colorado (3–0) | Texas A&M–Kingsville (3–0) | Truman (5–0) | Shepherd (5–1) | Virginia Union (6–1) | Virginia Union (7–1) | Virginia Union (8–1) | Tiffin (10–0) | Minnesota Duluth (9–2) | Minnesota State (9–3) | 20. |
| 21. | Indianapolis | Benedict (1–0) | CSU Pueblo (1–1) | Angelo State (1–2) | Truman (4–0) | Minnesota Duluth (5–0) | Missouri Western (5–1) | Augustana (7–0) | Shepherd (7–1) | West Florida (6–3) | West Florida (7–3) | Indianapolis (9–1) | Indianapolis (9–2) | 21. |
| 22. | Virginia Union | Indianapolis (1–0) | IUP (1–1) | Texas A&M–Kingsville (3–0) | Central Missouri (3–1) | Shepherd (4–1) | Virginia Union (5–1) | Truman State (6–1) | Truman State (7–1) | Tiffin (9–0) | Central Washington (7–2) | Ouachita Baptist (9–2) | West Florida (8–4) | 22. |
| 23. | Lenoir–Rhyne | Lenoir–Rhyne (1–0) | Assumption (2–0) | Henderson State (3–0) | Shepherd (3–1) | Virginia Union (4–1) | Emporia State (4–2) | Emporia State (5–2) | Tiffin (8–0) | Central Washington (7–2) | Davenport (8–1) | Kutztown (9–2) | Henderson State (9–3) | 23. |
| 24. | Davenport | Virginia Union (1–0) | Wingate (1–1) | Truman (3–0) | Virginia Union (3–1) | Missouri Western (4–1) | Augustana (6–0) | Virginia State (7–0) | Valdosta State (7–1) | Missouri Western (7–2) | Indianapolis (8–1) | Henderson State (9–2) | Virginia Union (10–2) | 24. |
| 25. | CSU Pueblo | Davenport (1–0) | Saginaw Valley State (2–0) | Central Missouri (2–1) | Minnesota Duluth (4–0) | Valdosta State (5–0) | Virginia State (6–0) | Texas–Permian Basin (6–1) | Central Washington (6–2) | Mars Hill (7–1) | Minnesota Duluth (8–2) | Charleston (WV) (9–1) | Minnesota–Duluth (9–2) | 25. |
| | Preseason August 20 | Week 1 September 4 | Week 2 September 11 | Week 3 September 18 | Week 4 September 25 | Week 5 October 2 | Week 6 October 9 | Week 7 October 16 | Week 8 October 23 | Week 9 October 30 | Week 10 November 6 | Week 11 November 13 | Week 12 (Final) December 19 | |
| | | None | Dropped: Ashland West Georgia | Dropped: NW Missouri State CSU Pueblo Assumption Wingate Saginaw Valley State | Dropped: Henderson State | Dropped: IUP Texas A&M–Kingsville | Dropped: Minnesota Duluth Valdosta State | Dropped: Missouri Western | Dropped: Angelo State Emporia State Virginia State | Dropped: Shepherd Truman State | Dropped: Mars Hill | Dropped: Missouri Western Davenport Central Washington | Dropped: Ouachita Baptist | |