# 1970 small college football rankings

The 1970 small college football rankings are rankings of college football teams representing smaller college and university teams during the 1970 college football season, including the 1970 NCAA College Division football season and the 1970 NAIA football season. Separate rankings were published by the Associated Press (AP) and the United Press International (UPI). The AP rankings were selected by a board of sports writers, and the UPI rankings were selected by a board of small-college coaches.
The 1970 Arkansas State Indians football team compiled a perfect 11–0 record and was rated No. 1 by both the AP and UPI. Montana (10–1) was ranked No. 2 by the AP, and Tampa (10–1) was ranked No. 2 by the UPI.

## Legend

| | Increase in ranking |
| | Decrease in ranking |
| | Not ranked previous week |
| (#–#) | Win–loss record |
| (Italics) | Number of first place votes |
| т | Tied with team above or below also with this symbol |

## AP poll

| | Week 1 Sept 24 | Week 2 Oct 1 | Week 3 Oct 8 | Week 4 Oct 15 | Week 5 Oct 22 | Week 6 Oct 29 | Week 7 Nov 5 | Week 8 Nov 12 | Week 9 Nov 19 | Week 10 Nov 26 | Week 11 Dec 3 | |
| 1. | Arkansas State (1–0) (4) | Arkansas State (2–0) (5) | Arkansas State (3–0) (7) | Arkansas State (4–0) (5) | Arkansas State (5–0) (4) | Arkansas State (6–0) (4) | Arkansas State (7–0) (5) | Arkansas State (8–0) (5) | Arkansas State (9–0) (7) | Arkansas State (10–0) (7) | Arkansas State (10–0) (4) | 1. |
| 2. | Montana (2–0) (3) | Akron (3–0) (2) | Montana (4–0) (6) | Montana (5–0) (6) | Montana (6–0) (2) | Montana (7–0) (4) | Montana (8–0) (2) | Montana (9–0) (3) | Montana (10–0) (4) | Montana (10–0) (3) | Montana (10–0) (3) | 2. |
| 3. | Akron (2–0) (2) | Montana (3–0) (4) | Akron (4–0) (4) | North Dakota State (4–0–1) | Tampa (5–0) (3) | Tampa (6–0) (3) | North Dakota State (7–0–1) | Tampa (8–0) (4) | North Dakota State (8–0–1) | North Dakota State (8–0–1) | North Dakota State (8–0–1) | 3. |
| 4. | North Dakota State (1–0–1) (1) | Delaware (3–0) | North Dakota State (3–0–1) | Texas A&I (4–1) (2) | Texas A&I (5–0) | North Dakota State (6–0–1) | Tampa (7–0) (1) | North Dakota State (8–0–1) | Tampa (9–0) (1) | Tennessee State (9–0) | Tampa (10–0) (2) | 4. |
| 5. | Delaware (2–0) | North Dakota State (2–0–1) | Texas A&I (3–1) | Tampa (4–0) (1) | Tennessee State (5–0) | Tennessee State (6–0) | Western Kentucky (7–0–1) (1) | Tennessee State (8–0) | Tennessee State (8–0) | Tampa (9–1) (1) | Tennessee State (10–0) | 5. |
| 6. | Texas A&I (1–0) (1) | Eastern Michigan (2–0–1) (1) | Tennessee State (4–0) (1) | Tennessee State (5–0) | North Dakota State (5–0–1) | Western Kentucky (6–0–1) (1) | Tennessee State (7–0) | Wofford (9–0) (1) | Wofford (10–0) (1) | Wofford (10–0) (2) | Wofford (11–0) (2) | 6. |
| 7. | Eastern Michigan (1–0–1) | Texas A&I (2–1) (1) | Eastern Michigan (3–0–1) | Delaware (4–1) (1) | Delaware (5–1) (2) | Delaware (5–1) | Southwestern Louisiana (7–1) | Texas A&I (7–1) (1) | Texas A&I (8–1) (1) | Texas A&I (9–1) (1) | Texas A&I (10–1) (1) | 7. |
| 8. | Louisiana Tech (1–0) | Drake (3–0) | Tampa (3–0) | Western Kentucky (4–0–1) (1) | Western Kentucky (5–0–1) | Southern Illinois (5–0) | Delaware (6–1) (1) | Wittenberg (8–0) | Eastern Kentucky (8–1) (1) | Jacksonville State (8–1) | Jacksonville State (9–0) | 8. |
| 9. | Drake (2–0) | Tampa (2–0) | Southern Illinois (3–0) | Southern Illinois (3–0) | Southern Illinois (4–0) | Southwestern Louisiana (6–1) | Wofford (8–0) | Abilene Christian (7–2) | Abilene Christian (8–2) | Alcorn A&M (8–1) | Alcorn A&M (9–1) | 9. |
| 10. | Tennessee State (2–0) | Tennessee State (3–0) | Western Kentucky (3–0–1) | Akron (4–1) | Wofford (6–0) (2) | Wofford (7–0) (2) | Southern Illinois (6–0) (1) | Eastern Kentucky (7–1) (1) | Wittenberg (9–0) | Southwestern Louisiana (9–2) | Southwestern Louisiana (9–2) | 10. |
| 11. | Northern Arizona (2–0) | Western Kentucky (2–0) | Delaware (3–1) | Abilene Christian (4–1) | Wittenberg (5–0) | Texas A&I (5–1) (1) | Wittenberg (7–0) | Southern Illinois (6–1) | St. Olaf (9–0) | Delaware (8–2) | Delaware (8–2) | 11. |
| 12. | Western Kentucky (1–0) т | Pacific Lutheran (2–0) (1) | Boise State (4–0) | Wofford (4–1) | Abilene Christian (5–1) | Alcorn A&M (5–1) | Texas A&I (6–1) | Western Kentucky (7–1–1) | Southwestern Louisiana (8–2) | Western Kentucky (9–1–1) | Western Kentucky (9–1–1) | 12. |
| 13. | Southern Illinois (1–0) т | Wittenberg (2–0) | Drake (3–1) | Central Missouri State (5–0) т | Southwestern Louisiana (5–1) | Linfield (6–0) (1) | Alcorn A&M (6–1) | St. Olaf (8–0) | Western Kentucky (8–1–1) | Wittenberg (9–0) | Long Beach State (9–2) | 13. |
| 14. | East Tennessee State (1–0) | Northern Colorado (2–0) | Wofford (3–1) | Southwestern Louisiana (4–1) т | Eastern Kentucky (5–0) | Wittenberg (6–0) | Eastern Kentucky (6–1) | Linfield (8–0) (1) | Eastern Michigan (7–2–1) | Long Beach State (9–1) | Abilene Christian (8–2) | 14. |
| 15. | Pacific Lutheran (1–0) | Southern Illinois (2–0) | Wittenberg (3–0) | Troy State (4–0–1) | Central Missouri State (6–0) | Boise State (6–1) | Linfield (7–0) (1) | Alcorn A&M (7–1) | Jacksonville State (7–0) | Abilene Christian (8–2) | Westminster (PA) (9–0) | 15. |
| 16. | Tampa (1–0) т | Central Missouri State (3–0) | Central Missouri State (4–0) | Alcorn A&M (4–1) т | Springfield (MA) (5–1) | Abilene Christian (5–2) | Abilene Christian (6–2) | Jacksonville State (6–0) | Delaware (7–2) | St. Olaf (9–0) | Grambling (9–2) | 16. |
| 17. | Northern Michigan (2–0) (1) т | Lamar Tech (2–0) (1) | Troy State (3–0) | Wittenberg (4–0) т | Boise State (5–1) | St. Olaf (6–0) | St. Olaf (7–0) | Southwestern Louisiana (7–2) | Westminster (PA) (8–0) | Westminster (PA) (8–0) | Wittenberg (9–0) | 17. |
| 18. | UMass (1–0) т | Humboldt State (3–0) | Grambling (3–0) | Eastern Michigan (3–1–1) | Linfield (4–0) | Springfield (MA) (6–0) т | Jacksonville State (8–0) | Delaware (6–2) | Grambling (7–2) | Grambling (8–2) | St. Olaf (9–0) | 18. |
| 19. | Howard Payne (1–0) т | Howard Payne (2–0) | Howard Payne (3–0) | St. Olaf (4–1) | Alcorn A&M (4–1) | Eastern Kentucky (5–1) т | Boise State (7–1) т | Grambling (6–2) | Alcorn A&M (8–1) | Eastern Michigan (7–2–1) | Eastern Michigan (7–2–1) | 19. |
| 20. | Wittenberg (1–0) | Boise State (2–0) | Abilene Christian (3–1) | Northern Michigan (4–1) | Grambling (3–2) | Grambling (4–2) т | Grambling (5–2) т | Westminster (PA) (6–1) | Edinboro (9–0) | Edinboro (9–0) | Appalachian State (8–2) т | 20. |
| 21. | | | | | | | | | | | Montclair State (9–1–1) т | 21. |
| 22. | | | | | | | | | | | Sam Houston State (8–2–1) т | 22. |
| | Week 1 Sept 24 | Week 2 Oct 1 | Week 3 Oct 8 | Week 4 Oct 15 | Week 5 Oct 22 | Week 6 Oct 29 | Week 7 Nov 5 | Week 8 Nov 12 | Week 9 Nov 19 | Week 10 Nov 26 | Week 11 Dec 3 | |
| | | Dropped: 8 Louisiana Tech11 Northern Arizona14 East Tennessee State17 Northern Michigan18 UMass | Dropped: 12 Pacific Lutheran14 Northern Colorado17 Lamar Tech18 Humboldt State | Dropped: 12 Boise State13 Drake18 Grambling19 Howard Payne | Dropped: 10 Akron15 Troy State18 Eastern Michigan19 St. Olaf20 Northern Michigan | Dropped: 15 Central Missouri State | Dropped: 18 Springfield (MA) | Dropped: 19 Boise State | Dropped: 11 Southern Illinois14 Linfield | Dropped: 8 Eastern Kentucky | Dropped: 20 Edinboro | |

## UPI coaches poll

| | Week 1 Sept 23 | Week 2 Sept 30 | Week 3 Oct 7 | Week 4 Oct 14 | Week 5 Oct 21 | Week 6 Oct 28 | Week 7 Nov 4 | Week 8 Nov 11 | Week 9 Nov 18 | Week 10 Nov 25 | Week 11 Dec 2 | |
| 1. | Arkansas State (1–0) (2) | Arkansas State (2–0) (16) | Arkansas State (3–0) (25) | Arkansas State (4–0) (24) | Tampa (5–0) (11) | Tampa (6–0) (18) | Tampa (7–0) (19) | Tampa (8–0) (17) | Tampa (9–0) (25) | Arkansas State (10–0) (17) | Arkansas State (10–0) (21) | 1. |
| 2. | Akron (2–0) (2) т | Delaware (3–0) (3) | Akron (4–0) (1) | Montana (5–0) (2) | Arkansas State (5–0) (15) | Arkansas State (6–0) (9) | Arkansas State (7–0) (9) | Arkansas State (8–0) (9) | Arkansas State (9–0) (4) | Tampa (9–1) (5) | Tampa (10–1) (8) | 2. |
| 3. | North Dakota State (1–0–1) (2) т | Akron (3–0) (1) | Montana (4–0) (2) | Tampa (4–0) (2) | Montana (6–0) (1) | Montana (7–0) (1) | Montana (8–0) | Montana (9–0) (2) | Montana (10–0) (3) | Montana (10–0) (6) | Montana (10–0) (3) | 3. |
| 4. | Delaware (2–0) (1) | Texas A&I (2–1) (2) | North Dakota State (3–0–1) | Texas A&I (4–1) (2) | Texas A&I (5–0) (2) | North Dakota State (6–0–1) (1) | North Dakota State (7–0–1) (1) | North Dakota State (8–0–1) (1) | North Dakota State (8–0–1) | North Dakota State (8–0–1) | North Dakota State (8–0–1) | 4. |
| 5. | Montana (2–0) (4) | Montana (3–0) (3) | Texas A&I (3–1) (1) | North Dakota State (4–0–1) | North Dakota State (5–0–1) (1) | Delaware (5–1) | Delaware (6–1) (1) | Tennessee State (8–0) (1) | Tennessee State (8–0) (1) | Tennessee State (9–0) (1) | Tennessee State (10–0) (1) | 5. |
| 6. | Texas A&I (1–0) (1) | North Dakota State (2–0–1) | Tampa (3–0) (1) | Tennessee State (5–0) (1) | Delaware (5–1) | Tennessee State (6–0) (1) | Tennessee State (7–0) (1) | Wofford (8–0) (1) | Wofford (10–0) (1) | Wofford (10–0) (1) | Long Beach State (9–2) | 6. |
| 7. | Tampa (1–0) т | Tampa (2–0) (2) | Delaware (3–1) | Delaware (4–1) | Tennessee State (5–0) | Western Kentucky (5–0–1) | Western Kentucky (6–0–1) | Western Kentucky (6–1–1) | Western Kentucky (7–1–1) | Long Beach State (8–2) | Wofford (10–0) (1) | 7. |
| 8. | Northern Michigan (2–0) т | Eastern Michigan (2–0–1) | Eastern Michigan (3–0–1) | Troy State (4–0–1) | Abilene Christian (5–1) | Wofford (7–0) (1) | Wofford (8–0) (1) | Abilene Christian (6–2) | Delaware (7–2) | Delaware (8–2) | Delaware (8–2) | 8. |
| 9. | Eastern Michigan (1–0–1) | Drake (3–0) | Tennessee State (4–0) (1) | Abilene Christian (4–1) | Western Kentucky (4–0–1) | Fresno State (6–1) | Southern Illinois (6–0) | Delaware (6–2) | Abilene Christian (8–2) | Western Kentucky (8–1–1) | Western Kentucky (8–1–1) | 9. |
| 10. | Drake (2–0) | Northern Colorado (2–0) (8) | Grambling (2–1) | Cal Poly (4–0) (1) | Eastern Kentucky (5–0) | Abilene Christian (5–2) | Abilene Christian (5–2) | Long Beach State (6–2) | Long Beach State (7–2) | Abilene Christian (8–2) | Hawaii (9–1) | 10. |
| 11. | Louisiana Tech (1–0) | Tennessee State (3–0) (1) | Troy State (3–0–1) | Akron (4–1) | Wofford (6–1) | Texas A&I (5–1) | Texas A&I (6–1) | Eastern Kentucky (7–1) | Eastern Kentucky (8–1) | Texas A&I (9–1) | Abilene Christian (8–2) т | 11. |
| 12. | Tennessee State (2–0) | Grambling | Cal Poly | Western Kentucky (4–0–1) | Fresno State (5–1) | Northern Michigan (6–1) | Eastern Kentucky (6–1) | Texas A&I (7–1) | Texas A&I (8–1) | Alcorn A&M (7–1) | Jacksonville State (9–0) т | 12. |
| 13. | New Mexico Highlands (1) | Northern Michigan | Northern Colorado | Wofford (4–1) | Grambling (3–2) | Southern Illinois (5–0) | Jacksonville State (5–0) | Southern Illinois (6–1) | Alcorn A&M (7–1) | Jacksonville State (8–0) | Texas A&I (9–1) | 13. |
| 14. | Wittenberg (1–0) т | North Dakota (1) | Abilene Christian (3–1) | North Dakota (2–1–1) | Northern Michigan (5–1) | Grambling (4–2) | Northeastern Oklahoma (5–0–1) (1) | Jacksonville State (6–0) | Grambling (7–2) | Grambling (8–2) | Alcorn A&M (8–1) | 14. |
| 15. | Grambling (1) т | Louisiana Tech | Northern Michigan | Grambling (2–2) | Missouri–Rolla (5–0) | Eastern Kentucky (5–1) | Southwestern Louisiana (7–1) | Grambling (6–2) | Jacksonville State (7–0) | Hawaii (8–1) | Grambling (9–2) | 15. |
| 16. | Wofford | Wofford (1) | Wofford (4–0) (1) | Florida A&M (3–0) т | Southern Illinois (4–0) | Northeastern Oklahoma (4–0–1) (1) | Linfield (7–0) | Alcorn A&M (7–1) | Hawaii (7–1) | Eastern Kentucky (8–2) | Central Missouri State (9–2) т | 16. |
| 17. | Western Carolina | Weber State (1) | Drake (3–1) | Northern Colorado (3–1) т | Northeastern Oklahoma (3–0–1) (1) | Jacksonville State (4–0) | Gustavus Adolphus (7–1) | Northeastern Oklahoma (6–0–1) (1) | Platteville State (10–0) | Platteville State (10–0) | Northeastern Oklahoma (8–1–1) т | 17. |
| 18. | Northern Colorado т | Cal Poly т | Boise State (4–0) | Northern Michigan (4–1) | Troy State (4–1–1) | Missouri–Rolla (5–0–1) т | Northern Colorado (5–2) т | Linfield (8–0) | Eastern Michigan (7–2–1) | Luther (8–1) | North Dakota (9–0–1) | 18. |
| 19. | Fresno State т | Lamar Tech (2–0) т | Howard Payne (3–0) т | Southern Illinois (3–0) | Cal Poly (4–1) т | Cal Poly (5–1) т | Grambling (5–2) т | Florida A&M (5–2) т | Central Oklahoma (8–1) т | Northeastern Oklahoma (8–1–1) | Westminster (PA) (9–1) | 19. |
| 20. | East Tennessee State (1–0) | Troy State т | Missouri–Rolla т | Missouri–Rolla (4–0) | Linfield (5–0) т | Linfield (6–0) т | Fresno State (6–2) т | Wittenberg (8–0) т | Luther (8–1) т | Northern Colorado (7–2) | Cal Poly (8–2) т | 20. |
| 21. | | | Florida A&M т | | | | | | | | Northern Michigan (8–2) т | 21. |
| | Week 1 Sept 23 | Week 2 Sept 30 | Week 3 Oct 7 | Week 4 Oct 14 | Week 5 Oct 21 | Week 6 Oct 28 | Week 7 Nov 4 | Week 8 Nov 11 | Week 9 Nov 18 | Week 10 Nov 25 | Week 11 Dec 2 | |
| | | Dropped: 13 New Mexico Highlands14 Wittenberg17 Western Carolina19 Fresno State20 East Tennessee State | Dropped: 14 North Dakota15 Louisiana Tech17 Weber State19 Lamar Tech | Dropped: 8 Eastern Michigan17 Drake18 Boise State19 Howard Payne | Dropped: 11 Akron14 North Dakota16 Florida A&M17 Northern Colorado | Dropped: 18 Troy State | Dropped: 12 Northern Michigan18 Missouri–Rolla19 Cal Poly | Dropped: 15 Southwestern Louisiana17 Gustavus Adolphus18 Northern Colorado20 Fresno State | Dropped: 13 Southern Illinois17 Northeastern Oklahoma18 Linfield19 Florida A&M20 Wittenberg | Dropped: 18 Eastern Michigan19 Central Oklahoma | Dropped: 16 Eastern Kentucky17 Platteville State18 Luther20 Northern Colorado | |