# 1969 small college football rankings

The 1969 small college football rankings are rankings of college football teams representing smaller college and university teams during the 1969 college football season, including the 1969 NCAA College Division football season and the 1969 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 1969 North Dakota State Bison football team compiled a perfect 10–0 record and was rated No. 1 by both the AP and UPI. Montana compiled a 10–0 record in the regular season and was ranked No. 2 by both the AP and UPI. North Dakota State and Montana met in the post-season Camellia Bowl with North Dakota State prevailing by a 30–3 score.

## 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 25 | Week 2 Oct 2 | Week 3 Oct 9 | Week 4 Oct 16 | Week 5 Oct 23 | Week 6 Oct 30 | Week 7 Nov 6 | Week 8 Nov 13 | Week 9 Nov 20 | Week 10 Nov 27 | |
| 1. | North Dakota State (4) | North Dakota State (3–0) (7) | North Dakota State (4–0) (7) | North Dakota State (5–0) (6) | North Dakota State (6–0) (9) | North Dakota State (7–0) (5) | North Dakota State (8–0) (10) | North Dakota State (9–0) (11) | North Dakota State (9–0) (10) | North Dakota State (9–0) (10) | 1. |
| 2. | IUP (1) | IUP (2–0) (1) | IUP (3–0) (2) | IUP (4–0) (3) | Montana (6–0) (1) | Alcorn A&M (5–0) | Montana (8–0) (1) | Montana (9–0) (1) | Montana (9–0) | Montana (10–0) (1) | 2. |
| 3. | Grambling | Grambling (1–1) | Texas A&I (3–0) (1) | Texas A&I (4–0) (1) | Texas A&I (5–0) (1) | Montana (7–0) (2) | Delaware (6–1) | Delaware (7–1) | Akron (9–1) (1) | Akron (9–1) (1) | 3. |
| 4. | Northern Arizona | Texas A&I (2–0) (3) | Montana (3–0) | Montana (5–0) (1) | Alcorn A&M (4–0) | Texas A&I (6–0) | Arkansas State (5–1) | Akron (8–1) (1) | Louisiana Tech (7–1) | Louisiana Tech (8–1) | 4. |
| 5. | Arkansas State | Lenoir–Rhyne (2–0) (1) | Grambling (2–1) | Alcorn A&M (3–0) (1) | IUP (5–0) (1) | Louisiana Tech (5–0) (2) | Akron (7–1) (1) | New Mexico Highlands (7–0–1) (1) | Alcorn A&M (7–0–1) | Colorado State College (10–0) (1) | 5. |
| 6. | Weber State | Alcorn A&M (2–1) (2) | Delaware (2–1) | Delaware (3–1) | Sacramento State | Sacramento State | Alcorn A&M (5–0–1) | Alcorn A&M (6–0–1) | New Mexico Highlands (8–0–1) | New Mexico Highlands (8–0–1) | 6. |
| 7. | Akron (2) | Weber State (2–1) | Sacramento State (2–1) | Akron (4–1) (1) | East Tennessee State (6–0) | Delaware (5–1) | New Mexico Highlands (6–0–1) | Louisiana Tech (6–1) | Colorado State College (9–0) (1) | Arkansas State (7–1–1) | 7. |
| 8. | Delaware | Northern Arizona (2–1) | Lenoir–Rhyne (3–1) | Sacramento State (3–1) | Delaware (4–1) | Akron (6–1) (1) | Louisiana Tech (5–1) | Arkansas State (6–1–1) | Tampa (6–2–1) | Alcorn A&M (7–0–1) | 8. |
| 9. | Texas A&I | Montana (3–0) | Alcorn A&M (2–0) | Lenoir–Rhyne (4–1) (2) | Akron (5–1) (1) | New Mexico Highlands (5–0–1) | Texas A&I (6–1) (1) т | Northern Arizona (7–2) | Arkansas State (6–1–1) | Tampa (7–2–1) | 9. |
| 10. | Tennessee State | Northwestern State (2–1) | Akron (3–1) (1) | East Tennessee State (5–0) | Abilene Christian (5–0) | Humboldt State (6–0) | Wittenberg т | Texas A&I (7–1) (1) | Sacramento State (7–2) | Delaware (8–2) | 10. |
| 11. | Northwestern State (1) | Sacramento State (1–1) | Northern Arizona (3–1) | Florida A&M (3–0) | Lenoir–Rhyne (5–0) | Arkansas State (4–1) (1) | Abilene Christian (6–1) | Tampa (6–1) | Wittenberg (8–0) | Texas A&I (9–1) (1) | 11. |
| 12. | Sacramento State | Delaware (1–1) | Central Missouri State (3–0) | Abilene Christian (4–0) | Louisiana Tech (4–0) | East Tennessee State (6–0–1) | Northern Arizona (6–2) | Sacramento State | Texas A&I (8–1) (1) | Sacramento State (8–2) | 12. |
| 13. | Florida A&M | Florida A&M (0–0) | Florida A&M (1–0) | Northern Arizona (4–1) | Florida A&M (3–0) | Troy State (6–0–1) | East Tennessee State (6–0–1) | Abilene Christian (7–1) | Western Carolina (9–0) (1) | Wittenberg (9–0) | 13. |
| 14. | South Dakota | Northern Michigan (1–1) | Arkansas State (2–1) | New Mexico Highlands (3–0–1) | New Mexico Highlands (4–0–1) | Northern Arizona (5–2) | Western Carolina (7–0) (1) | Western Carolina (8–0) (2) | Delaware (7–2) | Colorado College (7–2) | 14. |
| 15. | Troy State | Morehead State (2–0) | Weber State (2–2) | Wilkes (3–0) | Indiana State | Wittenberg | Colorado State College (7–0) | Colorado State College (8–0) | St. Olaf (8–1) | Northern Arizona (7–3) | 15. |
| 16. | New Mexico Highlands | Arkansas State (2–1) | Humboldt State (3–0) | Arkansas State (2–1) | Colorado State College (5–0) | Abilene Christian (5–1) | Sacramento State | IUP (7–0–1) | IUP (8–1) | Florida A&M (6–1) | 16. |
| 17. | Montana State | Troy State (2–0–1) | Wilkes (2–0) | Louisiana Tech (3–0) | Northern Arizona (4–2) | Western Carolina (6–0) (1) | Humboldt State (6–1) | East Tennessee State (7–0–1) | Western Illinois (8–2) (1) | Concordia (MN) (9–0) | 17. |
| 18. | Morehead State | New Mexico Highlands (1–0–1) т | New Mexico Highlands (2–0–1) | Central Michigan (4–1) | Wittenberg | Tennessee State | IUP (6–1) | Wittenberg | Florida A&M (5–1) | IUP (8–1) | 18. |
| 19. | Lenoir–Rhyne | Akron (2–1) т | Fairmont State (4–0) | Fairmont State (5–0) (1) | Humboldt State (5–0) | IUP (5–1) | Tampa (6–1) | Western Illinois (1) | Colorado College (6–2) | St. Olaf (8–1) | 19. |
| 20. | Wilkes | Wilkes (1–0) | Wittenberg (2–0) | Idaho State (4–0) | Troy State (5–0–1) | Colorado State College (6–0) | Indiana State | Indiana State | Northern Arizona (7–3) | East Tennessee State (9–0–1) | 20. |
| | Week 1 Sept 25 | Week 2 Oct 2 | Week 3 Oct 9 | Week 4 Oct 16 | Week 5 Oct 23 | Week 6 Oct 30 | Week 7 Nov 6 | Week 8 Nov 13 | Week 9 Nov 20 | Week 10 Nov 27 | |
| | | Dropped: 10 Tennessee State14 South Dakota17 Montana State | Dropped: 10 Northwestern State14 Northern Michigan15 Morehead State17 Troy State | Dropped: 5 Grambling12 Central Missouri State15 Weber State16 Humboldt State20 Wittenberg | Dropped: 15 Wilkes16 Arkansas State18 Central Michigan19 Fairmont State20 Idaho State | Dropped: 11 Lenoir–Rhyne13 Florida A&M15 Indiana State | Dropped: 13 Troy State18 Tennessee State | Dropped: 17 Humboldt State | Dropped: 13 Abilene Christian17 East Tennessee State20 Indiana State | Dropped: 13 Western Carolina17 Western Illinois | |

## UPI coaches 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 | |
| 1. | North Dakota State (2–0) (22) | North Dakota State (3–0) (32) | North Dakota State (4–0) (27) | North Dakota State (5–0) (28) | North Dakota State (6–0) (24) | North Dakota State (7–0) (20) | North Dakota State (8–0) (28) | North Dakota State (9–0) (22) | North Dakota State (9–0) (20) | North Dakota State (9–0) (24) | 1. |
| 2. | Texas A&I (1–0) | Texas A&I (2–0) | Texas A&I (3–0) | Texas A&I (4–0) | Texas A&I (5–0) | Texas A&I (6–0) | Montana (8–0) (1) | Montana (9–0) (5) | Montana (10–0) (12) | Montana (10–0) (8) | 2. |
| 3. | Arkansas State (1–0) (6) | Humboldt State (2–0) | Humboldt State (3–0) | Montana (5–0) | Montana (6–0) (2) | Montana (7–0) (6) | Arkansas State (5–1) (1) | Delaware (7–1) (5) | Colorado State College (9–0) (1) | Colorado State College (10–0) (1) | 3. |
| 4. | Eastern Kentucky (1–0) | Alcorn A&M (2–0) | Montana (4–0) (1) | Humboldt State (4–0) | Troy State (5–0–1) (1) | Troy State (6–0–1) (1) | Delaware (6–1) (3) | Colorado State College (8–0) (1) | Akron (9–1) | Akron (9–1) | 4. |
| 5. | Weber State (2–0) (1) | Troy State (2–0–1) | Arkansas State (2–1) (2) | Troy State (4–0–1) | Humboldt State (5–0) | Arkansas State (4–1) (1) | New Mexico Highlands (6–0–1) | Akron (8–1) | Arkansas State (7–1–1) | Arkansas State (8–1–1) | 5. |
| 6. | Delaware (1–0) | Fresno State (2–0) | Troy State (3–0–1) | Arkansas State (2–1) (1) | Arkansas State (3–1) (1) | Humboldt State (6–0) | Colorado State College (7–0) (1) | New Mexico Highlands (7–0–1) | New Mexico Highlands (8–0–1) | Tampa (9–1) | 6. |
| 7. | Humboldt State (1–0) | Montana (3–0) | Alcorn A&M (2–0) | Alcorn A&M (3–0) (1) | Alcorn A&M (4–0) (1) | Delaware (5–1) (1) | Akron (7–1) | Arkansas State (6–1–1) | Tampa (7–1) | Louisiana Tech (8–1) | 7. |
| 8. | Troy State (1–0–1) | Arkansas State (1–1) | Delaware (2–1) | Delaware (3–1) | Delaware (4–1) (2) | Alcorn A&M (5–0) (1) | Texas A&I (6–1) | Texas A&I (7–1) | Louisiana Tech (7–1) | New Mexico Highlands (8–0–1) | 8. |
| 9. | Alcorn A&M (1–0) (2) | Delaware (1–1) | IUP (3–0) (1) | New Mexico Highlands (3–0–1) | New Mexico Highlands (4–0–1) | Louisiana Tech (5–0) (2) | Tampa (6–1) | Tampa (6–1) | Texas A&I (8–1) | Texas A&I (9–1) | 9. |
| 10. | Adams State (1–0) | IUP (2–0) | New Mexico Highlands (2–0–1) | IUP (4–0) (1) | IUP (5–0) (1) | New Mexico Highlands (5–0–1) (2) | Alcorn A&M (5–0–1) | Alcorn A&M (6–0–1) | Delaware (7–2) | Delaware (8–2) | 10. |
| 11. | Akron (1–0) (2) | Adams State (2–0) | East Tennessee State (4–0) | East Tennessee State (5–0) т | Abilene Christian (5–0) | Colorado State College (6–0) (1) | Louisiana Tech (5–1) | Louisiana Tech (6–1) | Alcorn A&M (7–0–1) | Troy State (8–1–1) | 11. |
| 12. | IUP (1–0) | Weber State (2–1) | Abilene Christian (4–0) | Idaho State (3–1) (1) т | East Tennessee State (6–0) | Akron (6–1) | IUP (6–1) | East Tennessee State (7–0–1) | Troy State (8–1–1) | Concordia (MN) (9–0) | 12. |
| 13. | Northern Arizona (1–0) | Santa Clara (2–0) | Northern Michigan (3–1) | Abilene Christian (4–0) | Akron (5–1) | Tampa (5–1) | East Tennessee State (6–0–1) т | Western Carolina (8–0) (1) | Western Carolina (9–0) (1) | Alcorn A&M (8–0–1) | 13. |
| 14. | Fresno State (1–0) | East Tennessee State (3–0) | Lenoir–Rhyne (3–0) (1) | Lenoir–Rhyne (4–0) (1) | Colorado State College (5–0) (1) т | IUP (5–1) | Troy State (6–1–1) т | Concordia (MN) (9–0) т | Cal State Hayward (8–1) | Southwestern Oklahoma State (8–1) | 14. |
| 15. | New Mexico Highlands (0–0–1) | Abilene Christian (3–0) | Northeastern Oklahoma | Akron (4–1) | Lenoir–Rhyne (5–0) (1) т | East Tennessee State (6–0–1) | Concordia (MN) (9–0) | Abilene Christian (7–1) т | East Tennessee State (8–0–1) | Cal State Hayward (9–1) (1) | 15. |
| 16. | Grambling (1–1) | Eastern Michigan (2–0) | Idaho State (2–1) (1) | Northeastern Oklahoma (1) | Louisiana Tech | Concordia (MN) (8–0) | Abilene Christian (6–1) | IUP (7–0–1) | Concordia (MN) (9–0) | East Tennessee State (9–0–1) | 16. |
| 17. | Florida A&M (0–0) | New Mexico Highlands (1–0–1) | Akron (3–1) | Fresno State (3–1) | Idaho State (3–2) | Western Carolina (6–0) | Northern Arizona (6–2) | Northern Arizona (7–2) | IUP (8–0–1) | Hillsdale (9–1) | 17. |
| 18. | Santa Clara (1–0) (1) | Eastern Kentucky (1–1) | Northern Arizona (2–1) т | Colorado State College (4–0) (1) | Tampa | Northeastern Oklahoma (5–1) | Humboldt State (6–1) | Northeastern Oklahoma (7–1) (1) | Southwestern Oklahoma State (8–1) | IUP (8–0–1) | 18. |
| 19. | Western Kentucky (0–0–1) | Connecticut (2–0) т | Fresno State (2–1) т | Northern Arizona (3–1) | Missouri–Rolla (5–0) (1) | Abilene Christian (5–1) | Western Carolina (7–0) | Southwestern Oklahoma State | Northeastern Oklahoma (9–1) | Northeastern Oklahoma (9–1) | 19. |
| 20. | Montana (2–0) т | Northern Michigan (2–1) т | Colorado State College (3–0) (1) | Missouri–Rolla | Florida A&M (3–0) | Southwestern Oklahoma State | Northeastern Oklahoma (6–1) (1) | Troy State (7–1–1) | Wofford (7–2) | Wofford (8–2) (1) | 20. |
| 21. | Texas–Arlington (1–0) т | Lenoir–Rhyne (2–0) т | | | | | | | | | 21. |
| 22. | Abilene Christian (2–0) 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 | |
| | | Dropped: 11 Akron13 Northern Arizona16 Grambling17 Florida A&M19 Western Kentucky20 Texas–Arlington | Dropped: 11 Adams State12 Weber State13 Santa Clara16 Eastern Michigan18 Eastern Kentucky19 Connecticut | Dropped: 13 Northern Michigan | Dropped: 16 Northeastern Oklahoma17 Fresno State19 Northern Arizona | Dropped: 15 Lenoir–Rhyne17 Idaho State19 Missouri–Rolla20 Florida A&M | Dropped: 20 Southwestern Oklahoma State | Dropped: 18 Humboldt State | Dropped: 15 Abilene Christian17 Northern Arizona | Dropped: 13 Western Carolina | |

## HBCU rankings

The New Pittsburgh Courier, a leading African American newspaper, ranked the top 1969 teams from historically black colleges and universities in an era when college football was often racially segregated.
The rankings were published on December 20:
* 1. Alcorn A&M (8–0–1)
* 2. Tennessee State (7–1–1)
* 3. Florida A&M (8–1)
* 4. Southern (6–2–1)
* 5. Grambling (6–4)
* 6. Texas Southern (4–3–2)
* 7. North Carolina College (7–2–1)
* 8. North Carolina A&T (6–2–1)
* 9. Johnson C. Smith (8–2)
* 10. Morgan State (6–4)
* 11. South Carolina State (4–3–1)
* 12. Virginia Union (5–4)
* 13. Tuskegee (7–3)
* 14. Elizabeth City State (8–1)
* 15. Fort Valley State (7–2)