# 2012 NAIA football rankings

One human poll made up the 2012 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 2012 NAIA Football National Championship.

## Poll release dates

The poll release dates were:
2012 poll release dates :
| Spring | April 18 |
| Preseason | August 6 |
| Week 1 | September 10 |
| Week 2 | September 17 |
| Week 3 | September 24 |
| Week 4 | October 1 |
| Week 5 | October 8 |
| Week 6 | October 15 |
| Week 7 | October 22 |
| Week 8 | October 29 |
| Week 9 | November 5 |
| Week 10 (Final Regular Season) | November 11 |
| Postseason | December 18 |

## Week by week poll

| | Week 0-Spring Apr 18 | Week 0-Preseason Aug 06 | Week Poll 1 Sep 10 | Week Poll 2 Sep 17 | Week Poll 3 Sep 24 | Week Poll 4 Oct 01 | Week Poll 5 Oct 08 | Week Poll 6 Oct 15 | Week Poll 7 Oct 22 | Week Poll 8 Oct 29 | Week Poll 9 Nov 05 | Week Final Nov 11 | Week Postseason Dec 18 | |
| 1. | Saint Xavier (IL) (15) | Saint Xavier (IL) (11) | Saint Xavier (IL) (14) | Saint Xavier (IL) (14) | Saint Xavier (IL) (14) | Marian (IN) (11) | Marian (IN) (12) | Marian (IN) (13) | Marian (IN) (13) | Marian (IN) (13) | Georgetown (KY) (13) | Georgetown (KY) (13) | Marian (IN) (14) | 1. |
| 2. | Carroll (MT) | Carroll (MT) | Marian (IN) | Marian (IN) | Marian (IN) | Georgetown (KY) (3) | Georgetown (KY) (2) | Georgetown (KY) (1) | Georgetown (KY) (1) | Georgetown (KY) (1) | Missouri Valley (1) | Missouri Valley (1) | Morningside (IA) | 2. |
| 3. | Marian (IN) | Marian (IN) | Georgetown (KY) | Georgetown (KY) | Georgetown (KY) | Missouri Valley | Missouri Valley | Missouri Valley | Missouri Valley | Missouri Valley | Morningside (IA) | Morningside (IA) | Missouri Valley | 3. |
| 4. | Georgetown (KY) | Georgetown (KY) | Morningside (IA) | Morningside (IA) | Morningside (IA) | Morningside (IA) | Morningside (IA) | Morningside (IA) | Morningside (IA) | Morningside (IA) | Saint Xavier (IL) | Saint Xavier (IL) | Saint Xavier (IL) | 4. |
| 5. | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | Missouri Valley | Missouri Valley | Missouri Valley | William Penn (IA) | William Penn (IA) | William Penn (IA) | Saint Xavier (IL) | Saint Xavier (IL) | Marian (IN) | Marian (IN) | Southern Oregon | 5. |
| 6. | Saint Francis (IN) | Saint Francis (IN) | Benedictine (KS) | Benedictine (KS) | Benedictine (KS) | Saint Xavier (IL) | Saint Xavier (IL) | Saint Xavier (IL) | Carroll (MT) | Saint Francis (IN) | Saint Francis (IN) | Saint Francis (IN) | Saint Francis (IN) | 6. |
| 7. | St. Francis (IL) | St. Francis (IL) | William Penn (IA) | William Penn (IA) | William Penn (IA) | Saint Francis (IN) | Saint Francis (IN) | Carroll (MT) | Saint Francis (IN) | Montana Tech | Montana Tech | Cumberlands (KY) | Cumberlands (KY) | 7. |
| 8. | Morningside (IA) | Morningside (IA) | Eastern Oregon | Eastern Oregon | Carroll (MT) | Carroll (MT) | Carroll (MT) | Montana Tech | Montana Tech | Cumberlands (KY) | Cumberlands (KY) | St. Ambrose (IA) | Georgetown (KY) | 8. |
| 9. | Missouri Valley | Missouri Valley | (T) St. Ambrose (IA) | Baker (KS) | St. Ambrose (IA) | Cumberlands (KY) | Cumberlands (KY) | Saint Francis (IN) | Grand View (IA) | Grand View (IA) | Grand View (IA) | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | Bethel (TN) | 9. |
| 10. | Ottawa (KS) | Northwestern (IA) | (T) Baker (KS) | St. Ambrose (IA) | Saint Francis (IN) | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | Grand View (IA) | Cumberlands (KY) | William Penn (IA) | St. Ambrose (IA) | Southern Oregon | St. Ambrose (IA) | 10. |
| 11. | Benedictine (KS) | (T) Ottawa (KS) | Saint Francis (IN) | Carroll (MT) | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | Northwestern (IA) | Northwestern (IA) | Cumberlands (KY) | William Penn (IA) | St. Ambrose (IA) | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | Baker (KS) | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | 11. |
| 12. | Bethel (TN) | (T) Bethel (TN) | Carroll (MT) | Saint Francis (IN) | Cumberlands (KY) | Benedictine (KS) | Benedictine (KS) | St. Ambrose (IA) | St. Ambrose (IA) | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | (T) Baker (KS) | Northwestern (IA) | (T) Northwestern (IA) | 12. |
| 13. | William Penn (IA) | Benedictine (KS) | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | Baker (KS) | Montana Tech | Montana Tech | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | Baker (KS) | (T) Southern Oregon | William Penn (IA) | (T) Montana Tech | 13. |
| 14. | Northwestern (IA) | William Penn (IA) | Cumberlands (KY) | Cumberlands (KY) | Eastern Oregon | Grand View (IA) | Grand View (IA) | Hastings (NE) | Baker (KS) | Southern Oregon | Northwestern (IA) | Montana Tech | Baker (KS) | 14. |
| 15. | Valley City State (ND) | Grand View (IA) | Grand View (IA) | Grand View (IA) | Northwestern (IA) | St. Francis (IL) | St. Ambrose (IA) | Baker (KS) | Evangel (MO) | Evangel (MO) | William Penn (IA) | Ottawa (KS) | William Penn (IA) | 15. |
| 16. | Grand View (IA) | Eastern Oregon | Doane (NE) | Northwestern (IA) | Montana Tech | St. Ambrose (IA) | Cumberland (TN) | Benedictine (KS) | Northwestern (IA) | Carroll (MT) | Ottawa (KS) | Grand View (IA) | Ottawa (KS) | 16. |
| 17. | Eastern Oregon | Valley City State (ND) | (T) St. Francis (IL) | Montana Tech | St. Francis (IL) | Cumberland (TN) | Hastings (NE) | Evangel (MO) | St. Francis (IL) | Northwestern (IA) | Tabor (KS) | Tabor (KS) | Grand View (IA) | 17. |
| 18. | Doane (NE) | Baker (KS) | (T) Northwestern (IA) | St. Francis (IL) | Grand View (IA) | Doane (NE) | Baker (KS) | Northwestern (IA) | Hastings (NE) | Benedictine (KS) | Bethel (TN) | Bethel (TN) | Tabor (KS) | 18. |
| 19. | Baker (KS) | Cumberlands (KY) | Rocky Mountain (MT) | Dakota Wesleyan (SD) | Cumberland (TN) | Baker (KS) | Dakota Wesleyan (SD) | St. Francis (IL) | Southern Oregon | Ottawa (KS) | Evangel (MO) | Doane (NE) | Cumberland (TN) | 19. |
| 20. | St. Ambrose (IA) | St. Ambrose (IA) | Montana Tech | Valley City State (ND) | Doane (NE) | Kansas Wesleyan | St. Francis (IL) | Doane (NE) | Cumberland (TN) | Tabor (KS) | Doane (NE) | Cumberland (TN) | Doane (NE) | 20. |
| 21. | Langston (OK) | Doane (NE) | Valley City State (ND) | Cumberland (TN) | Valley City State (ND) | Hastings (NE) | Evangel (MO) | Faulkner (AL) | Benedictine (KS) | Bethel (TN) | Cumberland (TN) | Carroll (MT) | Carroll (MT) | 21. |
| 22. | Cumberlands (KY) | (T) Cumberland (TN) | Dakota Wesleyan (SD) | Rocky Mountain (MT) | Dakota Wesleyan (SD) | Menlo (CA) | Doane (NE) | Tabor (KS) | (T) Tabor (KS) | Robert Morris (IL) | Carroll (MT) | Benedictine (KS) | Benedictine (KS) | 22. |
| 23. | Cumberland (TN) | (T) Langston (OK) | Taylor (IN) | Doane (NE) | Kansas Wesleyan | Faulkner (AL) | Robert Morris (IL) | Southern Oregon | (T) Robert Morris (IL) | Kansas Wesleyan | Bacone (OK) | Evangel (MO) | Evangel (MO) | 23. |
| 24. | Bethany (KS) | Bethany (KS) | Lindsey Wilson (KY) | Kansas Wesleyan | Menlo (CA) | Eastern Oregon | Tabor (KS) | Robert Morris (IL) | Ottawa (KS) | Doane (NE) | St. Francis (IL) | Valley City State (ND) | Valley City State (ND) | 24. |
| 25. | Lindsey Wilson (KY) | Campbellsville (KY) | Cumberland (TN) | Menlo (CA) | Faulkner (AL) | Dakota Wesleyan | Friends (KS) | Cumberland (TN) | Dakota Wesleyan (SD) | Hastings (NE) | Benedictine (KS) | Kentucky Christian | Kentucky Christian | 25. |
| | Week 0-Spring Apr 18 | Week 0-Preseason Aug 06 | Week Poll 1 Sep 10 | Week Poll 2 Sep 17 | Week Poll 3 Sep 24 | Week Poll 4 Oct 01 | Week Poll 5 Oct 08 | Week Poll 6 Oct 15 | Week Poll 7 Oct 22 | Week Poll 8 Oct 29 | Week Poll 9 Nov 05 | Week Final Nov 11 | Week Postseason Dec 18 | |
| | | Dropped: Lindsey Wilson (KY) | Dropped: Ottawa (KS)Bethel (TN)Langston (OK)Bethany (KS)Campbellsville (KY) | Dropped: Taylor (IN)Lindsey Wilson (KY) | Dropped: Rocky Mountain (MT) | Dropped: Valley City State (ND) | Dropped: Kansas WesleyanMenlo (CA)Faulkner (AL)Eastern Oregon | Dropped: Dakota Wesleyan (SD)Friends (KS) | Dropped: Doane (NE)Faulkner (AL) | Dropped: St. Francis (IL)Cumberland (TN)Dakota Wesleyan (SD) | Dropped: Robert Morris (IL)Kansas WesleyanHastings (NE) | Dropped: Bacone (OK)St. Francis (IL) | 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 end of 2012, the team 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 was 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) | 56 (6) |
| Sioux Falls (SD) | 55 (3) |
| Georgetown (KY) | 25 (2) |
| Saint Xavier (IL) | 14 (1) |
| Northwestern Oklahoma State | 12 (1) |
| Marian (IN) | 8 (1) |
| Azusa Pacific (CA) | 3 |
| Saint Francis (IN) | 3 |