# 2004 NAIA football rankings

Legend :
| | Increase in ranking |
| | Decrease in ranking |
| | Not ranked previous week |
| * | NAIA National Champion |
| т | Tied with team above or below also with this symbol |
One human poll made up the 2004 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 2004 NAIA Football National Championship.

## Poll release dates

The poll release dates were:
* August 17, 2004 (Preseason)
* September 14, 2004
* September 21, 2004
* September 28, 2004
* October 5, 2004
* October 12, 2004
* October 19, 2004
* October 26, 2004
* November 2, 2004
* November 9, 2004
* November 14, 2004 (Final)
* January 17, 2005 (Postseason)

## Week by week poll

| | Week 0-Preseason Aug 17 | Week Poll 1 Sep 14 | Week Poll 2 Sep 21 | Week Poll 3 Sep 28 | Week Poll 4 Oct 05 | Week Poll 5 Oct 12 | Week Poll 6 Oct 19 | Week Poll 7 Oct 26 | Week Poll 8 Nov 02 | Week Poll 9 Nov 09 | Week Final Nov 14 | Week Postseason Jan 17 | |
| 1. | Carroll (MT) | Carroll (MT) | Carroll (MT) | Carroll (MT) | Carroll (MT) | Sioux Falls (SD) | Sioux Falls (SD) | Sioux Falls (SD) | Sioux Falls (SD) | Sioux Falls (SD) | Sioux Falls (SD) | *Carroll (MT) | 1. |
| 2. | Northwestern Oklahoma State | Northwestern Oklahoma State | Sioux Falls (SD) | Sioux Falls (SD) | Sioux Falls (SD) | Saint Francis (IN) | Saint Francis (IN) | Saint Francis (IN) | Saint Francis (IN) | Saint Francis (IN) | Saint Francis (IN) | Saint Francis (IN) | 2. |
| 3. | Sioux Falls (SD) | Sioux Falls (SD) | Saint Francis (IN) | Saint Francis (IN) | Saint Francis (IN) | Georgetown (KY) | Georgetown (KY) | Georgetown (KY) | Georgetown (KY) | Georgetown (KY) | Georgetown (KY) | Georgetown (KY) | 3. |
| 4. | Saint Francis (IN) | Saint Francis (IN) | Georgetown (KY) | Georgetown (KY) | Georgetown (KY) | St. Ambrose (IA) | St. Ambrose (IA) | Northwestern Oklahoma State | Northwestern Oklahoma State | Northwestern Oklahoma State | Northwestern Oklahoma State | Azusa Pacific (CA) | 4. |
| 5. | Dickinson State (SD) | Dickinson State (SD) | Mary (ND) | Mary (ND) | Mary (ND) | Carroll (MT) | Northwestern Oklahoma State | Dickinson State (SD) | Dickinson State (SD) | Dickinson State (SD) | Dickinson State (SD) | Sioux Falls (SD) | 5. |
| 6. | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | Georgetown (KY) | St. Ambrose (IA) | St. Ambrose (IA) | St. Ambrose (IA) | Northwestern Oklahoma State | Dickinson State (SD) | Azusa Pacific (CA) | Lindenwood (MO) | Lindenwood (MO) | Lindenwood (MO) | Dickinson State (SD) | 6. |
| 7. | Georgetown (KY) | St. Ambrose (IA) | Azusa Pacific (CA) | Azusa Pacific (CA) | Northwestern Oklahoma State | Dickinson State (SD) | Azusa Pacific (CA) | Lindenwood (MO) | Mary (ND) | Mary (ND) | Mary (ND) | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | 7. |
| 8. | St. Ambrose (IA) | Mary (ND) | Northwestern Oklahoma State | Northwestern Oklahoma State | Dickinson State (SD) | Azusa Pacific (CA) | Lindenwood (MO) | Mary (ND) | St. Ambrose (IA) | McKendree (IL) | McKendree (IL) | Hastings (NB) | 8. |
| 9. | Northwestern (IA) | Azusa Pacific (CA) | Dickinson State (SD) | Dickinson State (SD) | Azusa Pacific (CA) | Lindenwood (MO) | Mary (ND) | St. Ambrose (IA) | McKendree (IL) | Montana Tech | Carroll (MT) | Northwestern Oklahoma State | 9. |
| 10. | Mary (ND) | McKendree (IL) | Walsh (OH) | Northwestern (IA) | Northwestern (IA) | Mary (ND) | McKendree (IL) | McKendree (IL) | Montana Tech | Carroll (MT) | Azusa Pacific (CA) | Mary (ND) | 10. |
| 11. | Azusa Pacific (CA) | Walsh (OH) | Northwestern (IA) | Lindenwood (MO) | Lindenwood (MO) | McKendree (IL) | Walsh (OH) | Walsh (OH) | Carroll (MT) | Azusa Pacific (CA) | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | Lindenwood (MO) | 11. |
| 12. | McKendree (IL) | Lambuth (TN) | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | Walsh (OH) | Cumberlands (KY) | Carroll (MT) | Tabor (KS) | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | Morningside (IA) | McKendree (IL) | 12. |
| 13. | Benedictine (KS) | Midland Lutheran (NB) | McKendree (IL) | McKendree (IL) | McKendree (IL) | Cumberlands (KY) | Carroll (MT) | Montana Tech | Morningside (IA) | (T) St. Ambrose (IA) | Montana Tech | Montana Tech | 13. |
| 14. | Lambuth (TN) | Northwestern (IA) | Morningside (IA) | Trinity International (IL) | Trinity International (IL) | Northwestern (IA) | Northwestern (IA) | Tabor (KS) | Azusa Pacific (CA) | (T) Trinity International (IL) | Trinity International (IL) | Trinity International (IL) | 14. |
| 15. | Walsh (OH) | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | Lindenwood (MO) | Walsh (OH) | Walsh (OH) | Tabor (KS) | Montana Tech | Morningside (IA) | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | Walsh (OH) | Tabor (KS) | Morningside (IA) | 15. |
| 16. | ??? | Cumberlands (KY) | Cumberlands (KY) | Pikeville (KY) | Pikeville (KY) | Morningside (IA) | Tabor (KS) | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | Trinity International (IL) | Cumberlands (KY) | Hastings (NB) | Cumberlands (KY) | 16. |
| 17. | Campbellsville (KY) | Montana Western | Southern Oregon | Lambuth (TN) | Cumberlands (KY) | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | Morningside (IA) | Trinity International (IL) | Walsh (OH) | Morningside (IA) | Cumberlands (KY) | Northwestern (IA) | 17. |
| 18. | Saint Xavier (IL) | Southern Oregon | Lambuth (TN) | Cumberlands (KY) | Midland Lutheran (NB) | Montana Tech | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | Pikeville (KY) | Cumberlands (KY) | Hastings (NB) | Northwestern (IA) | Graceland (IA) | 18. |
| 19. | McPherson (KS) | Minot State (ND) | Pikeville (KY) | Midland Lutheran (NB) | Morningside (IA) | Trinity International (IL) | Montana Western | Bacone (OK) | Hastings (NB) | Tabor (KS) | Graceland (IA) | (T) Tabor (KS) | 19. |
| 20. | Montana Western | Morningside (IA) | Trinity International (IL) | Morningside (IA) | Tabor (KS) | Montana Western | Trinity International (IL) | Cumberlands (KY) | Pikeville (KY) | Northwestern (IA) | St. Ambrose (IA) | (T) St. Ambrose (IA) | 20. |
| 21. | Minot State (ND) | (T) Central Methodist (MO) | Campbellsville (KY) | Tabor (KS) | Saint Xavier (IL) | Pikeville (KY) | Pikeville (KY) | Saint Xavier (IL) | Northwestern (IA) | Graceland (IA) | Walsh (OH) | Walsh (OH) | 21. |
| 22. | Midland Lutheran (NB) | (T) Lindenwood (MO) | Midland Lutheran (NB) | Hastings (NB) | Belhaven (MS) | Lambuth (TN) | Graceland (IA) | Hastings (NB) | Graceland (IA) | Bacone (OK) | Pikeville (KY) | Saint Xavier (IL) | 22. |
| 23. | Geneva (PA) | Campbellsville (KY) | Eastern Oregon | Southern Oregon | Montana Western | Bethel (KS) | Bacone (OK) | Campbellsville (KY) | Bacone (OK) | Saint Xavier (IL) | Saint Xavier (IL) | Pikeville (KY) | 23. |
| 24. | Cumberlands (KY) | Trinity International (IL) | Tabor (KS) | Montana Tech | Bethel (TN) | Graceland (IA) | Midland Lutheran (NB) | Northwestern (IA) | Campbellsville (KY) | Pikeville (KY) | Bacone (OK) | Montana Western | 24. |
| 25. | Friends (KS) | Friends (KS) | Montana Western | Saint Xavier (IL) | Lambuth (TN) | Bacone (OK) | Campbellsville (KY) | Montana Western | Saint Xavier (IL) | Eastern Oregon | Montana Western | Bacone (OK) | 25. |
| | Week 0-Preseason Aug 17 | Week Poll 1 Sep 14 | Week Poll 2 Sep 21 | Week Poll 3 Sep 28 | Week Poll 4 Oct 05 | Week Poll 5 Oct 12 | Week Poll 6 Oct 19 | Week Poll 7 Oct 26 | Week Poll 8 Nov 02 | Week Poll 9 Nov 09 | Week Final Nov 14 | Week Postseason Jan 17 | |
| | | Dropped: Benedictine (KS)Geneva (PA)McPherson (KS)Saint Xavier (IL) | Dropped: Central Methodist (MO)Friends (KS)Minot State (ND) | Dropped: Campbellsville (KY)Eastern OregonMontana Western | Dropped: Hastings (NB)Montana TechSouthern Oregon | Dropped: Belhaven (MS)Bethel (TN)Midland Lutheran (NB)Saint Xavier (IL) | Dropped: Bethel (KS)Lambuth (TN) | Dropped: Graceland (IA)Midland Lutheran (NB) | Dropped: Montana Western | Dropped: Campbellsville (KY) | Dropped: Eastern Oregon | None | |

## 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 postseason poll of the 2004 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.
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 |
| Georgetown (KY) | 23 (2) |
| Carroll (MT) | 20 (3) |
| Sioux Falls (SD) | 16 |
| Northwestern Oklahoma State | 12 (1) |
| Azusa Pacific (CA) | 3 |