# 2008 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 2008 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 16-team playoff to determine the year's national champion. A final poll was then taken after completion of the 2008 NAIA Football National Championship.

## Poll release dates

The poll release dates were:
* April 21, 2008 (Spring)
* August 11, 2008 (Preseason)
* September 15, 2008
* September 22, 2008
* September 29, 2008
* October 6, 2008
* October 13, 2008
* October 20, 2008
* October 27, 2008
* November 3, 2008
* November 10, 2008
* November 16, 2008 (Final)
* January 12, 2009 (Postseason)

## Week by week poll

| | Week 0-Spring Apr 21 | Week 0-Preseason Aug 11 | Week Poll 1 Sep 15 | Week Poll 2 Sep 22 | Week Poll 3 Sep 29 | Week Poll 4 Oct 06 | Week Poll 5 Oct 13 | Week Poll 6 Oct 20 | Week Poll 7 Oct 27 | Week Poll 8 Nov 03 | Week Poll 9 Nov 10 | Week Final Nov 16 | Week Postseason Jan 12 | |
| 1. | Carroll (MT) | Carroll (MT) | Carroll (MT) | Carroll (MT) | Carroll (MT) | Carroll (MT) | Carroll (MT) | Carroll (MT) | Carroll (MT) | Carroll (MT) | Carroll (MT) | Carroll (MT) | *Sioux Falls (SD) | 1. |
| 2. | Sioux Falls (SD) | Sioux Falls (SD) | Sioux Falls (SD) | Sioux Falls (SD) | Sioux Falls (SD) | Sioux Falls (SD) | Sioux Falls (SD) | Sioux Falls (SD) | Sioux Falls (SD) | Sioux Falls (SD) | Sioux Falls (SD) | Sioux Falls (SD) | Carroll (MT) | 2. |
| 3. | Missouri Valley | Missouri Valley | Missouri Valley | Missouri Valley | Missouri Valley | Missouri Valley | Missouri Valley | Saint Francis (IN) | Saint Francis (IN) | Saint Francis (IN) | Saint Francis (IN) | Saint Francis (IN) | Lindenwood (MO) | 3. |
| 4. | Saint Francis (IN) | Saint Francis (IN) | Saint Francis (IN) | Saint Francis (IN) | Saint Francis (IN) | Saint Francis (IN) | Saint Francis (IN) | Morningside (IA) | Morningside (IA) | Morningside (IA) | Morningside (IA) | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | Saint Francis (IN) | 4. |
| 5. | Bethel (TN) | Ohio Dominican | Ohio Dominican | Morningside (IA) | Morningside (IA) | Morningside (IA) | Morningside (IA) | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | Friends (KS) | Morningside (IA) | 5. |
| 6. | Ohio Dominican | Bethel (TN) | Morningside (IA) | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | Friends (KS) | Friends (KS) | Friends (KS) | Friends (KS) | Morningside (IA) | Cumberlands (KY) | 6. |
| 7. | Morningside (IA) | Morningside (IA) | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | Virginia-Wise | Friends (KS) | Friends (KS) | Friends (KS) | Lindenwood (MO) | Missouri Valley | Lindenwood (MO) | Lindenwood (MO) | Lindenwood (MO) | Langston (OK) | 7. |
| 8. | Saint Xavier (IL) | Saint Xavier (IL) | Virginia-Wise | Friends (KS) | Ohio Dominican | Lindenwood (MO) | Lindenwood (MO) | Northwestern Oklahoma State | Northwestern (IA) | Cumberlands (KY) | Cumberlands (KY) | Cumberlands (KY) | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | 8. |
| 9. | Lindenwood (MO) | Lindenwood (MO) | Friends (KS) | Ohio Dominican | Lindenwood (MO) | Northwestern Oklahoma State | Northwestern Oklahoma State | Missouri Valley | Lindenwood (MO) | Langston (OK) | Langston (OK) | Langston (OK) | Friends (KS) | 9. |
| 10. | St. Ambrose (IA) | St. Ambrose (IA) | St. Ambrose (IA) | St. Ambrose (IA) | Northwestern Oklahoma State | Northwestern (IA) | Northwestern (IA) | Northwestern (IA) | Virginia-Wise | Malone (OH) | Northwestern Oklahoma State | Northwestern Oklahoma State | Union (KY) | 10. |
| 11. | Friends (KS) | Friends (KS) | Lindenwood (MO) | Lindenwood (MO) | Northwestern (IA) | Union (KY) | Virginia-Wise | Virginia-Wise | Cumberlands (KY) | Northwestern Oklahoma State | Lambuth (TN) | Union (KY) | Shorter (GA) | 11. |
| 12. | Jamestown (ND) | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | Northwestern Oklahoma State | Northwestern Oklahoma State | Union (KY) | Virginia-Wise | Montana State-Northern | Cumberlands (KY) | Saint Xavier (IL) | Northwestern (IA) | Missouri Valley | Shorter (GA) | Baker (KS) | 12. |
| 13. | Virginia-Wise | Northwestern (IA) | Bethel (KS) | (T) Bethel (KS) | Virginia-Wise | Montana State-Northern | Black Hills State (SD) | Saint Xavier (IL) | Langston (OK) | Lambuth (TN) | Malone (OH) | Baker (KS) | Dickinson State (SD) | 13. |
| 14. | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | Virginia-Wise | Northwestern (IA) | (T) Northwestern (IA) | Montana State-Northern | Black Hills State (SD) | Cumberlands (KY) | Union (KY) | Bethel (KS) | Missouri Valley | Ottawa (KS) | Dickinson State (SD) | St. Ambrose (IA) | 14. |
| 15. | Northwestern (IA) | Northwestern Oklahoma State | Montana State-Northern | Jamestown (ND) | Black Hills State (SD) | Ohio Dominican | St. Ambrose (IA) | Bethel (KS) | Northwestern Oklahoma State | Baker (KS) | Union (KY) | St. Ambrose (IA) | Lambuth (TN) | 15. |
| 16. | Cumberlands (KY) | Georgetown (KY) | Jamestown (ND) | Union (KY) | St. Ambrose (IA) | Cumberlands (KY) | Saint Xavier (IL) | Langston (OK) | Malone (OH) | Virginia-Wise | Baker (KS) | (T) Lambuth (TN) | Ohio Dominican | 16. |
| 17. | Northwestern Oklahoma State | Bethel (KS) | Georgetown (KY) | Montana State-Northern | Cumberlands (KY) | St. Ambrose (IA) | Union (KY) | Black Hills State (SD) | Lambuth (TN) | Ottawa (KS) | Dickinson State (SD) | (T) Ohio Dominican | Missouri Valley | 17. |
| 18. | Bethel (KS) | Black Hills State (SD) | (T) Black Hills State (SD) | Georgetown (KY) | St. Francis (IL) | Bethel (KS) | Bethel (KS) | Malone (OH) | Jamestown (ND) | Union (KY) | Saint Xavier (IL) | Missouri Valley | Northwestern (IA) | 18. |
| 19. | Black Hills State (SD) | (T) Jamestown (ND) | (T) Union (KY) | Black Hills State (SD) | Midland Lutheran (NB) | Saint Xavier (IL) | Langston (OK) | Montana State-Northern | Ottawa (KS) | Saint Xavier (IL) | Shorter (GA) | Northwestern (IA) | Virginia-Wise | 19. |
| 20. | Azusa Pacific (CA) | (T) Minot State (ND) | Valley City State (ND) | Cumberlands (KY) | Bethel (KS) | Shorter (GA) | St. Francis (IL) | Jamestown (ND) | Dickinson State (SD) | Dickinson State (SD) | St. Ambrose (IA) | Ottawa (KS) | Ottawa (KS) | 20. |
| 21. | Montana Tech | Montana Tech | Cumberlands (KY) | St. Francis (IL) | Saint Xavier (IL) | Langston (OK) | Jamestown (ND) | Lambuth (TN) | Union (KY) | Shorter (GA) | Northwestern (IA) | Virginia-Wise | Montana State-Northern | 21. |
| 22. | Sterling (KS) | Cumberlands (KY) | St. Francis (IL) | Midland Lutheran (NB) | Langston (OK) | St. Francis (IL) | Malone (OH) | Ottawa (KS) | Shorter (GA) | St. Ambrose (IA) | Virginia-Wise | Malone (OH) | Saint Xavier (IL) | 22. |
| 23. | Georgetown (KY) | Azusa Pacific (CA) | Southern Nazarene (OK) | Langston (OK) | Shorter (GA) | Jamestown (ND) | Ohio Dominican | St. Ambrose (IA) | St. Ambrose (IA) | Bethel (KS) | Ohio Dominican | Montana State-Northern | Dakota Wesleyan (SD) | 23. |
| 24. | Malone (OH) | Malone (OH) | Bethel (TN) | Valley City State (ND) | Jamestown (ND) | (T) Midland Lutheran (NB) | Ottawa (KS) | Ohio Dominican | Baker (KS) | Ohio Dominican | Montana State-Northern | Saint Xavier (IL) | Malone (OH) | 24. |
| 25. | Nebraska Wesleyan | McKendree (IL) | Midland Lutheran (NB) | Saint Xavier (IL) | Sterling (KS) | (T) Malone (OH) | Lambuth (TN) | Shorter (GA) | Ohio Dominican | Minot State (ND) | Dakota Wesleyan (SD) | Dakota Wesleyan (SD) | Jamestown (ND) | 25. |
| | Week 0-Spring Apr 21 | Week 0-Preseason Aug 11 | Week Poll 1 Sep 15 | Week Poll 2 Sep 22 | Week Poll 3 Sep 29 | Week Poll 4 Oct 06 | Week Poll 5 Oct 13 | Week Poll 6 Oct 20 | Week Poll 7 Oct 27 | Week Poll 8 Nov 03 | Week Poll 9 Nov 10 | Week Final Nov 16 | Week Postseason Jan 12 | |
| | | Dropped: Nebraska WesleyanSterling (KS) | Dropped: Azusa Pacific (CA)Malone (OH)McKendree (IL)Minot State (ND)Montana TechSaint Xavier (IL) | Dropped: Bethel (TN)Southern Nazarene (OK) | Dropped: Georgetown (KY)Valley City State (ND) | Dropped: Sterling (KS) | Dropped: Midland Lutheran (NB)Shorter (GA) | Dropped: St. Francis (IL) | Dropped: Black Hills State (SD)Montana State-Northern | Dropped: Jamestown (ND) | Dropped: Bethel (KS)Minot State (ND) | None | Dropped: Northwestern Oklahoma State | |

## 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 2008 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 |
| Carroll (MT) | 53 (5) |
| Sioux Falls (SD) | 30 (2) |
| Georgetown (KY) | 23 (2) |
| Northwestern Oklahoma State | 12 (1) |
| Azusa Pacific (CA) | 3 |
| Saint Francis (IN) | 3 |