# 2023 NCAA Division III football rankings

Two human polls and a committee's selections comprise the 2023 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III football rankings. Unlike in Division I's Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), the NCAA, Division III's college football's governing body, bestows a national championship on the winner of the Stagg Bowl – the championship round of a 32-team postseason tournament. The main weekly poll that begins in the preseason is the D3Football.com Poll which ranks the top 25 colleges in Division III football. One additional poll is released midway through the season, the AFCA Division III Coaches' Poll.

## Legend

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

## D3Football.com poll

| | Preseason Jul 31 | Week 1 Sep 2 | Week 2 Sep 9 | Week 3 Sep 16 | Week 4 Sep 24 | Week 5 October 1 | Week 6 October 8 | Week 7 October 15 | Week 8 October 22 | Week 9 October 29 | Week 10 November 5 | Week 11 November 12 | Week 12 (Final) December 16 | |
| 1. | North Central (IL) (22) | North Central (IL) (1–0) (23) | North Central (IL) (1–0) (23) | North Central (IL) (2–0) (24) | North Central (IL) (3–0) (24) | North Central (IL) (4–0) (24) | North Central (IL) (5–0) (25) | North Central (IL) (6–0) (25) | North Central (IL) (7–0) (25) | North Central (IL) (8–0) (25) | North Central (IL) (9–0) (25) | North Central (IL) (10–0) (25) | Cortland (14–1) (25) | 1. |
| 2. | Mount Union (3) | Mount Union (1–0) (2) | Mount Union (1–0) (1) | Mount Union (2–0) | Mount Union (3–0) | Mount Union (4–0) | Mount Union (5–0) | Mount Union (6–0) | Mount Union (7–0) | Mount Union (8–0) | Mount Union (9–0) | Mount Union (10–0) | North Central (IL) (14–1) | 2. |
| 3. | Mary Hardin–Baylor | Wartburg (1–0) | Wartburg (2–0) | Wartburg (3–0) | Wartburg (4–0) | Wisconsin–Whitewater (4–0) (1) | Wartburg (6–0) | Wartburg (7–0) | Wartburg (8–0) | Wartburg (9–0) | Wartburg (10–0) | Wartburg (10–0) | Wartburg (13–1) | 3. |
| 4. | Trinity (TX) | Saint John's (MN) (1–0) | Wisconsin–Whitewater (2–0) (1) | Wisconsin–Whitewater (3–0) (1) | Wisconsin–Whitewater (3–0) (1) | Wartburg (5–0) | Wisconsin–River Falls (5–0) | Wisconsin–La Crosse (5–1) | Wisconsin–La Crosse (6–1) | Wisconsin–La Crosse (7–1) | Wisconsin–La Crosse (8–1) | Wisconsin–La Crosse (9–1) | Wisconsin–La Crosse (11–2) | 4. |
| 5. | Wartburg | Trinity (TX) (0–1) | Hardin–Simmons (2–0) | Hardin–Simmons (2–0) | Trinity (TX) (3–1) | Wisconsin–River Falls (4–0) | Trinity (TX) (5–1) | Wisconsin–Whitewater (5–1) | Wisconsin–Whitewater (6–1) | Wisconsin–Whitewater (7–1) | Wisconsin–Whitewater (8–1) | Wisconsin–Whitewater (9–1) | Wisconsin–Whitewater (11–2) | 5. |
| 6. | Saint John's (MN) | Hardin–Simmons (1–0) | Trinity (TX) (1–1) | Trinity (TX) (2–1) | Wisconsin–River Falls (3–0) | Trinity (TX) (4–1) | Wisconsin–La Crosse (4–1) | Trinity (TX) (5–1) | Trinity (TX) (6–1) | Trinity (TX) (7–1) | Trinity (TX) (8–1) | Trinity (TX) (9–1) | Alma (12–1) | 6. |
| 7. | Linfield | Linfield (0–0) | Wisconsin–River Falls (2–0) | Wisconsin–River Falls (3–0) | Saint John's (MN) (2–1) | Saint John's (MN) (3–1) | Wisconsin–Whitewater (4–1) | Saint John's (MN) (5–1) | Wisconsin–River Falls (6–1) | Wisconsin–River Falls (7–1) | Johns Hopkins (9–0) | Johns Hopkins (10–0) | Randolph–Macon (13–1) | 7. |
| 8. | Hardin–Simmons | Wisconsin–Whitewater (1–0) | Linfield (1–0) | Saint John's (MN) (1–1) | Linfield (2–0) | Linfield (3–0) | Saint John's (MN) (4–1) | Wisconsin–River Falls (5–1) | Johns Hopkins (7–0) | Johns Hopkins (8–0) | Linfield (8–0) | Randolph–Macon (10–0) | Johns Hopkins (12–1) | 8. |
| 9. | Ithaca | Wisconsin–River Falls (1–0) | Saint John's (MN) (1–1) | Linfield (2–0) | Johns Hopkins (3–0) | Johns Hopkins (4–0) | Linfield (4–0) | Linfield (5–0) | Linfield (6–0) | Linfield (7–0) | Randolph–Macon (9–0) | Susquehanna (10–0) | Mount Union (11–1) | 9. |
| 10. | Delaware Valley | Cortland (1–0) | Cortland (2–0) | Wheaton (IL) (2–0) | Wheaton (IL) (3–0) | Randolph–Macon (4–0) | Johns Hopkins (5–0) | Johns Hopkins (6–0) | Randolph–Macon (7–0) | Randolph–Macon (8–0) | Susquehanna (9–0) | Wheaton (IL) (9–1) | Grove City (11–1) | 10. |
| 11. | Wisconsin–Whitewater | Wisconsin–La Crosse (1–0) | Wheaton (IL) (1–0) | Randolph–Macon (3–0) | Randolph–Macon (3–0) | Susquehanna (5–0) | Randolph–Macon (5–0) | Randolph–Macon (6–0) | Susquehanna (8–0) | Susquehanna (9–0) | Wisconsin–River Falls (7–2) | Cortland (8–1) | Trinity (TX) (10–2) | 11. |
| 12. | Wisconsin–La Crosse | Mary Hardin–Baylor (0–1) | Randolph–Macon (2–0) | Johns Hopkins (3–0) | Susquehanna (4–0) | John Carroll (3–1) | Susquehanna (6–0) | Susquehanna (7–0) | Wheaton (IL) (6–1) | Wheaton (IL) (7–1) | Wheaton (IL) (8–1) | Aurora (10–0) | Wheaton (IL) (10–2) | 12. |
| 13. | Wheaton (IL) | Wheaton (IL) (0–0) | Johns Hopkins (2–0) | Wisconsin–La Crosse (2–1) | Wisconsin–La Crosse (2–1) | Wheaton (IL) (3–1) | Wheaton (IL) (4–1) | Wheaton (IL) (5–1) | John Carroll (6–1) | John Carroll (7–1) | Aurora (9–0) | Alma (10–0) | Aurora (11–1) | 13. |
| 14. | Bethel (MN) | Johns Hopkins (1–0) | Wisconsin–La Crosse (1–1) | Carnegie Mellon (3–0) | John Carroll (2–1) | Wisconsin–La Crosse (3–1) | John Carroll (4–1) | John Carroll (5–1) | Aurora (7–0) | Aurora (8–0) | Ithaca (8–1) | Endicott (9–1) | Susquehanna (10–1) | 14. |
| 15. | Randolph–Macon | Randolph–Macon (1–0) | Carnegie Mellon (2–0) | Susquehanna (3–0) | Aurora (3–0) | Aurora (4–0) | Ithaca (4–1) | Aurora (6–0) | Ithaca (6–1) | Ithaca (7–1) | Cortland (8–1) | Hardin–Simmons (9–1) | Endicott (9–2) | 15. |
| 16. | Carnegie Mellon | Bethel (MN) (0–0) | Aurora (2–0) | Aurora (3–0) | Cortland (2–1) | Ithaca (3–1) | Aurora (5–0) | Ithaca (5–1) | Cortland (6–1) | Cortland (7–1) | Alma (9–0) | Saint John's (MN) (8–2) | Hardin–Simmons (9–2) | 16. |
| 17. | Cortland | Carnegie Mellon (1–0) | John Carroll (0–1) | John Carroll (1–1) | Ithaca (2–1) | Cortland (3–1) | Cortland (4–1) | Cortland (5–1) | Alma (7–0) | Alma (8–0) | Endicott (8–1) | John Carroll (8–2) | Whitworth (10–1) | 17. |
| 18. | Johns Hopkins | Ithaca (0–1) | Bethel (MN) (0–1) | Cortland (2–1) | Hardin–Simmons (2–1) | Hardin–Simmons (3–1) | Endicott (4–1) | Alma (6–0) | Saint John's (MN) (5–2) | Endicott (7–1) | John Carroll (7–2) | Grove City (10–0) | Ithaca (9–3) | 18. |
| 19. | John Carroll | Wisconsin–Oshkosh (1–0) | Mary Hardin–Baylor (0–2) | Bethel (MN) (1–1) | Alma (4–0) | Alma (5–0) | Alma (5–0) | Endicott (5–1) | Endicott (6–1) | Saint John's (MN) (6–2) | Hardin–Simmons (8–1) | Ithaca (8–2) | Saint John's (MN) (8–2) | 19. |
| 20. | Aurora | Aurora (1–0) | Ithaca (1–1) | Alma (3–0) | Wisconsin–Oshkosh (2–1) | Endicott (4–1) | Hardin–Simmons (4–1) | Hardin–Simmons (5–1) | Hardin–Simmons (6–1) | Hardin–Simmons (7–1) | Saint John's (MN) (7–2) | Whitworth (9–0) | John Carroll (8–2) | 20. |
| 21. | Wisconsin–Oshkosh | John Carroll (0–1) | Alma (2–0) | Ithaca (2–1) | Endicott (3–1) | Muhlenberg (4–0) | Muhlenberg (5–0) | Muhlenberg (6–0) | Muhlenberg (7–0) | Grove City (9–0) | Grove City (9–0) | Linfield (8–1) | Union (NY) (10-2) | 21. |
| 22. | Susquehanna | Susquehanna (1–0 | Susquehanna (1–0) | Wisconsin–Oshkosh (2–1) | Mary Hardin–Baylor (1–3) | Mary Hardin–Baylor (1–3) | Mary Hardin–Baylor (2–3) | Grove City (7–0) | Grove City (8–0) | Muhlenberg (7–1) | Muhlenberg (8–1) | Muhlenberg (9–1) | Muhlenberg (10–1) | 22. |
| 23. | Wisconsin–River Falls | Alma (1–0) | Wisconsin–Oshkosh (1–1) | Mary Hardin–Baylor (0–3) | Muhlenberg (3–0) | Grove City (5–0) | Grove City (6–0) | Mary Hardin–Baylor (3–3) | Mary Hardin–Baylor (4–3) | Berry (7–1) | Berry (8–1) | Berry (9–1) | Berry (9–1) | 23. |
| 24. | Alma | Delaware Valley (0–1) | Delaware Valley (0–1) | Muhlenberg (3–0) | Carnegie Mellon (3–1) | Delaware Valley (3–1) | Berry (4–1) | Berry (5–1) | Berry (6–1) | Coe (7-1) | Delaware Valley (8–1) | Wisconsin–River Falls (7–3) | Wisconsin–River Falls (7–3) | 24. |
| 25. | Salisbury | Salisbury (1–0) | Muhlenberg (2–0) | Delaware Valley (2–1) | Delaware Valley (3–1) | Berry (3–1) | Delaware Valley (4–1) | Delaware Valley (5–1) | Delaware Valley (6–1) | Delaware Valley (7–1) | Coe (8-1) | Delaware Valley (9–1) | Carnegie Mellon (10–1) | 25. |
| | Preseason Jul 31 | Week 1 Sep 2 | Week 2 Sep 9 | Week 3 Sep 16 | Week 4 Sep 24 | Week 5 October 1 | Week 6 October 8 | Week 7 October 15 | Week 8 October 22 | Week 9 October 29 | Week 10 November 5 | Week 11 November 12 | Week 12 (Final) December 16 | |
| | | None | Dropped: Salisbury (1–1) | None | Dropped: Bethel (MN) (1–2) | Dropped: Wisconsin–Oshkosh (2–2) Carnegie Mellon (4–1) | None | None | None | Dropped: Mary Hardin–Baylor (4–4) | None | Dropped: Coe (9-1) | Dropped: Linfield (8–1) Delaware Valley (9–2) | |

## AFCA Coaches' poll

| | Week 3 September 18 | Week 4 September 25 | Week 5 October 2 | Week 6 October 9 | Week 7 October 16 | Week 8 October 23 | Week 9 October 30 | Week 10 November 6 | Week 11 November 13 | Week 12 (Final) December 18 | |
| 1. | North Central (IL) (2–0) (49) | North Central (IL) (3–0) (48) | North Central (IL) (4–0) (48) | North Central (IL) (5–0) (48) | North Central (IL) (6–0) (48) | North Central (IL) (7–0) (48) | North Central (IL) (8–0) (48) | North Central (IL) (9–0) (48) | North Central (IL) (10–0) (48) | Cortland (14–1) (49) | 1. |
| 2. | Mount Union (2–0) | Mount Union (3–0) (1) | Mount Union (4–0) (1) | Mount Union (5–0) (1) | Mount Union (6–0) (1) | Mount Union (7–0) (1) | Mount Union (8–0) (1) | Mount Union (9–0) (1) | Mount Union (10–0) (1) | North Central (IL) (14–1) | 2. |
| 3. | Wisconsin–Whitewater (3–0) | Wisconsin–Whitewater (3–0) | Wisconsin–Whitewater (4–0) | Wartburg (6–0) | Wartburg (7–0) | Wartburg (8–0) | Wartburg (9–0) | Wartburg (10–0) | Wartburg (10–0) | Wartburg (13–1) | 3. |
| 4. | Wartburg (3–0) | Wartburg (4–0) | Wartburg (5–0) | Wisconsin–River Falls (5–0) | Linfield (5–0) | Linfield (6–0) | Linfield (7–0) | Linfield (8–0) | Trinity (TX) (9–1) | Wisconsin–La Crosse (11–2) | 4. |
| 5. | Hardin–Simmons (2–0) | Wisconsin–River Falls (3–0) | Wisconsin–River Falls (4–0) | Linfield (4–0) | Trinity (TX) (5–1) | Trinity (TX) (6–1) | Trinity (TX) (7–1) | Trinity (TX) (8–1) | Wisconsin–Whitewater (9–1) | Wisconsin–Whitewater (11–2) | 5. |
| 6. | Wisconsin–River Falls (3–0) | Linfield (2–0) | Linfield (3–0) | Trinity (TX) (5–1) | Wisconsin–Whitewater (5–1) | Wisconsin–Whitewater (6–1) | Wisconsin–Whitewater (7–1) | Wisconsin–Whitewater (8–1) | Wisconsin–La Crosse (9–1) | Randolph–Macon (13–1) | 6. |
| 7. | Linfield (2–0) | Trinity (TX) (3–1) | Trinity (TX) (4–1) | Johns Hopkins (5–0) | Johns Hopkins (6–0) | Johns Hopkins (7–0) | Wisconsin–La Crosse (7–1) | Wisconsin–La Crosse (8–1) | Johns Hopkins (10–0) | Alma (12–1) | 7. |
| 8. | Wheaton (IL) (2–0) | Wheaton (IL) (3–0) | Johns Hopkins (4–0) | Saint John's (MN) (4–1) | Wisconsin–La Crosse (5–1) | Wisconsin–La Crosse (6–1) | Johns Hopkins (8–0) | Johns Hopkins (9–0) | Randolph–Macon (10–0) | Johns Hopkins (12–1) | 8. |
| 9. | Trinity (TX) (2–1) | Saint John's (MN) (2–1) | Saint John's (MN) (3–1) | Wisconsin–La Crosse (4–1) | Saint John's (MN) (5–1) | Randolph–Macon (7–0) | Randolph–Macon (8–0) | Randolph–Macon (9–0) | Aurora (10–0) | Mount Union (11–1) | 9. |
| 10. | Johns Hopkins (3–0) | Johns Hopkins (3–0) | Randolph–Macon (4–0) | Randolph–Macon (5–0) | Randolph–Macon (6–0) | Wisconsin–River Falls (6–1) | Wisconsin–River Falls (7–1) | Aurora (9–0) | Susquehanna (10–0) | Grove City (11–1) | 10. |
| 11. | Saint John's (MN) (1–1) | Randolph–Macon (3–0) | Aurora (4–0) | Wisconsin–Whitewater (4–1) | Wisconsin–River Falls (5–1) | Aurora (7–0) | Aurora (8–0) | Susquehanna (9–0) | Alma (10–0) | Trinity (TX) (10–2) | 11. |
| 12. | Randolph–Macon (3–0) | Aurora (3–0) | Susquehanna (5–0) | Aurora (5–0) | Aurora (6–0) | Susquehanna (8–0) | Susquehanna (9–0) | Wheaton (IL) (8–1) | Wheaton (IL) (9–1) | Aurora (11–1) | 12. |
| 13. | Carnegie Mellon (3–0) | Susquehanna (4–0) | Wheaton (IL) (3–1) | Susquehanna (6–0) | Susquehanna (7–0) | Wheaton (IL) (6–1) | Wheaton (IL) (7–1) | Alma (9–0) | Cortland (9–1) | Wheaton (IL) (10–2) | 13. |
| 14. | Aurora (3–0) | Wisconsin–La Crosse (2–1) | Wisconsin–La Crosse (3–1) | Wheaton (IL) (4–1) | Wheaton (IL) (5–1) | Alma (7–0) | Alma (8–0) | Ithaca (8–1) | Endicott (9–1) | Susquehanna (10–1) | 14. |
| 15. | Wisconsin–La Crosse (2–1) | Alma (4–0) | Alma (5–0) | Alma (5–0) | Alma (6–0) | John Carroll (6–1) | John Carroll (7–1) | Wisconsin–River Falls (7-2) | Hardin–Simmons (9–1) | Endicott (9–2) | 15. |
| 16. | Susquehanna (3–0) | John Carroll (2–1) | John Carroll (3–1) | John Carroll (4–1) | John Carroll (5–1) | Muhlenberg (7–0) | Ithaca (7–1) | Cortland (8–1) | Grove City (10–0) | Whitworth (10-1) | 16. |
| 17. | Alma (3–0) | Muhlenberg (3–0) | Muhlenberg (4–0) | Muhlenberg (5–0) | Muhlenberg (6–0) | Ithaca (6–1) | Cortland (7–1) | Endicott (8–1) | Muhlenberg (9–1) | Hardin–Simmons (9–2) | 17. |
| 18. | Bethel (MN) (1–1) | Ithaca (2–1) | Ithaca (3–1) | Ithaca (4–1) | Ithaca (5–1) | Cortland (6–1) | Endicott (7–1) | Hardin–Simmons (8–1) | Linfield (8–1) т | Ithaca (9–3) | 18. |
| 19. | John Carroll (1–1) | Hardin–Simmons (2–1) | Cortland (3–1) | Cortland (4–1) | Cortland (5–1) | Endicott (6–1) | Hardin–Simmons (7–1) | Grove City (9–0) | Whitworth (9-0) т | Muhlenberg (10–1) | 19. |
| 20. | Muhlenberg (3–0) | Cortland (2–1) | Hardin–Simmons (3–1) | Endicott (4–1) | Endicott (5–1) | Saint John's (MN) (5–2) | Grove City (9–0) | Saint John's (MN) (7–2) | Saint John's (MN) (8–2) | Union (NY) (10-2) | 20. |
| 21. | Cortland (2–1) | Wisconsin–Oshkosh (2–1) | Endicott (4–1) | Hardin–Simmons (4–1) | Hardin–Simmons (5–1) | Grove City (8–0) | Saint John's (MN) (6–2) | Muhlenberg (8–1) | DePauw (10–0) | DePauw (10–1) | 21. |
| 22. | Ithaca (2–1) | Endicott (3–1) | Utica (5–0) | DePauw (6–0) | Grove City (7–0) | Hardin–Simmons (6–1) | Muhlenberg (7–1) | DePauw (9–0) | Berry (GA) (9-1) | Saint John's (MN) (8–2) | 22. |
| 23. | Wisconsin–Oshkosh (2–1) | Utica (4–0) | DePauw (5–0) | Grove City (6–0) | DePauw (7–0) | DePauw (8–0) | DePauw (9–0) | John Carroll (7–2) | Ithaca (8–2) | Berry (GA) (9-1) | 23. |
| 24. | Utica (3–0) | Delaware Valley (3–0) | Delaware Valley (3–1) | Delaware Valley (4–1) | Delaware Valley (5–1) | Delaware Valley (6–1) | Delaware Valley (7–1) | Berry (GA) (8-1) | John Carroll (8–2) | Linfield (8–1) | 24. |
| 25. | Delaware Valley (2–1) т DePauw (3–0) | DePauw (4–0) | Grove City (5-0) | Washington University (5–0) | Mary Hardin–Baylor (3-3) | Mary Hardin–Baylor (4-3) | Berry (GA) (7-1) | Delaware Valley (8–1) | Delaware Valley (9–1) | John Carroll (8–2) | 25. |
| | Week 3 September 18 | Week 4 September 25 | Week 5 October 2 | Week 6 October 9 | Week 7 October 16 | Week 8 October 23 | Week 9 October 30 | Week 10 November 6 | Week 11 November 13 | Week 12 (Final) December 18 | |
| | | Dropped: Carnegie Mellon (3–1) Bethel (MN) (1–2) | Dropped: Wisconsin–Oshkosh (2–2) | Dropped: Utica (5–1) | Dropped: Washington University (5–1) | None | Dropped: Mary Hardin-Baylor (4-4) | None | Dropped: Wisconsin-River Falls (7-3) | Dropped: Delaware Valley (9–2) | |