# 2011 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 2011 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 2011 NAIA Football National Championship.

## Poll release dates

The poll release dates were:
* April 18, 2011 (Spring)
* August 8, 2011 (Preseason)
* September 12, 2011
* September 19, 2011
* September 26, 2011
* October 3, 2011
* October 10, 2011
* October 17, 2011
* October 24, 2011
* October 31, 2011
* November 7, 2011
* November 13, 2011 (Final)
* December 19, 2011 (Postseason)

## Week by week poll

| | Week 0-Spring Apr 18 | Week 0-Preseason Aug 08 | Week Poll 1 Sep 12 | Week Poll 2 Sep 19 | Week Poll 3 Sep 26 | Week Poll 4 Oct 03 | Week Poll 5 Oct 10 | Week Poll 6 Oct 17 | Week Poll 7 Oct 24 | Week Poll 8 Oct 31 | Week Poll 9 Nov 07 | Week Final Nov 13 | Week Postseason Dec 19 | |
| 1. | Carroll (MT) (15) | Carroll (MT) (14) | Saint Xavier (IL) (15) | Saint Xavier (IL) (15) | Saint Xavier (IL) (15) | Saint Xavier (IL) (15) | Saint Xavier (IL) (15) | Saint Xavier (IL) (14) | Saint Xavier (IL) (14) | Saint Xavier (IL) (14) | Marian (IN) (14) | Marian (IN) (13) | *Saint Xavier (IL) (15) | 1. |
| 2. | Saint Xavier (IL) | Saint Xavier (IL) | Saint Francis (IN) | Saint Francis (IN) | Saint Francis (IN) | Marian (IN) | Marian (IN) | Marian (IN) (1) | Marian (IN) (1) | Marian (IN) (1) | Carroll (MT) (1) | Carroll (MT) (2) | Carroll (MT) | 2. |
| 3. | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | Morningside (IA) | Marian (IN) | Marian (IN) | Carroll (MT) | Carroll (MT) | Carroll (MT) | Carroll (MT) | Carroll (MT) | Georgetown (KY) | Georgetown (KY) | Marian (IN) | 3. |
| 4. | Saint Francis (IN) | Saint Francis (IN) | Marian (IN) | Carroll (MT) | Carroll (MT) | William Penn (IA) | Missouri Valley | Georgetown (KY) | Georgetown (KY) | Georgetown (KY) | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | Georgetown (KY) | 4. |
| 5. | Morningside (IA) | Morningside (IA) | Carroll (MT) | William Penn (IA) | William Penn (IA) | Missouri Valley | Georgetown (KY) | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | Saint Xavier (IL) | Saint Xavier (IL) | Azusa Pacific (CA) | 5. |
| 6. | Marian (IN) | Marian (IN) | William Penn (IA) | Missouri Valley | Missouri Valley | Georgetown (KY) | Saint Francis (IN) | Morningside (IA) | Morningside (IA) | Morningside (IA) | Morningside (IA) | Morningside (IA) | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | 6. |
| 7. | Dickinson State (ND) | Dickinson State (ND) | Missouri Valley | Georgetown (KY) | Georgetown (KY) | Saint Francis (IN) | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | Benedictine (KS) | Missouri Valley | Missouri Valley | Missouri Valley | Missouri Valley | Saint Francis (IN) | 7. |
| 8. | William Penn (IA) | William Penn (IA) | Georgetown (KY) | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | Morningside (IA) | Azusa Pacific (CA) | William Penn (IA) | William Penn (IA) | William Penn (IA) | Azusa Pacific (CA) | St. Francis (IL) | 8. |
| 9. | McPherson (KS) | Georgetown (KY) | MidAmerica Nazarene (KS) | (T) Midland (NE) | Eastern Oregon | Morningside (IA) | Benedictine (KS) | (T) Missouri Valley | St. Francis (IL) | Benedictine (KS) | Azusa Pacific (CA) | Saint Francis (IN) | Morningside (IA) | 9. |
| 10. | Ottawa (KS) | Ottawa (KS) | Cumberlands (KY) | (T) Eastern Oregon | Morningside (IA) | Southern Nazarene (OK) | Azusa Pacific (CA) | (T) William Penn (IA) | Benedictine (KS) | Azusa Pacific (CA) | Saint Francis (IN) | Ottawa (KS) | Missouri Valley | 10. |
| 11. | Missouri Valley | Missouri Valley | Midland (NE) | Morningside (IA) | Southern Nazarene (OK) | Benedictine (KS) | William Penn (IA) | St. Francis (IL) | Azusa Pacific (CA) | Saint Francis (IN) | Ottawa (KS) | St. Francis (IL) | Ottawa (KS) | 11. |
| 12. | Georgetown (KY) | McPherson (KS) | Eastern Oregon | Southern Nazarene (OK) | Benedictine (KS) | Azusa Pacific (CA) | St. Francis (IL) | Saint Francis (IN) | Saint Francis (IN) | St. Ambrose (IA) | Valley City State (ND) | Valley City State (ND) | Southern Nazarene (OK) | 12. |
| 13. | Northwestern Oklahoma State | Northwestern Oklahoma State | Southern Nazarene (OK) | Benedictine (KS) | Azusa Pacific (CA) | Doane (NE) | Dakota Wesleyan (SD) | St. Ambrose (IA) | St. Ambrose (IA) | Ottawa (KS) | St. Francis (IL) | Bethel (TN) | Benedictine (KS) | 13. |
| 14. | Northwestern (IA) | Northwestern (IA) | Benedictine (KS) | Azusa Pacific (CA) | Midland (NE) | Bethany (KS) | St. Ambrose (IA) | Bethel (TN) | Ottawa (KS) | Cumberland (TN) | Bethel (TN) | Southern Nazarene (OK) | Bethel (TN) | 14. |
| 15. | Azusa Pacific (CA) | Azusa Pacific (CA) | Azusa Pacific (CA) | Cumberlands (KY) | Bethany (KS) | St. Francis (IL) | Southern Nazarene (OK) | Ottawa (KS) | Cumberland (TN) | Valley City State (ND) | Southern Nazarene (OK) | Benedictine (KS) | William Penn (IA) | 15. |
| 16. | Cumberlands (KY) | Cumberlands (KY) | Northwestern (IA) | Bethany (KS) | St. Francis (IL) | Dakota Wesleyan (SD) | Ottawa (KS) | Valley City State (ND) | Valley City State (ND) | St. Francis (IL) | Benedictine (KS) | William Penn (IA) | Valley City State (ND) | 16. |
| 17. | Midland (NE) | Midland (NE) | Campbellsville (KY) | Rocky Mountain (MT) | Doane (NE) | Eastern Oregon | Bethel (TN) | Cumberland (TN) | Doane (NE) | Bethel (TN) | St. Ambrose (IA) | Northwestern (IA) | Northwestern (IA) | 17. |
| 18. | Southern Nazarene (OK) | Cumberland (TN) | Langston (OK) | Shorter (GA) | Dakota Wesleyan (SD) | St. Ambrose (IA) | Valley City State (ND) | Doane (NE) | Bethany (KS) | Southern Nazarene (OK) | Northwestern (IA) | Grand View (IA) | Grand View (IA) | 18. |
| 19. | Cumberland (TN) | Southern Nazarene (OK) | Bethany (KS) | St. Francis (IL) | Campbellsville (KY) | Ottawa (KS) | Doane (NE) | Dakota Wesleyan (SD) | Bethel (TN) | Langston (OK) | Langston (OK) | Eastern Oregon | Doane (NE) | 19. |
| 20. | Kansas Wesleyan | Webber International (FL) | Rocky Mountain (MT) | Dakota Wesleyan (SD) | St. Ambrose (IA) | Valley City State (ND) | Cumberland (TN) | Bethany (KS) | Southern Nazarene (OK) | Northwestern (IA) | Cumberland (TN) | Doane (NE) | Eastern Oregon | 20. |
| 21. | South Dakota Mines & Technology | Kansas Wesleyan | (T) Shorter (GA) | Doane (NE) | Ottawa (KS) | Bethel (TN) | Rocky Mountain (MT) | Southern Nazarene (OK) | Langston (OK) | Eastern Oregon | Eastern Oregon | Baker (KS) | Baker (KS) | 21. |
| 22. | Webber International (FL) | Benedictine (KS) | (T) Dakota Wesleyan (SD) | Baker (KS) | Montana State-Northern | Shorter (GA) | Bethany (KS) | Eastern Oregon | Northwestern (IA) | Doane (NE) | Doane (NE) | St. Ambrose (IA) | St. Ambrose (IA) | 22. |
| 23. | (T) Baker (KS) | Baker (KS) | Montana State-Northern | Ottawa (KS) | Valley City State (ND) | Rocky Mountain (MT) | (T) Eastern Oregon | Northwestern (IA) | Dakota Wesleyan (SD) | Grand View (IA) | Grand View (IA) | Langston (OK) | Langston (OK) | 23. |
| 24. | (T) Benedictine (KS) | St. Francis (IL) | (T) Ottawa (KS) | Campbellsville (KY) | Menlo (CA) | Midland (NE) | (T) Northwestern Oklahoma State | Langston (OK) | Rocky Mountain (MT) | Bethany (KS) | Baker (KS) | Cumberlands (KY) | Cumberlands (KY) | 24. |
| 25. | St. Francis (IL) | Grand View (IA) | (T) St. Francis (IL) | St. Ambrose (IA) | Evangel (MO) | Cumberland (TN) | Menlo (CA) | Shorter (GA) | Eastern Oregon | Baker (KS) | Bethany (KS) | Cumberland (TN) | Cumberland (TN) | 25. |
| | Week 0-Spring Apr 18 | Week 0-Preseason Aug 08 | Week Poll 1 Sep 12 | Week Poll 2 Sep 19 | Week Poll 3 Sep 26 | Week Poll 4 Oct 03 | Week Poll 5 Oct 10 | Week Poll 6 Oct 17 | Week Poll 7 Oct 24 | Week Poll 8 Oct 31 | Week Poll 9 Nov 07 | Week Final Nov 13 | Week Postseason Dec 19 | |
| | | Dropped: South Dakota Mines & Technology | Dropped: Dickinson State (ND)McPherson (KS)Northwestern Oklahoma StateCumberland (TN)Kansas WesleyanBenedictine (KS)Baker (KS)Grand View (IA) | Dropped: Northwestern (IA)Langston (OK)Montana State-NorthernSt. Francis (IL) | Dropped: Cumberlands (KY)Rocky Mountain (MT)Shorter (GA)Baker (KS) | Dropped: Campbellsville (KY)Montana State-NorthernMenlo (CA)Evangel (MO) | Dropped: Shorter (GA)Midland (NE) | Dropped: Rocky Mountain (MT)Eastern OregonNorthwestern Oklahoma StateMenlo (CA) | Dropped: Shorter (GA) | Dropped: Dakota Wesleyan (SD)Rocky Mountain (MT) | None | Dropped: Bethany (KS) | 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 end of 2011, 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) | 23 (2) |
| Northwestern Oklahoma State | 12 (1) |
| Saint Xavier (IL) | 9 (1) |
| Azusa Pacific (CA) | 3 |
| Saint Francis (IN) | 3 |
| Marian (IN) | 2 |