Waco, Texas (NSUWolves.com) – In the first regular season poll of the 2026 season released by the American Football Coaches Association, the Northern State Wolves are receiving votes. Northern last received votes in the week 8 and week 9 polls of the 2025 season. The Wolves are joined by NSIC counterparts No. 4 Minnesota State, No. 15 Minnesota Duluth, No. 22 Augustana, and (RV) MSU Moorhead + (RV) Wayne State.
WEEK 1 – AFCA TOP-25 POLL
|
Rank
|
School (1st votes)
|
Rec.
|
Pts.
|
Prev.
|
|
1
|
Ferris St. (31)
|
2-0
|
775
|
1
|
|
2
|
Harding
|
1-0
|
744
|
2
|
|
3
|
Kutztown
|
1-0
|
707
|
3
|
|
4
|
Minnesota St.
|
2-0
|
666
|
4
|
|
5
|
CSU Pueblo
|
2-0
|
647
|
5
|
|
6
|
Grand Valley St.
|
2-0
|
626
|
7
|
|
7
|
Northwest Missouri St.
|
1-0
|
579
|
8
|
|
8
|
Western Colorado
|
2-0
|
536
|
11
|
|
9
|
Central Washington
|
0-1
|
480
|
6
|
|
10
|
Findlay
|
1-0
|
477
|
15
|
|
11
|
Newberry
|
1-0
|
463
|
13
|
|
12
|
Western Oregon
|
2-0
|
421
|
17
|
|
13
|
Slippery Rock
|
1-0
|
361
|
18
|
|
14
|
Indiana (Pa.)
|
1-0
|
329
|
22
|
|
15
|
Minnesota-Duluth
|
1-1
|
316
|
19
|
|
16
|
Valdosta St.
|
2-0
|
284
|
23
|
|
17
|
UIndy
|
1-1
|
247
|
9
|
|
18
|
Northeastern St.
|
2-0
|
225
|
24
|
|
19
|
Ashland
|
0-1
|
170
|
12
|
|
20
|
Michigan Tech
|
2-0
|
127
|
NR
|
|
21
|
Benedict
|
2-0
|
115
|
NR
|
|
22
|
Augustana (S.D.)
|
1-1
|
112
|
16
|
|
23
|
Frostburg St.
|
0-1
|
71
|
14
|
|
24
|
Emporia St.
|
2-0
|
60
|
NR
|
|
25
|
Pittsburg St.
|
0-2
|
57
|
10
|
Dropped Out: Ouachita Baptist (20), Lenoir-Rhyne (21), Fort Hays St. (25)
Others Receiving Votes: West Alabama, 55; Central Oklahoma, 52; Fort Hays St., 41; Carson-Newman, 38; UT Permian Basin, 36; Northwood, 35; California (Pa.), 30; Virginia St., 24; Davenport, 23; Lenoir-Rhyne, 20; East Stroudsburg, 18; Shepherd, 18; North Greenville, 17; Henderson St., 14; Ouachita Baptist, 9; Concord, 8; Virginia Union, 7; East Central, 6; Black Hills St., 5; Fayetteville St., 4; MSU Moorhead, 4; Wingate, 4; Northern St., 3; Walsh, 3; Saginaw Valley St., 2; Arkansas Tech, 1; Assumption, 1; Lincoln (Mo.), 1; Wayne St. (Neb.), 1.