The Northwest Missouri State University football team has moved up to No. 7 in this week's American Football Coaches Association Top 25 poll.

The Bearcats (1-0 overall) will play host to Washburn University (1-0-1 overall) Saturday at 1:35 p.m. at Bearcat Stadium.

Northwest has a record of 305-54 as a ranked team in the AFCA Top 25. Northwest is ranked No. 7 in this week's AFCA Top 25. Northwest is 21-2 when ranked No. 7 in the AFCA poll.

Saturday's game will be simulcast on The Spot Kansas City 38.

2026 AFCA Division II Coaches Poll, presented by GoRout Gridiron – September 8, 2026
                                                                         

Rank  School (1st votes)          Rec.    Pts.     Prev.     Week 1                                                                           Next Game

1.      Ferris St. (31)                  2-0      775     1          D. Bentley, 38-3                             Sept. 12 at No. 9 Central Washington

2.      Harding                         1-0      744     2          D. Northwestern Oklahoma, 76-0        Sept. 10 at Southwestern Oklahoma

3.      Kutztown                        1-0      707     3          D. Assumption, 56-35                                             Sept. 12 vs. Clarion

4.      Minnesota St.                  2-0      666     4          D. UMary, 48-7                                                 Sept. 12 vs. Bemidji St.

5.      CSU Pueblo                   2-0      647     5          D. No. 25 Fort Hays St., 35-17                       Sept. 12 vs. Colorado Mines

6.      Grand Valley St.              2-0      626     7          D. West Texas A&M, 56-14                            Sept. 12 at No. 19 Ashland

7.      Northwest Missouri St.      1-0      579     8          Idle                                                                 Sept. 12 vs. Washburn

8.      Western Colorado            2-0      536     11         D. Angelo St., 23-21                                         Sept. 12 vs. Chadron St.

9.      Central Washington          0-1      480     6          Lost to Cal Poly, 24-17                                 Sept. 12 vs. No. 1 Ferris St.

10.     Findlay                          1-0      477     15         D. No. 9 UIndy, 30-10                                       Sept. 12 vs. Fairmont St.

11.     Newberry                       1-0      463     13         D. Reinhardt, 38-3                                         Sept. 12 vs. Lenoir-Rhyne

12.     Western Oregon              2-0      421     17         D. Southern Oregon, 65-35               Sept. 19 at No. 9 Central Washington

13.     Slippery Rock                 1-0      361     18         Idle                                                         Sept. 12 at East Stroudsburg

14.     Indiana (Pa.)                   1-0      329     22         D. No. 12 Ashland, 34-24                                 Sept. 12 at West Chester

15.     Minnesota-Duluth            1-1      316     19         D. No. 16 Augustana (S.D.), 30-23                Sept. 12 at Wayne St. (Neb.)

16.     Valdosta St.                    2-0      284     23         D. Warner, 59-10                                           Sept. 12 at Fayetteville St.

17.     UIndy                            1-1      247     9          Lost to No. 15 Findlay, 30-10                                 Sept. 12 at Davenport

18.     Northeastern St.              2-0      225     24         D. Missouri S&T, 27-7                                         Sept. 12 at Truman St.

19.     Ashland                         0-1      170     12         Lost to No. 22 Indiana (Pa.), 34-24        Sept. 12 vs. No. 6 Grand Valley St.

20.     Michigan Tech                2-0      127     NR        D. Midwestern St., 48-27                           Sept. 12 at No. 24 Emporia St.

21.     Benedict                        2-0      115     NR        D. Shorter, 24-20                                           Sept. 19 at Fort Valley St.

22.     Augustana (S.D.)             1-1      112     16         Lost to No. 19 Minnesota-Duluth, 30-23                    Sept. 12 vs. Minot St.

23.     Frostburg St.                   0-1      71       14         Lost to Shepherd, 34-26                                    Sept. 12 vs. Assumption

24.     Emporia St.                    2-0      60       NR        D. No. 10 Pittsburg St., 21-10               Sept. 12 vs. No. 20 Michigan Tech

25.     Pittsburg St.                    0-2      57       10         Lost to Emporia St., 21-10                               Sept. 12 at West Alabama

 
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.