KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- In the wake of a huge shutout victory, the Montana Tech football team bumped up one spot to No. 5 in the STADIONIC NAIA coaches' top 25 poll, the NAIA announced Monday morning.
The Orediggers celebrated Homecoming with a 62-0 win over MSU-Northern on Bob Green Field Saturday. It was the Tech defense's second shutout of the 2026 season.
Montana Tech is 6-1 on the season with three victories over ranked teams. The Orediggers sit tied with Dickinson State atop the Frontier Conference East Division standings at 2-0 in league play.
The College of Idaho remained at No. 1, earning nine first-place votes, while No. 2 Keiser collected the other four.
No. 11 Carroll also represented the Frontier in the poll, while Dakota State received votes. Another of Montana Tech's 2026 victories, Ottawa (Ariz.), also received votes.
Montana Tech remained No. 2 in the weekly update of the Massey Ratings, and the Orediggers checked in ninth in the NAIA's Football Performance Index. Both the Massey and FPI are criteria in the NAIA's postseason selection formula; the coaches' poll is not.
The Orediggers will enjoy a bye week this Saturday before preparing to hit the road for Mayville State on Saturday, October 24.
STADIONIC NAIA Football Top 25 Poll (Oct. 12)
|
RANK |
LAST |
INSTITUTION [FIRST PLACE VOTES] |
RECORD |
| ● |
1 |
1 |
College of Idaho [9] |
5-0 |
| ● |
2 |
2 |
Keiser (Fla.) [4] |
4-1 |
| ▲ |
3 |
4 |
Benedictine (Kan.) |
5-1 |
| ▲ |
4 |
5 |
Grand View (Iowa) |
5-1 |
| ▲ |
5 |
6 |
Montana Tech |
6-1 |
| ▲ |
6 |
7 |
Morningside (Iowa) |
6-1 |
| ▲ |
7 |
8 |
Friends (Kan.) |
6-0 |
| ▲ |
8 |
10 |
Marian (Ind.) |
5-1 |
| ● |
9 |
9 |
St. Thomas (Fla.) |
6-0 |
| ▼ |
10 |
3 |
Indiana Wesleyan |
5-1 |
| ▲ |
11 |
12 |
Carroll (Mont.) |
5-1 |
| ▲ |
12 |
14 |
McPherson (Kan.) |
6-0 |
| ● |
13 |
13 |
Campbellsville (Ky.) |
5-1 |
| ▲ |
14 |
15 |
Dordt (Iowa) |
4-2 |
| ▲ |
15 |
16 |
Louisiana Christian |
6-1 |
| ▲ |
16 |
17 |
Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) |
5-0 |
| ▲ |
17 |
22 |
Georgetown (Ky.) |
4-2 |
| ▼ |
18 |
11 |
Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) |
5-2 |
| ● |
19 |
19 |
Midland (Neb.) |
5-1 |
| ● |
20 |
20 |
Northwestern (Iowa) |
5-2 |
| ▼ |
21 |
18 |
William Penn (Iowa) |
5-1 |
| ▼ |
22 |
21 |
Southeastern (Fla.) |
4-1 |
| ▲ |
23 |
24 |
Baker (Kan.) |
5-1 |
| ▲ |
24 |
25 |
Evangel (Mo.) |
4-2 |
| ▲ |
25 |
RV |
Cumberland (Tenn.) |
3-2 |
Receiving Votes:Cumberlands (Ky.), Dakota State (S.D.), Kansas Wesleyan, MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.), OUAZ (Ariz.), Southwestern (Kan.), Taylor (Ind.)
Visit Montana Tech athletics' home online, GoDiggers.com, anytime for up-to-the-minute news and coverage of the Orediggers. Give Montana Tech athletics a like on Facebook, and follow the Orediggers on X and Instagram at @DiggerAthletics.
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