KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Montana Tech's football team will begin the 2026 season where it ended in 2025 — ranked fifth in the NAIA.
The Orediggers checked into the preseason coaches' top 25 poll as the highest-ranked team in the Frontier Conference's East Division, the NAIA office announced Monday.
Defending national champion Grand View was the unanimous preseason No. 1, earning all 13 first-place votes. No. 2 Keiser, No. 3 Benedictine, and No. 4 The College of Idaho were the only other teams ranked ahead of Montana Tech.
The Orediggers head into this Thursday's season-opening matchup against Ottawa (Ariz.), which received votes in the poll, with the momentum of the winningest season in program history a year ago. Montana Tech rolled through the regular season undefeated, claiming the Frontier East title. After a first-round bye, the Orediggers defeated Carroll in the second round of the NAIA Football Championship Series before falling in the quarterfinals to end the year with a 12-1 record.
No. 25 Dakota State joined the Orediggers as the other Frontier East team in the poll. Dickinson State also received votes. In the Frontier's West Division, No. 4 The College of Idaho, No. 11 Carroll, and No. 18 Montana Western represented the league.
The Orediggers begin the 2026 season against OUAZ at 6 p.m. Thursday in the annual Copper Game inside Alumni Coliseum.
2026 STADIONIC-NAIA Coaches' Top 25
| RANK |
INSTITUTION [FIRST-PLACE VOTES] |
2025 RECORD |
| 1 |
Grand View (Iowa) [13] |
14-0 |
| 2 |
Keiser (Fla.) |
12-1 |
| 3 |
Benedictine (Kan.) |
12-2 |
| 4 |
College of Idaho |
11-2 |
| 5 |
Montana Tech |
12-1 |
| 6 |
Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) |
10-2 |
| 7 |
Morningside (Iowa) |
9-3 |
| 8 |
Dordt (Iowa) |
10-1 |
| T-9 |
Friends (Kan.) |
12-1 |
| T-9 |
Indiana Wesleyan |
9-3 |
| 11 |
Carroll (Mont.) |
9-3 |
| 12 |
Marian (Ind.) |
8-4 |
| 13 |
William Penn (Iowa) |
11-2 |
| 14 |
Campbellsville (Ky.) |
8-3 |
| 15 |
Southeastern (Fla.) |
9-3 |
| 16 |
St. Thomas (Fla.) |
7-4 |
| 17 |
Saint Francis (Ind.) |
10-3 |
| 18 |
Montana Western |
7-3 |
| 19 |
Evangel (Mo.) |
9-3 |
| 20 |
Georgetown (Ky.) |
7-3 |
| 21 |
McPherson (Kan.) |
9-2 |
| 22 |
Southwestern (Kan.) |
8-3 |
| 23 |
Reinhardt (Ga.) |
7-4 |
| 24 |
Northwestern (Iowa) |
6-4 |
| 25 |
Dakota State (S.D.) |
8-2 |
Receiving Votes: Baker (Kan.), Bethel (Tenn.), Concordia (Neb.), Cumberland (Tenn.), Dickinson State (N.D.), Kansas Wesleyan, Louisiana Christian, MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.), Olivet Nazarene (Ill.), OUAZ (Ariz.), Pikeville (Ky.), Saint Xavier (Ill.), St. Francis (Ill.), Taylor (Ind.), Texas Wesleyan.
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.
###
