Lights climb to No. 19 in latest NAIA Poll

The Montana State University-Northern football team isn’t just back among the Frontier Conference’ elite after five games. The Lights are back amongst the best in the NAIA.

Northern moved into the NAIA Coaches Poll Top 25 this week, and for the first time since the 2011 season. After knocking off then No. 15 UM-Western 33-21 last Saturday in Dillon, the Lights (4-1) moved up to No. 19 in the latest poll, which was released Monday afternoon.

MSU-N, which has won three straight games, has a half game lead on Carroll College, Rocky Mountain College and UM-Western in the Frontier Conference standings.

Four Frontier teams are still ranked in the Top 25, though the Lights replaced Montana Tech, which dropped out of the poll after suffering a third straight loss. Carroll also slid from No. 3 to No. 9 this week after its stunning 35-31 loss at Eastern Oregon on Saturday. After losing to Northern, the Bulldogs dropped from No. 15 to No. 21.

Rocky Mountain College, which hosts Northern this Saturday in Billings, moved up two spots, to No. 16 after beating Tech 13-6 last Saturday. The Lights and Battlin’ Bears will square off Saturday at 1 p.m. in Billings.

NAIA Football Poll

The Associated Press

Rec. Pts Pvs

1. Morningside (Iowa) (14) 3-0 314 1

2. Cumberlands (Ky.) 4-0 299 4

3. Saint Xavier (Ill.) 3-1 283 5

4. Grand View (Iowa) 4-0 276 7

5. Georgetown (Ky.) 2-1 275 6

6. Saint Francis (Ind.) 2-1 239 2

7. Benedictine (Kan.) 4-0 236 10

8. Missouri Valley 2-1 234 9

9. Carroll (Mont.) 4-1 214 3

10. Ottawa (Kan.) 3-1 209 12

11. St. Ambrose (Iowa) 2-1 205 11

12. Baker (Kan.) 3-1 183 13

13. Doane (Neb.) 3-1 172 14

14. Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) 5-0 153 16

15. Tabor (Kan.) 3-1 142 8

16. Rocky Mountain 4-1 136 18

17. Concordia (Neb.) 4-0 121 20

18. Valley City State (N.D.) 3-1 103 19

19. Montana State-Northern 4-1 93 —

20. Friends (Kan.) 3-1 75 —

21. Montana Western 3-1 65 15

22. William Penn (Iowa) 2-2 63 25

23. Robert Morris (Ill.) 4-1 40 —

24. Peru State (Neb.) 3-1 33 23

25. Siena Heights (Mich.) 3-1 22 —

Others Receiving Votes: MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) 15; McPherson (Kan.) 7; St. Francis (Ill.) 7; Northwestern (Iowa) 6; Trinity International (Ill.) 6; Nebraska Wesleyan 3.