NCAA D2 Football NPI Rankings: Ferris State Football No. 2 In Super Region 3. Who's No. 1?

See the 2026 NCAA Division II football NPI rankings, including the top eight teams in all four super regions and what they mean for the D2 playoffs.

Oct 19, 2026 by Joe Harrington

NCAA D2 Football NPI Rankings: Ferris State Football No. 2 In Super Region 3. Who's No. 1?

Slippery Rock Football leads the NCAA Division II football NCAA Power Index (NPI) rankings with a score of 66.161 in the first set of regional rankings released on Oct. 17, putting the unbeaten Rock atop the national standings as the playoff race intensifies.

Harding Football ranks second nationally at 65.624, followed by Northwood, Colorado State-Pueblo Football and defending national champion Ferris State. All five teams are undefeated in Division II competition, with several conferences featuring tight races near the regional playoff cutlines.

Ferris State, who won the Anchor Bone Classic on Oct. 17 against rival Grand Valley State, has been ranked No. 1 in the FloCollege rankings all season. Grand Valley State entered the matched up at No. 13. Ferris State will have another mega showdown in the GLIAC on Oct. 24 when they host Michigan Tech.

Note: The official NPI rankings show Ferris State with a 6-0 ranking and Grand Valley State a 4-2 record. The Bulldogs are actually 7-0, while the Lakers are 5-2.

The 2026 NCAA Division II football playoffs feature an expanded 32-team field, with eight teams selected from each of four super regions. The NPI will help determine 17 at-large selections alongside 15 conference automatic qualifiers.

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Who Leads The NCAA Division II Football NPI Rankings In 2026?

Slippery Rock is No. 1 nationally in the Oct. 17 NCAA Division II football NPI snapshot, followed by Harding, Northwood, CSU Pueblo and Ferris State.

The top five teams nationally are:

Slippery Rock — 66.161 NPI
Harding — 65.624 NPI
Northwood — 63.760 NPI
CSU Pueblo — 63.751 NPI
Ferris State — 63.531 NPI

Although the national rankings measure teams across Division II, playoff selections are made within four super regions. Each region receives eight berths, making regional position especially important as the postseason approaches.

NCAA D2 Regional Rankings By Super Region

NCAA Division II Football NPI Rankings: Super Region One Top 8

Slippery Rock leads Super Region One and the nation with a 66.161 NPI score. Kutztown is second in the region and eighth nationally, while East Stroudsburg gives the region three teams among the national top 15.

Slippery Rock (National No. 1) — Record: 7-0; NPI: 66.161
Kutztown (National No. 8) — Record: 6-0; NPI: 61.746
East Stroudsburg (National No. 15) — Record: 5-1; NPI: 59.376
Virginia State (National No. 24) — Record: 7-0; NPI: 56.931
West Liberty (National No. 26) — Record: 6-1; NPI: 55.810
Indiana (PA) (National No. 28) — Record: 5-2; NPI: 55.567
Virginia Union (National No. 31) — Record: 6-1; NPI: 55.445
Johnson C. Smith (National No. 36) — Record: 6-1; NPI: 54.682

NCAA Division II Football NPI Rankings: Super Region Two Top 8

Edward Waters leads Super Region Two with a 59.566 NPI score and ranks No. 12 nationally. Kentucky State is close behind at 59.533, with Benedict and Carson-Newman also among the region's leading playoff contenders.

Edward Waters (National No. 12) — Record: 4-1; NPI: 59.566
Kentucky State (National No. 13) — Record: 6-1; NPI: 59.533
Benedict (National No. 16) — Record: 6-1; NPI: 59.078
Carson-Newman (National No. 17) — Record: 6-1; NPI: 58.784
North Greenville (National No. 20) — Record: 6-1; NPI: 57.692
West Alabama (National No. 25) — Record: 5-1; NPI: 56.353
Mars Hill (National No. 27) — Record: 5-2; NPI: 55.642
Central State (OH) (National No. 29) — Record: 4-1; NPI: 55.522

NCAA Division II Football NPI Rankings: Super Region Three Top 8

Northwood leads Super Region Three with a 63.760 NPI score and ranks third nationally. Ferris State follows at No. 5 nationally, while Minnesota State and Davenport give the region four teams inside the national top 10.

Northwood (National No. 3) — Record: 7-0; NPI: 63.760
Ferris State (National No. 5) — Record: 6-0; NPI: 63.531
Minnesota State (National No. 7) — Record: 7-0; NPI: 61.783
Davenport (National No. 10) — Record: 7-0; NPI: 59.733
Michigan Tech (National No. 11) — Record: 6-1; NPI: 59.614
Findlay (National No. 19) — Record: 6-1; NPI: 57.768
Minnesota Duluth (National No. 23) — Record: 5-2; NPI: 56.949
Augustana (SD) (National No. 33) — Record: 5-2; NPI: 55.117

NCAA Division II Football NPI Rankings: Super Region Four Top 8

Harding leads Super Region Four and ranks second nationally with a 65.624 NPI score. CSU Pueblo and Emporia State also rank among the nation's top six, while Northwest Missouri State sits ninth nationally.

Harding (National No. 2) — Record: 7-0; NPI: 65.624
CSU Pueblo (National No. 4) — Record: 7-0; NPI: 63.751
Emporia State (National No. 6) — Record: 7-0; NPI: 62.666
Northwest Missouri State (National No. 9) — Record: 5-1; NPI: 60.103
Western Colorado (National No. 14) — Record: 7-0; NPI: 59.525
Central Washington (National No. 18) — Record: 5-1; NPI: 58.715
Central Missouri (National No. 21) — Record: 5-2; NPI: 57.659
East Central (National No. 22) — Record: 6-1; NPI: 57.561

NCAA Division II Football NPI Rankings: National Top 50 (Oct. 17, 2026)

Slippery Rock (Super Region 1) — NPI: 66.161
Harding (Super Region 4) — NPI: 65.624
Northwood (Super Region 3) — NPI: 63.760
CSU Pueblo (Super Region 4) — NPI: 63.751
Ferris State (Super Region 3) — NPI: 63.531
Emporia State (Super Region 4) — NPI: 62.666
Minnesota State (Super Region 3) — NPI: 61.783
Kutztown (Super Region 1) — NPI: 61.746
Northwest Missouri State (Super Region 4) — NPI: 60.103
Davenport (Super Region 3) — NPI: 59.733
Michigan Tech (Super Region 3) — NPI: 59.614
Edward Waters (Super Region 2) — NPI: 59.566
Kentucky State (Super Region 2) — NPI: 59.533
Western Colorado (Super Region 4) — NPI: 59.525
East Stroudsburg (Super Region 1) — NPI: 59.376
Benedict (Super Region 2) — NPI: 59.078
Carson-Newman (Super Region 2) — NPI: 58.784
Central Washington (Super Region 4) — NPI: 58.715
Findlay (Super Region 3) — NPI: 57.768
North Greenville (Super Region 2) — NPI: 57.692
Central Missouri (Super Region 4) — NPI: 57.659
East Central (Super Region 4) — NPI: 57.561
Minnesota Duluth (Super Region 3) — NPI: 56.949
Virginia State (Super Region 1) — NPI: 56.931
West Alabama (Super Region 2) — NPI: 56.353
West Liberty (Super Region 1) — NPI: 55.810
Mars Hill (Super Region 2) — NPI: 55.642
Indiana (PA) (Super Region 1) — NPI: 55.567
Central State (OH) (Super Region 2) — NPI: 55.522
Henderson State (Super Region 4) — NPI: 55.472
Virginia Union (Super Region 1) — NPI: 55.445
Ouachita Baptist (Super Region 4) — NPI: 55.430
Augustana (SD) (Super Region 3) — NPI: 55.117
Northeastern State (Super Region 4) — NPI: 55.031
Washburn (Super Region 4) — NPI: 54.880
Johnson C. Smith (Super Region 1) — NPI: 54.682
Midwestern State (Super Region 4) — NPI: 54.559
Franklin Pierce (Super Region 1) — NPI: 54.379
Colorado School of Mines (Super Region 4) — NPI: 54.364
Assumption (Super Region 1) — NPI: 54.327
MSU Moorhead (Super Region 3) — NPI: 54.202
Newberry (Super Region 2) — NPI: 53.913
Tiffin (Super Region 3) — NPI: 53.788
UT Permian Basin (Super Region 4) — NPI: 53.773
Central Oklahoma (Super Region 4) — NPI: 53.512
Northern State (Super Region 3) — NPI: 53.261
Wayne State (NE) (Super Region 3) — NPI: 53.226
Hillsdale (Super Region 3) — NPI: 53.148
Grand Valley State (Super Region 3) — NPI: 53.116
Shepherd (Super Region 1) — NPI: 53.019

How Do The NCAA Division II Football NPI Rankings Affect The Playoffs?

The NCAA Division II football NPI rankings help determine which teams qualify for the 32-team playoffs, but finishing among the top eight in a super region does not guarantee a postseason berth.

The championship field includes 15 automatic qualifiers from eligible conferences and 17 at-large selections. Each of the four super regions receives eight berths, with NPI determining the remaining selections after automatic qualifiers are accounted for.

That creates potential complications for highly ranked teams. If a conference's automatic qualifier sits outside its region's top eight, that team can claim one of the eight available spots and potentially displace a higher-ranked at-large contender.

Consequently, teams near the regional cutlines must monitor both their NPI positions and conference championship races.

When Are The 2026 NCAA Division II Football Playoff Selections?

The 2026 NCAA Division II football playoff field is scheduled to be announced Sunday, Nov. 15.

The NCAA's first published NPI rankings are scheduled for Oct. 19, followed by additional releases Oct. 26, Nov. 2 and Nov. 9. The 32-team championship begins Nov. 21, with no first-round byes. The national championship game is scheduled for Dec. 19.

NCAA Division II Football Ranking Scores From Oct. 17

No. 1 Ferris State: Defeated No. 13 Grand Valley State 41-34.
No. 2 Harding: Defeated No. 15 Henderson State 46-16.
No. 3 Kutztown: Defeated Millersville 45-7.
No. 4 CSU Pueblo: Defeated New Mexico Highlands 77-17.
No. 5 Minnesota State: Bye
No. 6 Western Colorado: Defeated Fort Lewis 55-0.
No. 7 Slippery Rock: Defeated No. 19 Indiana (Pa.) 42-26.
No. 8 Emporia State: Defeated Central Oklahoma 23-16.
No. 9 Davenport: Defeated Roosevelt 59-21.
No. 10 Northwood: Defeated Lake Erie 41-7.
No. 11 Central Washington: Defeated Texas A&M-Kingsville 52-49.
No. 12 Northwest Missouri State: Defeated Fort Hays State 24-23.
No. 13 Grand Valley State: Lost to No. 1 Ferris State 41-34.
No. 14 Michigan Tech: Defeated Northern Michigan 56-33.
No. 15 Henderson State: Lost to No. 2 Harding 46-16.
No. 16 Findlay: Lost to Hillsdale 22-19.
No. 17 Valdosta State: Bye
No. 18 Carson-Newman: Defeated Emory & Henry 31-10.
No. 19 Indiana (Pa.): Lost to No. 7 Slippery Rock 42-26.
No. 20 UT Permian Basin: Lost to Western Oregon 38-19.
No. 21 West Alabama: Lost to West Florida 37-3.
No. 22 North Greenville: Defeated Shorter 31-3.
No. 23 Minnesota-Duluth: Bye
No. 24 Virginia Union: Defeated Bowie State 48-7.
No. 25 Wayne State (Neb.): Bye

How To Watch D2 Football In 2026

Hundreds of Division 2 football games will stream live on FloCollege and the FloSports app.

Game replays, highlights and breaking news will also be available on both platforms.

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