Saints slip to No. 14 in NAIA selection committee poll

The Fighting Saints (7-2, 4-1) dropped their first game since September, falling 48-41 on the road to College of Idaho, and were subsequently dropped a pair of spots in this week's poll.

While the loss did knock the Saints down a couple of spots, their performance against the now-ranked No. 1 Yotes was impressive enough to hold them inside the top 15. The Saints were the only team to stay within one score of the high-powered C of I offense, and the lone team to score more than 28 points against one of the nation's stingiest defenses.

Three Frontier teams remain ranked in the NSC poll: No. 14 Carroll, No. 1 College of Idaho, and Montana Tech, which remained idle at No. 5.

The Saints, still very much in play for a return to the NAIA Football Championship Series, have a must-win scenario on their hands this week. Carroll hits the road once more, wrapping up their season at Eastern Oregon, which has a matching 7-2 record while also going 4-1 in Frontier-West play this season. Should the Saints win, it appears to be highly probable that playoff football returns to the Capital City next weekend.

STADIONIC NAIA Football National Selection Committee Poll

• 1 (last 2) – College of Idaho, 9-0
• 2 (last 1) – St. Thomas (Fla.), 10-0
• 3 (last 3) – Benedictine (Kan.), 10-1
• 4 (last 4) – Morningside (Iowa), 9-1
• 5 (last 5) – Montana Tech, 9-1
• 6 (last 6) – Marian (Ind.), 9-1
• 7 (last 7) – Indiana Wesleyan, 9-1
• 8 (last 8) – Grand View (Iowa), 9-1
• 9 (last 9) – Lindsey Wilson (Ky.), 8-2
• 10 (last 10) – Campbellsville (Ky.), 8-1
• 11 (last 11) – Dordt (Iowa), 8-2
• 12 (last 13) – Northwestern (Iowa), 8-2
• 13 (last 14) – Southwestern (Kan.), 9-1
• 14 (last 12) – Carroll (Mont.), 7-2
• 15 (last NR) – Friends (Kan.), 9-1