2023 NCAA Division III football rankings

Two human polls and a committee's selections comprise the 2023 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III football rankings. Unlike in Division I's Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), the NCAA, Division III's college football's governing body, bestows a national championship on the winner of the Stagg Bowl – the championship round of a 32-team postseason tournament. The main weekly poll that begins in the preseason is the D3Football.com Poll which ranks the top 25 colleges in Division III football. One additional poll is released midway through the season, the AFCA Division III Coaches' Poll.

2023 NCAA Division III football rankings
Season2023
PostseasonSingle-elimination
Preseason No. 1North Central (IL)
National championsCortland
NCAA Division III football rankings
← 2022
2024 →

Legend

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  Increase in ranking
  Decrease in ranking
  Not ranked previous week
  Selected for Division III Football Championship Playoffs
(#–#)
  Win–loss record
(Italics)
  Number of first place votes
т
Tied with team above or below also with this symbol

D3Football.com poll

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Preseason
Jul 31[1]
Week 1
Sep 2[2]
Week 2
Sep 9[3]
Week 3
Sep 16[4]
Week 4
Sep 24[5]
Week 5
October 1[6]
Week 6
October 8[7]
Week 7
October 15[8]
Week 8
October 22[9]
Week 9
October 29[10]
Week 10
November 5[11]
Week 11
November 12[12]
Week 12 (Final)
December 16[13]
1.North Central (IL) (22)North Central (IL) (1–0) (23)North Central (IL) (1–0) (23)North Central (IL) (2–0) (24)North Central (IL) (3–0) (24)North Central (IL) (4–0) (24)North Central (IL) (5–0) (25)North Central (IL) (6–0) (25)North Central (IL) (7–0) (25)North Central (IL) (8–0) (25)North Central (IL) (9–0) (25)North Central (IL) (10–0) (25)Cortland (14–1) (25)1.
2.Mount Union (3)Mount Union (1–0) (2)Mount Union (1–0) (1)Mount Union (2–0)Mount Union (3–0)Mount Union (4–0)Mount Union (5–0)Mount Union (6–0)Mount Union (7–0)Mount Union (8–0)Mount Union (9–0)Mount Union (10–0)North Central (IL) (14–1)2.
3.Mary Hardin–BaylorWartburg (1–0)Wartburg (2–0)Wartburg (3–0)Wartburg (4–0)Wisconsin–Whitewater (4–0) (1)Wartburg (6–0)Wartburg (7–0)Wartburg (8–0)Wartburg (9–0)Wartburg (10–0)Wartburg (10–0)Wartburg (13–1)3.
4.Trinity (TX)Saint John's (MN) (1–0)Wisconsin–Whitewater (2–0) (1)Wisconsin–Whitewater (3–0) (1)Wisconsin–Whitewater (3–0) (1)Wartburg (5–0)Wisconsin–River Falls (5–0)Wisconsin–La Crosse (5–1)Wisconsin–La Crosse (6–1)Wisconsin–La Crosse (7–1)Wisconsin–La Crosse (8–1)Wisconsin–La Crosse (9–1)Wisconsin–La Crosse (11–2)4.
5.WartburgTrinity (TX) (0–1)Hardin–Simmons (2–0)Hardin–Simmons (2–0)Trinity (TX) (3–1)Wisconsin–River Falls (4–0)Trinity (TX) (5–1)Wisconsin–Whitewater (5–1)Wisconsin–Whitewater (6–1)Wisconsin–Whitewater (7–1)Wisconsin–Whitewater (8–1)Wisconsin–Whitewater (9–1)Wisconsin–Whitewater (11–2)5.
6.Saint John's (MN)Hardin–Simmons (1–0)Trinity (TX) (1–1)Trinity (TX) (2–1)Wisconsin–River Falls (3–0)Trinity (TX) (4–1)Wisconsin–La Crosse (4–1)Trinity (TX) (5–1)Trinity (TX) (6–1)Trinity (TX) (7–1)Trinity (TX) (8–1)Trinity (TX) (9–1)Alma (12–1)6.
7.LinfieldLinfield (0–0)Wisconsin–River Falls (2–0)Wisconsin–River Falls (3–0)Saint John's (MN) (2–1)Saint John's (MN) (3–1)Wisconsin–Whitewater (4–1)Saint John's (MN) (5–1)Wisconsin–River Falls (6–1)Wisconsin–River Falls (7–1)Johns Hopkins (9–0)Johns Hopkins (10–0)Randolph–Macon (13–1)7.
8.Hardin–SimmonsWisconsin–Whitewater (1–0)Linfield (1–0)Saint John's (MN) (1–1)Linfield (2–0)Linfield (3–0)Saint John's (MN) (4–1)Wisconsin–River Falls (5–1)Johns Hopkins (7–0)Johns Hopkins (8–0)Linfield (8–0)Randolph–Macon (10–0)Johns Hopkins (12–1)8.
9.IthacaWisconsin–River Falls (1–0)Saint John's (MN) (1–1)Linfield (2–0)Johns Hopkins (3–0)Johns Hopkins (4–0)Linfield (4–0)Linfield (5–0)Linfield (6–0)Linfield (7–0)Randolph–Macon (9–0)Susquehanna (10–0)Mount Union (11–1)9.
10.Delaware ValleyCortland (1–0)Cortland (2–0)Wheaton (IL) (2–0)Wheaton (IL) (3–0)Randolph–Macon (4–0)Johns Hopkins (5–0)Johns Hopkins (6–0)Randolph–Macon (7–0)Randolph–Macon (8–0)Susquehanna (9–0)Wheaton (IL) (9–1)Grove City (11–1)10.
11.Wisconsin–WhitewaterWisconsin–La Crosse (1–0)Wheaton (IL) (1–0)Randolph–Macon (3–0)Randolph–Macon (3–0)Susquehanna (5–0)Randolph–Macon (5–0)Randolph–Macon (6–0)Susquehanna (8–0)Susquehanna (9–0)Wisconsin–River Falls (7–2)Cortland (8–1)Trinity (TX) (10–2)11.
12.Wisconsin–La CrosseMary Hardin–Baylor (0–1)Randolph–Macon (2–0)Johns Hopkins (3–0)Susquehanna (4–0)John Carroll (3–1)Susquehanna (6–0)Susquehanna (7–0)Wheaton (IL) (6–1)Wheaton (IL) (7–1)Wheaton (IL) (8–1)Aurora (10–0)Wheaton (IL) (10–2)12.
13.Wheaton (IL)Wheaton (IL) (0–0)Johns Hopkins (2–0)Wisconsin–La Crosse (2–1)Wisconsin–La Crosse (2–1)Wheaton (IL) (3–1)Wheaton (IL) (4–1)Wheaton (IL) (5–1)John Carroll (6–1)John Carroll (7–1)Aurora (9–0)Alma (10–0)Aurora (11–1)13.
14.Bethel (MN)Johns Hopkins (1–0)Wisconsin–La Crosse (1–1)Carnegie Mellon (3–0)John Carroll (2–1)Wisconsin–La Crosse (3–1)John Carroll (4–1)John Carroll (5–1)Aurora (7–0)Aurora (8–0)Ithaca (8–1)Endicott (9–1)Susquehanna (10–1)14.
15.Randolph–MaconRandolph–Macon (1–0)Carnegie Mellon (2–0)Susquehanna (3–0)Aurora (3–0)Aurora (4–0)Ithaca (4–1)Aurora (6–0)Ithaca (6–1)Ithaca (7–1)Cortland (8–1)Hardin–Simmons (9–1)Endicott (9–2)15.
16.Carnegie MellonBethel (MN) (0–0)Aurora (2–0)Aurora (3–0)Cortland (2–1)Ithaca (3–1)Aurora (5–0)Ithaca (5–1)Cortland (6–1)Cortland (7–1)Alma (9–0)Saint John's (MN) (8–2)Hardin–Simmons (9–2)16.
17.CortlandCarnegie Mellon (1–0)John Carroll (0–1)John Carroll (1–1)Ithaca (2–1)Cortland (3–1)Cortland (4–1)Cortland (5–1)Alma (7–0)Alma (8–0)Endicott (8–1)John Carroll (8–2)Whitworth (10–1)17.
18.Johns HopkinsIthaca (0–1)Bethel (MN) (0–1)Cortland (2–1)Hardin–Simmons (2–1)Hardin–Simmons (3–1)Endicott (4–1)Alma (6–0)Saint John's (MN) (5–2)Endicott (7–1)John Carroll (7–2)Grove City (10–0)Ithaca (9–3)18.
19.John CarrollWisconsin–Oshkosh (1–0)Mary Hardin–Baylor (0–2)Bethel (MN) (1–1)Alma (4–0)Alma (5–0)Alma (5–0)Endicott (5–1)Endicott (6–1)Saint John's (MN) (6–2)Hardin–Simmons (8–1)Ithaca (8–2)Saint John's (MN) (8–2)19.
20.AuroraAurora (1–0)Ithaca (1–1)Alma (3–0)Wisconsin–Oshkosh (2–1)Endicott (4–1)Hardin–Simmons (4–1)Hardin–Simmons (5–1)Hardin–Simmons (6–1)Hardin–Simmons (7–1)Saint John's (MN) (7–2)Whitworth (9–0)John Carroll (8–2)20.
21.Wisconsin–OshkoshJohn Carroll (0–1)Alma (2–0)Ithaca (2–1)Endicott (3–1)Muhlenberg (4–0)Muhlenberg (5–0)Muhlenberg (6–0)Muhlenberg (7–0)Grove City (9–0)Grove City (9–0)Linfield (8–1)Union (NY) (10-2)21.
22.SusquehannaSusquehanna (1–0Susquehanna (1–0)Wisconsin–Oshkosh (2–1)Mary Hardin–Baylor (1–3)Mary Hardin–Baylor (1–3)Mary Hardin–Baylor (2–3)Grove City (7–0)Grove City (8–0)Muhlenberg (7–1)Muhlenberg (8–1)Muhlenberg (9–1)Muhlenberg (10–1)22.
23.Wisconsin–River FallsAlma (1–0)Wisconsin–Oshkosh (1–1)Mary Hardin–Baylor (0–3)Muhlenberg (3–0)Grove City (5–0)Grove City (6–0)Mary Hardin–Baylor (3–3)Mary Hardin–Baylor (4–3)Berry (7–1)Berry (8–1)Berry (9–1)Berry (9–1)23.
24.AlmaDelaware Valley (0–1)Delaware Valley (0–1)Muhlenberg (3–0)Carnegie Mellon (3–1)Delaware Valley (3–1)Berry (4–1)Berry (5–1)Berry (6–1)Coe (7-1)Delaware Valley (8–1)Wisconsin–River Falls (7–3)Wisconsin–River Falls (7–3)24.
25.SalisburySalisbury (1–0)Muhlenberg (2–0)Delaware Valley (2–1)Delaware Valley (3–1)Berry (3–1)Delaware Valley (4–1)Delaware Valley (5–1)Delaware Valley (6–1)Delaware Valley (7–1)Coe (8-1)Delaware Valley (9–1)Carnegie Mellon (10–1)25.
Preseason
Jul 31[1]
Week 1
Sep 2[2]
Week 2
Sep 9[3]
Week 3
Sep 16[4]
Week 4
Sep 24[5]
Week 5
October 1[6]
Week 6
October 8[7]
Week 7
October 15[8]
Week 8
October 22[9]
Week 9
October 29[10]
Week 10
November 5[11]
Week 11
November 12[12]
Week 12 (Final)
December 16[13]
NoneDropped:
Salisbury (1–1)
NoneDropped:
Bethel (MN) (1–2)
Dropped:
Wisconsin–Oshkosh (2–2)
Carnegie Mellon (4–1)
NoneNoneNoneDropped:
Mary Hardin–Baylor (4–4)
NoneDropped:
Coe (9-1)
Dropped:
Linfield (8–1)
Delaware Valley (9–2)

AFCA Coaches' poll

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Week 3
September 18[14]
Week 4
September 25[15]
Week 5
October 2[16]
Week 6
October 9[17]
Week 7
October 16[18]
Week 8
October 23[19]
Week 9
October 30[20]
Week 10
November 6[21]
Week 11
November 13[22]
Week 12 (Final)
December 18[23]
1.North Central (IL) (2–0) (49)North Central (IL) (3–0) (48)North Central (IL) (4–0) (48)North Central (IL) (5–0) (48)North Central (IL) (6–0) (48)North Central (IL) (7–0) (48)North Central (IL) (8–0) (48)North Central (IL) (9–0) (48)North Central (IL) (10–0) (48)Cortland (14–1) (49)1.
2.Mount Union (2–0)Mount Union (3–0) (1)Mount Union (4–0) (1)Mount Union (5–0) (1)Mount Union (6–0) (1)Mount Union (7–0) (1)Mount Union (8–0) (1)Mount Union (9–0) (1)Mount Union (10–0) (1)North Central (IL) (14–1)2.
3.Wisconsin–Whitewater (3–0)Wisconsin–Whitewater (3–0)Wisconsin–Whitewater (4–0)Wartburg (6–0)Wartburg (7–0)Wartburg (8–0)Wartburg (9–0)Wartburg (10–0)Wartburg (10–0)Wartburg (13–1)3.
4.Wartburg (3–0)Wartburg (4–0)Wartburg (5–0)Wisconsin–River Falls (5–0)Linfield (5–0)Linfield (6–0)Linfield (7–0)Linfield (8–0)Trinity (TX) (9–1)Wisconsin–La Crosse (11–2)4.
5.Hardin–Simmons (2–0)Wisconsin–River Falls (3–0)Wisconsin–River Falls (4–0)Linfield (4–0)Trinity (TX) (5–1)Trinity (TX) (6–1)Trinity (TX) (7–1)Trinity (TX) (8–1)Wisconsin–Whitewater (9–1)Wisconsin–Whitewater (11–2)5.
6.Wisconsin–River Falls (3–0)Linfield (2–0)Linfield (3–0)Trinity (TX) (5–1)Wisconsin–Whitewater (5–1)Wisconsin–Whitewater (6–1)Wisconsin–Whitewater (7–1)Wisconsin–Whitewater (8–1)Wisconsin–La Crosse (9–1)Randolph–Macon (13–1)6.
7.Linfield (2–0)Trinity (TX) (3–1)Trinity (TX) (4–1)Johns Hopkins (5–0)Johns Hopkins (6–0)Johns Hopkins (7–0)Wisconsin–La Crosse (7–1)Wisconsin–La Crosse (8–1)Johns Hopkins (10–0)Alma (12–1)7.
8.Wheaton (IL) (2–0)Wheaton (IL) (3–0)Johns Hopkins (4–0)Saint John's (MN) (4–1)Wisconsin–La Crosse (5–1)Wisconsin–La Crosse (6–1)Johns Hopkins (8–0)Johns Hopkins (9–0)Randolph–Macon (10–0)Johns Hopkins (12–1)8.
9.Trinity (TX) (2–1)Saint John's (MN) (2–1)Saint John's (MN) (3–1)Wisconsin–La Crosse (4–1)Saint John's (MN) (5–1)Randolph–Macon (7–0)Randolph–Macon (8–0)Randolph–Macon (9–0)Aurora (10–0)Mount Union (11–1)9.
10.Johns Hopkins (3–0)Johns Hopkins (3–0)Randolph–Macon (4–0)Randolph–Macon (5–0)Randolph–Macon (6–0)Wisconsin–River Falls (6–1)Wisconsin–River Falls (7–1)Aurora (9–0)Susquehanna (10–0)Grove City (11–1)10.
11.Saint John's (MN) (1–1)Randolph–Macon (3–0)Aurora (4–0)Wisconsin–Whitewater (4–1)Wisconsin–River Falls (5–1)Aurora (7–0)Aurora (8–0)Susquehanna (9–0)Alma (10–0)Trinity (TX) (10–2)11.
12.Randolph–Macon (3–0)Aurora (3–0)Susquehanna (5–0)Aurora (5–0)Aurora (6–0)Susquehanna (8–0)Susquehanna (9–0)Wheaton (IL) (8–1)Wheaton (IL) (9–1)Aurora (11–1)12.
13.Carnegie Mellon (3–0)Susquehanna (4–0)Wheaton (IL) (3–1)Susquehanna (6–0)Susquehanna (7–0)Wheaton (IL) (6–1)Wheaton (IL) (7–1)Alma (9–0)Cortland (9–1)Wheaton (IL) (10–2)13.
14.Aurora (3–0)Wisconsin–La Crosse (2–1)Wisconsin–La Crosse (3–1)Wheaton (IL) (4–1)Wheaton (IL) (5–1)Alma (7–0)Alma (8–0)Ithaca (8–1)Endicott (9–1)Susquehanna (10–1)14.
15.Wisconsin–La Crosse (2–1)Alma (4–0)Alma (5–0)Alma (5–0)Alma (6–0)John Carroll (6–1)John Carroll (7–1)Wisconsin–River Falls (7-2)Hardin–Simmons (9–1)Endicott (9–2)15.
16.Susquehanna (3–0)John Carroll (2–1)John Carroll (3–1)John Carroll (4–1)John Carroll (5–1)Muhlenberg (7–0)Ithaca (7–1)Cortland (8–1)Grove City (10–0)Whitworth (10-1)16.
17.Alma (3–0)Muhlenberg (3–0)Muhlenberg (4–0)Muhlenberg (5–0)Muhlenberg (6–0)Ithaca (6–1)Cortland (7–1)Endicott (8–1)Muhlenberg (9–1)Hardin–Simmons (9–2)17.
18.Bethel (MN) (1–1)Ithaca (2–1)Ithaca (3–1)Ithaca (4–1)Ithaca (5–1)Cortland (6–1)Endicott (7–1)Hardin–Simmons (8–1)Linfield (8–1) тIthaca (9–3)18.
19.John Carroll (1–1)Hardin–Simmons (2–1)Cortland (3–1)Cortland (4–1)Cortland (5–1)Endicott (6–1)Hardin–Simmons (7–1)Grove City (9–0)Whitworth (9-0) тMuhlenberg (10–1)19.
20.Muhlenberg (3–0)Cortland (2–1)Hardin–Simmons (3–1)Endicott (4–1)Endicott (5–1)Saint John's (MN) (5–2)Grove City (9–0)Saint John's (MN) (7–2)Saint John's (MN) (8–2)Union (NY) (10-2)20.
21.Cortland (2–1)Wisconsin–Oshkosh (2–1)Endicott (4–1)Hardin–Simmons (4–1)Hardin–Simmons (5–1)Grove City (8–0)Saint John's (MN) (6–2)Muhlenberg (8–1)DePauw (10–0)DePauw (10–1)21.
22.Ithaca (2–1)Endicott (3–1)Utica (5–0)DePauw (6–0)Grove City (7–0)Hardin–Simmons (6–1)Muhlenberg (7–1)DePauw (9–0)Berry (GA) (9-1)Saint John's (MN) (8–2)22.
23.Wisconsin–Oshkosh (2–1)Utica (4–0)DePauw (5–0)Grove City (6–0)DePauw (7–0)DePauw (8–0)DePauw (9–0)John Carroll (7–2)Ithaca (8–2)Berry (GA) (9-1)23.
24.Utica (3–0)Delaware Valley (3–0)Delaware Valley (3–1)Delaware Valley (4–1)Delaware Valley (5–1)Delaware Valley (6–1)Delaware Valley (7–1)Berry (GA) (8-1)John Carroll (8–2)Linfield (8–1)24.
25.Delaware Valley (2–1) т
DePauw (3–0)
DePauw (4–0)Grove City (5-0)Washington University (5–0)Mary Hardin–Baylor (3-3)Mary Hardin–Baylor (4-3)Berry (GA) (7-1)Delaware Valley (8–1)Delaware Valley (9–1)John Carroll (8–2)25.
Week 3
September 18[14]
Week 4
September 25[15]
Week 5
October 2[16]
Week 6
October 9[17]
Week 7
October 16[18]
Week 8
October 23[19]
Week 9
October 30[20]
Week 10
November 6[21]
Week 11
November 13[22]
Week 12 (Final)
December 18[23]
Dropped:
Carnegie Mellon (3–1)
Bethel (MN) (1–2)
Dropped:
Wisconsin–Oshkosh (2–2)
Dropped:
Utica (5–1)
Dropped:
Washington University (5–1)
NoneDropped:
Mary Hardin-Baylor (4-4)
NoneDropped:
Wisconsin-River Falls (7-3)
Dropped:
Delaware Valley (9–2)

References

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  1. ^ "D3football.com Top 25, 2023 preseason". d3football.com. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
  2. ^ "D3football.com Top 25, Week 1". d3football.com. Retrieved September 3, 2023.
  3. ^ "D3football.com Top 25, Week 2". d3football.com. Retrieved September 11, 2023.
  4. ^ "D3football.com Top 25, Week 3". d3football.com. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  5. ^ "D3football.com Top 25, Week 4". d3football.com. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
  6. ^ "D3football.com Top 25, Week 5". d3football.com. Retrieved October 1, 2023.
  7. ^ "D3football.com Top 25, Week 6". d3football.com. October 8, 2023. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
  8. ^ "D3football.com Top 25, Week 7 2023". Retrieved October 23, 2023.
  9. ^ "D3football.com Top 25, Week 8 2023". Retrieved October 23, 2023.
  10. ^ "D3football.com Top 25, Week 9 2023". Retrieved October 29, 2023.
  11. ^ "D3football.com Top 25, Week 10 2023". Retrieved November 6, 2023.
  12. ^ "D3football.com Top 25, Week 11 2023". Retrieved December 17, 2023.
  13. ^ "D3football.com Top 25, Final 2023". Retrieved December 17, 2023.
  14. ^ "Defending National Champion North Central is No. 1 in First AFCA Top 25". afca.com. Retrieved September 26, 2023.
  15. ^ "St. John's Moves Into Top 10 After Big Win". afca.com. Retrieved September 26, 2023.
  16. ^ "Grove City Enters AFCA Top 25 for First Time Ever". afca.com. October 2, 2023. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
  17. ^ "Wisconsin La-Crosse Ends Losing Streak to Whitewater". afca.com. October 9, 2023. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
  18. ^ "Mount Union Continues Their Hot Start". afca.com. October 29, 2023. Retrieved October 29, 2023.
  19. ^ "Wartburg Rolling Through The American Rivers Conference". afca.com. October 16, 2023. Retrieved October 29, 2023.
  20. ^ "Johns Hopkins Remains Undefeated With Walk-off Win". afca.com. October 30, 2023. Retrieved October 31, 2023.
  21. ^ "Linfield Wins 33rd Straight Northwest Conference Game". afca.com. November 6, 2023. Retrieved November 6, 2023.
  22. ^ "Whitworth Shocks Linfield to Secure Playoff Berth". afca.com. November 13, 2023. Retrieved November 13, 2023.
  23. ^ "Cortland Takes Home First National Title". afca.com. December 18, 2023. Retrieved December 18, 2023.