Defending NAIA national champion Saint Francis (IN) is No. 1 in the College Football America 2017 Yearbook NAIA Top 30, followed by Baker, the team it defeated in last year’s NAIA Championship Game.
Saint Francis (IN) is coming off its first national championship in program history and returns three players on the College Football America 2017 Yearbook NAIA Starting Lineup, the publication’s version of an All-America team — running back Justin Green, linebacker Piercen Harnish and defensive lineman Eric Hemmelgarn.
No. 2 Baker returns four players from the CFA preseason Starting Lineup — Quarterback Logan Brettell, wide receiver Cornell Brown, wide receiver Clarence Clark and defensive lineman Josh Kock.
The remainder of the Top 10 is filled with teams that either made deep playoff runs in 2016 or have recently won NAIA titles. No. 3 Reinhardt made it to last year’s semifinals, while No. 4 Marian won the 2012 and 2015 NAIA titles and reached the quarterfinals last year. No. 5 Lindsey Wilson was also a quarterfinalist in 2016, as was No. 6 Morningside and No. 7 Montana Tech.
No. 8 Eastern Oregon was a 2016 semifinalist, while No. 9 Missouri Valley and No. 10 Grand View round out the Top 10. Grand View won the NAIA title in 2013.
Tabor leads the next group of teams in the rankings at No. 11, followed by No. 12 Doane, No. 13 Dickinson State, No. 14 Sterling, No. 15 Kansas Wesleyan, No. 16 Dakota Wesleyan, No. 17 Robert Morris (IL), No. 18 Southeastern, No. 19 Montana Western and No. 20 William Penn.
Rounding out the Top 30 is No. 21 Benedictine (IL), No. 22 Georgetown (KY), No. 23 Concordia (NE), No. 24 St. Mary, No. 25 Arizona Christian, No. 26 Langston, No. 27 Midland, No. 28 Bethel (TN), No. 29 Concordia-Ann Arbor and No. 30 Saint Xavier.
The College Football America 2017 Yearbook features more than 930 college football teams from the United States and Canada over the course of more than 300 striking, full-color pages. That includes every team from the NCAA (FBS, FCS, Division II and Division III), NAIA, NJCAA, CCCAA and U Sports (Canada). It also includes updates on club football, one-year postgraduate prep/sports academies and Mexican college football, along with dozens of action shots and stadium photos.
2017 College Football America NAIA Preseason Top 30
1. Saint Francis (IN)
2. Baker
3. Reinhardt
4. Marian
5. Lindsey Wilson
6. Morningside
7. Montana Tech
8. Eastern Oregon
9. Missouri Valley
10. Grand View
11. Tabor
12. Doane
13. Dickinson State
14. Sterling
15. Kansas Wesleyan
16. Dakota Wesleyan
17. Robert Morris (IL)
18. Southeastern
19. Montana Western
20. William Penn
21. Benedictine (IL)
22. Georgetown (KY)
23. Concordia (NE)
24. St. Mary
25. Arizona Christian
26. Langston
27. Midland
28. Bethel (TN)
29. Concordia-Ann Arbor
30. Saint Xavier