The 2025 NAIA football season is the component of the 2025 college football season organized by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) in the United States.
The regular season began on August 28 and concluded on November 15.
The playoffs, known as the NAIA Football National Championship, began on November 22 and culminated with the championship game on December 20 at Crowley ISD Multi-Purpose Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas.
Membership changes The North Star Athletic Association disbanded prior to the start of the season; the majority of its members subsequently moved to the Frontier Conference. School Former conference New conference Concordia (MI) Cardinals Mid-States Dropped athletics Dakota State Trojans North Star Frontier Dickinson State Blue Hawks North Star Frontier Jamestown Jimmies North Star NSIC (NCAA D-II) Mayville State Comets North Star Frontier North American Stallions Sooner Dropped program Rio Grande RedStorm New program Appalachian St. Andrews Knights Appalachian School closed Simpson Red Hawks Independent Frontier Valley City State Vikings North Star Frontier
Top 10 matchups Regular season matchups
Notes:
Postseason matchups
Upsets Regular season upsets This section lists unranked teams defeating NAIA Coaches' poll-ranked teams during the season.
Notes:
Postseason upsets This section lists lower seeded teams defeating higher seeded teams during the playoffs. Seed rankings appears in parentheses.
Conference standings
Postseason Teams
Automatic bids (13) Automatic bidsConferenceSchoolRecordAppearanceLastAppalachianReinhardt7–310th2023Frontier East DivisionMontana Tech11–012th2024 West DivisionCollege of Idaho9–13rd2023Great PlainsMorningside9–222nd2024Heart of America North Division Grand View10–014th2024 South DivisionBenedictine (KS)10–117th2024KCAC Bissell DivisionFriends11–06th2024 Kessinger DivisionEvangel9–26th2023Mid-SouthLindsey Wilson9–19th2022Mid-States Mideast LeagueIndiana Wesleyan9–25th2024 Midwest LeagueMarian (IN)10–113th2023SoonerTexas Wesleyan7–42nd2024SunKeiser10–07th2024
At-large bids (7) At-large bidsSchoolConferenceRecordAppearanceLastDordtGreat Plains9–13rd2023CampbellsvilleMid-South8–25th2015William PennHeart of America10–110th2012Carroll (MT)Frontier8–225th2022SoutheaseternSun8–23rd2017Saint Francis (IN)Mid-States9–221st2024St. Thomas (FL)Sun7–33rd2024
Bracket
*– Marian was removed from the NAIA playoffs prior to the team's quarterfinal game against Keiser due to a self-reported player eligibility violation.
Rankings
Coaching changes Preseason and in-season This is restricted to coaching changes that took place on or after May 1, 2025, and will include any changes announced after a team's last regularly scheduled games but before its playoff games. School Outgoing coach Date Reason Replacement Previous positionThomasOrlando MitjansBefore May 13, 2025ResignedVincent DavisWebber International assistant head coach and defensive line coach (2022–2024)JudsonQuintin DempsBefore May 19, 2025Hired as defensive pass came coordinator and safeties coach for Central State (OH)Shawn FlynnColorado Springs Christian HS (CO) associate head coach and quarterbacks coach (2024)GracelandPatrick RossJuly 31, 2025Resigned (named as team's general manager)Phil StabackGraceland offensive coordinator (2024)
End of season This list includes coaching changes announced during the season that did not take effect until the end of the season.
School Outgoing coach Date Reason Replacement Previous positionPeru StatePhil OckingaNovember 17, 2025Contract not renewedSean WilkersonPeru State defensive coordinator (2022–2025)LangstonQuinton MorganNovember 18, 2025FiredCalvin Miller (interim)Langston defensive coordinator and defensive line coach (2017–2025)WaldorfTyler ChapaNovember 20, 2025ResignedDavid CallowayMissouri Valley associate head coach and defensive coordinator (2025)Eastern OregonTim CampNovember 21, 2025ResignedSolo TaylorEastern Oregon defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach (2024–2025)SoutheasternAdam WaughDecember 2, 2025ResignedJake RussellCampbellsville head coach (2023–2025)Arizona ChristianJeff BowenDecember 3, 2025ResignedDrew MaddoxJohn Melvin (FL) head coach (2025)Rocky MountainChris StutzriemDecember 12, 2025Hired as head coach for Bismarck StateRandy BandelowCarroll (MT) defensive coordinator (2022–2025)AvilaDerrick AlexanderBefore December 15, 2025ResignedEd WarinnerSt. Thomas (FL) tight ends coach (2024–2025)St. Thomas (FL)Bill RychelDecember 17, 2025Resigned (became school's athletic director)Drew DavisSt. Thomas (FL) quarterbacks coach (2024–2025)Missouri BaptistJason BurianekBefore December 19, 2025ResignedMarc LillibridgeMissouri Baptist linebackers coach (2025)Simpson (CA)Shawn DanielDecember 19, 2025ResignedTrevor UtterSimpson (CA) wide receivers coach and tight ends coach (2025)Saint Mary (KS)Lance HinsonBefore December 30, 2025ResignedTaylor CalvertSaint Mary (KS) offensive coordinator (2021–2025) Rio Grande Mark Thurston December 2025 Fired Mike Bartrum Marshall senior analyst/special assistant (2021–2025)CampbellsvilleJake RussellJanuary 8, 2026Hired as head coach for SoutheasternHunter BrownCampbellsville wide receivers coach (2024–2025)Texas WesleyanBrad SherrodFebruary 18, 2026Hired as head coach for MorehouseFran JohnsonTexas Wesleyan offensive coordinator (2021–2025)Briar CliffShane LaDageMarch 10, 2026ResignedNathan KoziolBriar Cliff defensive coordinator and associate head coach (2023–2025)ClarkeAdam HicksBefore April 9, 2026ResignedHeath ZuckMount Marty Co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach (2020–2025)
See also 2025 NCAA Division I FBS football season 2025 NCAA Division I FCS football season 2025 NCAA Division II football season 2025 NCAA Division III football season 2025 U Sports football season 2025 NAIA flag football season
References