We wrap up this week’s spurt of posts with the NAIA, which is always a fun time because of the simple method they use to determine the playoff participants. The top 16 teams in the final poll get in, with one exception: if a team wins its conference’s autobid and is ranked 17-20, they steal a spot from the top 16. If an autobid falls outside the top 20, it simply vanishes into thin air. For what seems like a decade, poor William Penn has been the victim of this setup, repeatedly finishing 15th or 16th in the final poll only to lose a playoff spot to a conference champion ranked 17th-20th. Luckily, that’s not going to happen this year. Not only does there appear to be no serious threat of a stolen spot, but William Penn has solved the problem themselves by stumbling through a 4-6 season to date.

Anyway, we’ll get right to the breakdowns after the jump.

NAIA Playoff Field as of November 11:
1. Cumberlands (KY) (Mid-South East champion)
2. Grand View (Mid-States Midwest champion)
3. Carroll (MT) (Frontier champion)
4. Baker (Heart of America champion)
5. Morningside (Great Plains champion)
6. Saint Francis (IN) (Mid-States Mideast champion)
7. Missouri Valley (at-large #1)
8. Ottawa (Kansas champion)
9. Benedictine (KS) (at-large #2)
10. Faulkner (Mid-South West champion)
11. Rocky Mountain (at-large #3)
12. Tabor (at-large #4)
13. Northwestern (IA) (at-large #5)
14. Georgetown (KY) (at-large #6)
15. Lindsey Wilson (at-large #7)
16. Sterling (at-large #8)

24. Langston (Central States champion)
29. Ave Maria (Independent “champion”)

Central States

Langston (5-4/4-0) has stumbled into the conference title, although they may have to share it. Langston hosts Wayland Baptist (0-9/0-4), though, so it’s likely they’ll complete the sweep. Bacone (6-4/3-1) visits Southwestern Assemblies of God (5-4/3-1); the winner will grab a share of the title if Langston loses. Langston did move into the NAIA poll at #24, and if they can win Saturday and manage to slide up four spots, they’ll earn a playoff bid. With no independents lurking in the top 25, that makes Langston and Bacone (currently ranked 25th) the only viable candidates to prevent the #16 team from getting an invite. It won’t be easy.

Frontier

Carroll (MT) (9-1/8-1) has clinched the outright title, and since they’re ranked third there’s pretty much no way they’re missing out, especially since they visit Dickinson State (1-9/0-9). Rocky Mountain (8-2/7-2), ranked #11, looks to be secure; they visit Montana State-Northern (5-4/5-4).

Great Plains

Morningside (8-1/7-1) was toppled off their season-long perch atop the NAIA rankings last week in a 38-28 loss to Northwestern (IA) (7-2/6-2). That prevented them from clinching the conference title outright. Morningside hosts Doane (5-4/5-3) in a game that probably won’t take them out of the playoff picture if they lose. Northwestern visits Midland (4-5/3-5). With a win, they’re in the field regardless, but would grab a share of the title if Morningside were to lose. Dakota Wesleyan (7-3/6-2) is also in the mix for a share of the crown; they visit Dordt (2-8/0-8). DWU is now ranked 22nd; they’ll need a little help to get into the post-season.

Heart of America

There’s currently a three-way tie for first place headed into the final week. Benedictine (KS) (9-1/7-1) had a chance to lock things up last week, but fell to Missouri Valley (9-1/7-1). The Ravens travel to Evangel (4-5/4-4), while Valley visits Avila (4-6/2-6). The third team at the top is Baker (9-1/7-1); they have the toughest test this week as they host Peru State (7-3/5-3). For the conference as a whole a Peru win would be a good thing, as it would almost certainly push Peru, currently tied for 19th in the rankings, into the field. The other three teams are all in the top 10 and secure barring disaster. As for who’d claim the automatic bid in the event of a three-way tie… well, it doesn’t really matter. Since they went 1-1 against each other and didn’t lose to anyone else, the next tiebreaker is position in the final regular-season poll. Since they’re all in the field anyway if they win, it doesn’t really matter one iota who got the automatic bid, does it?

In the event of a two-way tie, though, Valley beat Benedictine, Benedictine beat Baker, Baker beat Valley. There you go.

Kansas

Sterling (8-2/7-1) visits Kansas Wesleyan (4-6/4-4), and since Sterling’s currently ranked 16th, they have to win to get into the field. Here’s the icky part: if eighth-ranked Ottawa (8-2/7-1) loses to 12th-ranked Tabor (8-2/6-2), Sterling — who beat them both — would hold all the tiebreakers in a three-way scenario.  A loss would drop Sterling out of the top 20, and the KCAC would lose its autobid. Friends (7-3/6-2), tied for 19th, would also join the party atop the conference with a win over Saint Mary (4-6/3-5) if Sterling and Ottawa both lose; Sterling would still hold the tiebreak. Ottawa is in the field no matter what, I think. Tabor really needs to win to stay there, and Friends obviously has to win and hope for some help.

Mid-South (East)

Cumberlands (KY) (9-0/5-0) has the autobid, and is about as secure as you can get seeing as how they were the beneficiary of Morningside’s loss, moving to the top of the poll. Even a loss to Bluefield (0-10/0-5) isn’t going to drop them all the way out of the top 20. Georgetown (KY) (6-3/4-1) hosts Lindsey Wilson (8-2/3-2); they’re ranked 14th and 15th respectively, so you can probably guess what that means. Winner’s in, loser goes home.

Mid-South (West)

Faulkner (8-2/4-1) visits Kentucky Christian (2-7/2-4) in a cross-division game; those don’t count in the conference standings, so Faulkner’s in the clubhouse. Behind them, however, is Reinhardt (5-4/3-1), who dealt Faulkner their only conference loss. Should Faulkner stumble, Reinhardt can steal the title with a win at Campbellsville (4-5/3-1). A Campbellsville win would clinch the autobid for 10th-ranked Faulkner regardless of their own result. However, if Faulkner loses they risk falling out of the top 20. It’s not a certainty — 10 spots is a big fall — but it’s not out of the realm of possibility either. Of course, winning would erase any doubt. Should Reinhardt capture the title, the autobid may vanish. Reinhardt is currently sitting just outside the poll, but beating Campbellsville isn’t the sort of thing that’s going to get you a six place jump. Sitting at 23rd is Cumberland (TN) (6-4/3-2); they’ve got a non-conference game against NCAA D-II Alderson-Broaddus (4-5). They need lots of help to move up seven spots.

Mid-States (Mideast)

There’s a three-way tie atop the league at present, but at least one of those teams is going to drop off. Marian (IN) (6-4/4-1) visits #6 Saint Francis (IN) (7-2/4-1); the loser’s out of the picture (although Saint Francis can afford the loss; they’re securely in the playoff field). Saint Francis (IL) (7-3/4-1), ranked tied-17th, hosts Taylor (4-5/2-3), and would share the title with a win. They’d take the autobid away from Marian if both win, but would lose out to the other Saint Francis with a win and a Marian loss. Regardless, a win’s probably enough to get SFIL into the field. Marian, on the other hand, is in dire straits.

Mid-States (Midwest)

It’s a lot simpler over here. Grand View (10-0/6-0) is done with their regular season. They’ve clinched the outright title and autobid. Saint Ambrose (6-3/4-1), ranked tied-17th, visits hapless Waldorf (1-9/0-5); a win might well get them into the picture. Saint Xavier (6-4/3-2) visits Olivet Nazarene (3-7/1-4), and will need a lot of help to move up from 21st.

Independents

The only independent even receiving votes in this week’s poll is Ave Maria (7-2), who have secured the best record among independent teams. They visit Newport News Apprentice (1-8), and should get a win, but at this juncture they’d need to jump over nine teams to get to #20 and into the playoffs. Nah. Ain’t happenin’.