The final Division III football regional rankings arrived from the NCAA, through Nov. 10.
Remember that regional rankings primarily take Division III games into account. Teams are listed with their Division III record only. For more information about the playoff format and how participants are determined, check out our FAQ, or listen to the podcast linked below.
A plus sign signifies that the team also has a non-Division III win, while a minus sign signifies a non-Division III loss. Teams in bold received automatic bids.
- Strength of schedule numbers
- First regional ranking, through Week 9
- Second regional ranking, through Week 10
- ATN Podcast 216: The national committee chair explains the playoff selection process
- ATN Podcast 219: Breaking down the Oct. 31 regional rankings
- ATN Podcast 223: Committee chair: 'It's definitely not what we want'
| East Region | SOS | Notes |
| 1 Brockport 10-0 2 Frostburg State 9-0 3 RPI 8-1 4 Delaware Valley 9-1 5 Ithaca 8-2 6 MIT 9-1 7 Stevenson 8-2 8 Framingham State 8-2 9 Western New England 8-2 10 Salisbury 8-2 |
.527 .525 .529 .468 .556 .483 .527 .529 .492 .484 |
On the table for selection: Ithaca (never selected). MIT was selected with the tournament's one Pool B bid, set aside for teams not in conferences with automatic bids. Also automatically qualified from this region: Husson (ECFC, 7-2, .464) |
| North Region | SOS | Notes |
| 1 Mount Union 10-0 2 North Central (Ill.) 9-1 3 John Carroll 9-1 4 Trine 10-0 5 Wabash 9-1 6 Wittenberg 9-1 7 Illinois Wesleyan 8-2 8 Washington U. 8-2 9 Wheaton (Ill.) 8-2 10 Baldwin Wallace 8-2 |
.534 .542 .538 .503 .484 .504 .555 .552 .558 .516 |
On the table for selection: John Carroll (selected), Wabash (never selected). Also automatically qualified from this region: Denison (NCAC, 8-2, .497); Eureka (NACC, 9-1, .371); Hanover (HCAC, 7-3, .486). |
| South Region | SOS | Notes |
| 1 Mary Hardin-Baylor 10-0 2 Johns Hopkins 9-1 3 Hardin-Simmons 9-1 4 Berry 9-1 5 Centre 9-1 6 Muhlenberg 9-1 7 Washington & Jefferson 9-1 8 Randolph-Macon 8-2 9 Case Western Reserve 8-2 10 Maryville 6-2 + |
.467 .544 .516 .551 .579 .536 .481 .539 .461 .544 |
On the table for selection: Hardin-Simmons (selected), Centre (selected), Muhlenberg (selected). Muhlenberg was selected with the final at-large pick, so Case Western Reserve was not on the table. |
| West Region | SOS | Notes |
| 1 UW-Whitewater 9-0 2 St. John's 10-0 3 Whitworth 9-0 4 Bethel 9-1 5 Linfield 7-1 - 6 UW-La Crosse 7-2 - 7 St. Thomas 7-2 + 8 St. Norbert 9-1 9 Monmouth (Ill.) 8-2 10 Wartburg 8-2 |
.573 .553 .526 .544 .565 .547 .535 .468 .518 .515 |
On the table for selection: Bethel (selected), Linfield (not selected). Also automatically qualified from this region: Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (SCIAC, 7-3, .474); Martin Luther (UMAC, 9-1, .441). |
How to use regional rankings: If you are an at-large candidate, you want to be sure you are the top at-large candidate in your region. That will ensure you get discussed by the national committee and have a chance to be put in the field.
There are 26 automatic bids, one Pool B bid (teams not in the 26 automatic bid conferences) and five Pool C (true national at-large) bids. Selection Sunday is Nov. 11.
Being listed in these rankings is not a guarantee of selection to the playoffs. There is no guarantee an at-large team will be taken from each region.