Northwest #4 in Final AFCA D2 Football Top 25
December 20, 2021 1:21PM CST
NWMSU
| 1 | Ferris St. (Mich.) (30) | 14-0 | 750 | 1 | D. No. 5 Valdosta St. (Ga.), 58-17, in national championship | Tony Annese |
| 2 | Valdosta St. (Ga.) | 12-2 | 720 | 5 | Lost to No. 1 Ferris St. (Mich.), 58-17, in national championship | Gary Goff |
| 3 | Colorado School of Mines | 12-2 | 651 | 9 | Lost to No. 5 Valdosta St. (Ga.), 34-31, in semifinals | Gregg Brandon |
| 4 | Northwest Missouri St. | 11-2 | 646 | 3 | Lost to No. 1 Ferris St. (Mich.), 41-20, in quarterfinals | Rich Wright |
| 5 | Shepherd (W.Va.) | 13-2 | 626 | 8 | Lost to No. 1 Ferris St. (Mich.), 55-7, in semifinals | Ernie McCook |
| 6 | Bowie St. (Md.) | 12-2 | 545 | 10 | Lost to No. 5 Valdosta St. (Ga.), 41-17, in quarterfinals | Damon Wilson |
| 7 | Grand Valley St. (Mich.) | 10-2 | 521 | 4 | Lost to No. 1 Ferris St. (Mich.), 50-24, in second round | Matt Mitchell |
| 8 | Kutztown (Pa.) | 11-2 | 497 | 12 | Lost to No. 8 Shepherd (W.Va.), 30-28, in quarterfinals | Jim Clements |
| 9 | Notre Dame (Ohio) | 11-2 | 454 | 6 | Lost to No. 8 Shepherd (W.Va.), 38-34, in second round | Mickey Mental |
| 10 | Harding (Ark.) | 11-2 | 448 | 7 | Lost to No. 3 Northwest Missouri St., 28-9, in second round | Paul Simmons |
| 11 | Angelo St. (Tex.) | 11-3 | 437 | NR | Lost to No. 9 Colorado School of Mines, 34-26, in quarterfinals | Jeff Girsch |
| 12 | West Florida | 9-2 | 422 | 2 | Lost to Newberry (S.C.), 33-30 OT, in first round | Pete Shinnick |
| 13 | West Georgia | 9-3 | 413 | 13 | Lost to No. 5 Valdosta St. (Ga.), 66-35, in second round | David Dean |
| 14 | New Haven (Conn.) | 10-2 | 307 | 18 | Lost to No. 12 Kutztown (Pa.), 10-7, in second round | Chris Pincince |
| 15 | Nebraska-Kearney | 10-3 | 304 | 21 | Lost to Angelo St. (Texas), 20-7, in second round | Josh Lynn |
| 16 | Western Colorado | 10-2 | 293 | 11 | Lost to No. 21 Nebraska-Kearney, 31-24, in first round | Jas Bains |
| 17 | Newberry (S.C.) | 10-3 | 271 | NR | Lost to No. 10 Bowie St. (Md.), 13-10, in second round | Todd Knight |
| 18 | Albany St. (Ga.) | 10-2 | 233 | 16 | Lost to No. 13 West Georgia, 23-7, in first round | Gabe Giardina |
| 19 | Bemidji St. (Minn.) | 10-3 | 175 | NR | Lost to No. 9 Colorado School of Mines, 55-6, in second round | Brent Bolte |
| 20 | Slippery Rock (Pa.) | 9-3 | 166 | 19 | Lost to No. 6 Notre Dame (Ohio), 33-25, in first round | Shawn Lutz |
| 21 | California (Pa.) | 9-1 | 135 | 14 | DNQ Playoffs | Gary Dunn |
| 22 | Frostburg St. (Md.) | 10-1 | 134 | 15 | DNQ Playoffs | DeLane Fitzgerald |
| 23 | Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) | 9-2 | 101 | 17 | DNQ Playoffs | Todd Knight |
| 24 | Bentley (Mass.) | 9-2 | 97 | 20 | Lost to No. 18 New Haven (Conn.), 38-13, in first round | Bill Kavanaugh |
| 25 | Washburn (Kan.) | 9-3 | 84 | 24 | Lost to No. 7 Harding (Ark.), 30-14, in first round | Craig Schurig |
Dropped Out: Henderson St. (Ark.) (22), Minnesota-Duluth (23), Augustana (S.D.) (25)
Others Receiving Votes: Minnesota-Duluth, 82; Lindenwood (Mo.), 71; Augustana (S.D.), 55; Henderson St. (Ark.), 51; Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.), 40; Charleston (W.Va.), 12; Colorado Mesa, 6; Findlay (Ohio), 3.
