INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The Colorado State University Pueblo football team is ranked No. 4 overall and No. 2 in Super Region Four in the initial NCAA Division II NPI rankings that will determine playoff selections, which were released Sunday.

The ThunderWolves (7-0 overall) are the highest-ranked team in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference in this season's first NPI rankings. Western Colorado (7-0) is the only other RMAC school ranked in the Top 10, as the Mountaineers are No. 5 in the first NPI rankings.

Overall, CSU Pueblo is ranked fourth nationally in the first NPI rankings, as Slippery Rock (7-0) from Super Region One is the top-ranked team nationally in the NPI with a 66.2 NPI, while Harding (7-0) from Super Region Four is No. 2 with a 65.6 NPI, and Northwood (7-0) from Super Region Three is No. 3 with a 63.76 NPI. In fact, four of the Top 10 teams nationally in the initial NPI rankings are from Super Region Four.

In the NPI Super Region Four rankings, the Pack's NPI is 63.751, just behind Harding. Emporia State (7-0) ranks third in Super Region Four with a 62.666 NPI, Northwest Missouri State (5-1) ranks fourth with a 60.103 NPI, and Western Colorado ranks fifth with a 59.525 NPI.

The final five of the initial Super Region Four NPIs are Central Washington (5-1) at No. 6 with an NPI of 58.715, while Central Missouri (5-2) is No. 7 with an NPI of 57.659 and East Central (6-1) is No. 8 with an NPI of 57.561. Henderson State (6-1) and Ouachita Baptist (5-2) are ninth and 10th in Super Region Four with NPI's of 55.472 and 55.430, respectively.

The NCAA Power Index is the formula Division II now uses to select and seed the playoff field. In football, it blends winning percentage (25 percent) with strength of schedule (75 percent), measured by opponents' own NPI. Road wins and home losses count a bit more (1.05 vs. 0.95), and wins over teams rated above 52.0 earn a quality-win bonus. Only games against Division II opponents count.

The top eight teams will earn selection into the 2026 NCAA Division II Playoffs. Conference champions from the MIAA, GAC, Lone Star and RMAC will receive automatic bids. The final four slots will be determined by the final NPI rankings after the games on November 14.