INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The Colorado State University Pueblo football team is ranked No. 6 overall and No. 3 in Super Region Four in the second NCAA Division II NPI rankings that will determine playoff selections, which were released Sunday.
 
The ThunderWolves, who are 8-0 overall and 6-0 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference following a hard-fought 28-21 win on Saturday at Fort Lewis, are the highest-ranked team in the RMAC in this season's second NPI rankings. Western Colorado (8-0, 6-0 RMAC) is the only other RMAC school ranked in the Top 10 of Super Region Four, as the Mountaineers are No. 4 in the second NPI rankings.

Overall, CSU Pueblo is ranked sixth nationally in the second NPI rankings, as Slippery Rock (8-0) from Super Region One is the top-ranked team nationally in the NPI with a 68.145 NPI, while Ferris State (8-0), from Super Region Three, is No. 2 with an NPI of 67.113 and Harding (8-0) from Super Region Four is No. 3 with a 66.96 NPI, and Northwood (7-0) from Super Region Three is No. 4 with a 65.898 NPI. In fact, three of the Top 10 teams nationally in the second NPI rankings are from Super Region Four.

In the NPI Super Region Four rankings, the Pack's NPI is 63.807, ranking third behind Harding at No. 1 with a 66.96 NPI, and Emporia State (8-0) is No. 2 with a 64.622 NPI. Western Colorado (8-0) is fourth in the region with an NPI of 60.975, and Central Washington (6-1) is No. 5 with an NPI of 60.593.
 
The final five of the second Super Region Four NPI begins with Northwest Missouri (6-1) at No. 6 with an NPI of 59.539, while Henderson State (7-1) is No. 7 with an NPI of 57.703 and Central Missouri (5-3) is No. 8 with an NPI of 56.77. Ouachita Baptist (6-2) is ninth with an NPI of 56.181, and Washburn (5-2-1) is No. 10 with an NPI of 55.854.
 
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 NPI rankings will determine the final four slots after the games on November 14.