TAHLEQUAH, Okla. — For the first time in more than 20 years, the Northeastern State football program cracked a national top-25 ranking and will enter the postseason at No. 24 in the D2Football.com poll.

The RiverHawks closed the season on a dominant seven-game winning streak, outscoring opponents by a combined 255 points and capping the historic run with a 56-21 victory over East Central in the inaugural First Americans Bowl.

NSU finished the 2025 season with a 9-3 record and recorded the program's largest year-to-year win increase since the 1994 national championship season. The nine-win campaign also marked Northeastern State's most victories in a single season since 2000.

The 2025 season reset expectations, shattered records and reestablished Northeastern State as a rising force both regionally and nationally. NSU set school records for total points (483), touchdowns (65) and points per game (40.3), while outscoring opponents by 282 points over the course of the season.