The1979 NCAA Division II football rankings are from theAssociated Press. This is for the1979 season..==Legend==
| Increase in ranking | ||
| Decrease in ranking | ||
| Not ranked previous week | ||
(#–#) | Win–loss record | |
(Italics) | Number of first place votes | |
т | Tied with team above or below also with this symbol |
| Week 1 Sept 25[1] | Week 2 Oct 2[2] | Week 3 Oct 9[3] | Week 4 Oct 16[4] | Week 5 Oct 23[5] | Week 6 Oct 30[6] | Week 7 Nov 6[7] | Week 8 Nov 13[8] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Eastern Illinois (4–0) | Eastern Illinois (5–0) | Delaware (4–1) | Delaware (5–1) | Delaware (6–1) | Delaware (7–1) т | Delaware (8–1) | Delaware (9–1) | 1. |
| 2. | Delaware (2–1) | Delaware (3–1) | North Dakota (6–0) | Youngstown State (6–0) | Youngstown State (7–0) | Youngstown State (8–0) т | Youngstown State (9–0) | Youngstown State (9–1) | 2. |
| 3. | North Alabama (4–0) | North Dakota (5–0) | Youngstown State (5–0) | North Dakota (7–0) | North Dakota (8–0) | North Dakota (9–0) | North Dakota (9–1) | North Dakota (10–1) | 3. |
| 4. | North Dakota (4–0) т | Youngstown State (4–0) | Eastern Illinois (5–1) | Eastern Illinois (5–1) | Eastern Illinois (6–1) | Virginia Union (8–0) | Morgan State (7–1) | Morgan State (8–1) | 4. |
| 5. | Youngstown State (3–0) т | Virginia Union (4–0) | Virginia Union (5–0) | Virginia Union (6–0) | Virginia Union (7–0) | Cal Poly (6–1) | Mississippi College (8–1) | Mississippi College (9–1) | 5. |
| 6. | Nebraska–Omaha (4–0) | South Dakota (4–1) | Norfolk State (5–0–1) | Norfolk State (6–0–1) | Morgan State (5–1) т | Morgan State (6–1) | Virginia Union (8–1) | Virginia Union (9–1) | 6. |
| 7. | Virginia Union (3–1) | Norfolk State (4–0–1) | Santa Clara (5–0) | Morgan State (4–1) | Cal Poly (5–1) т | Mississippi College (7–1) | Cal Poly (6–2) | Cal Poly (7–2) | 7. |
| 8. | Santa Clara (3–0) | Morgan State (2–1) | Morgan State (3–1) | Cal Poly (4–1) | South Dakota State (6–1) | Eastern Illinois (6–2) | South Dakota State (7–2) | South Dakota State (8–2) | 8. |
| 9. | Norfolk State (4–0) | Santa Clara (4–0) | Cal Poly (3–1) | South Dakota State (5–1) | Alabama A&M (5–1) | Santa Clara (6–1) | Alabama A&M (6–2) | Alabama A&M (7–2) | 9. |
| 10. | Morgan State (1–1) | Nebraska–Omaha (4–1) | Nebraska–Omaha (5–1) | Alabama A&M (5–1) | Mississippi College (6–1) | South Dakota State (6–2) | Santa Clara (6–2) | Santa Clara (6–2) | 10. |
| Week 1 Sept 25[1] | Week 2 Oct 2[2] | Week 3 Oct 9[3] | Week 4 Oct 16[4] | Week 5 Oct 23[5] | Week 6 Oct 30[6] | Week 7 Nov 6[7] | Week 8 Nov 13[8] | ||
| Dropped: 3 North Alabama | Dropped: 6 South Dakota | Dropped:
| Dropped: 6 Norfolk State | Dropped: 9 Alabama A&M | Dropped: 8 Eastern Illinois | None | |||
