CHICAGO – Nov. 18, 2019 – The three strongest conferences in FCS college football flexed their muscle on Monday.
The top 10 spots in the STATS FCS Top 25 were claimed by teams in the Missouri Valley, Big Sky and CAA. The Missouri Valley boasted North Dakota State (1), South Dakota State (5), Illinois State (7) and Northern Iowa (9), and the Big Sky also had four teams with Montana (3), Sacramento State (4), Weber State (6) and Montana State (8). James Madison (2) and Villanova (10) represented the CAA.
There were two matchups within the Top 10 this past Saturday. Montana beat Weber State 35-16 to replace the Wildcats at No. 3 – the Grizzlies’ highest since the 2011 postseason poll. South Dakota State moved up three spots to No. 5 after defeating Northern Iowa 38-7.
This is the final full week of the regular season. The NCAA will announce pairings for the 24-team FCS playoff field on Sunday.
A national panel of sports information and media relations directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries select the STATS FCS Top 25. A first-place vote is worth 25 points, a second-place vote 24 points, all the way down to one point for a 25th-place vote.
STATS FCS Top 25 (Nov. 18)
1. North Dakota State (11-0), 3,900 points (156 first-place votes)
Previous Ranking: 1; Last Week’s Result: 49-14 win over South Dakota
2. James Madison (10-1), 3,743
Previous Ranking: 2; Last Week’s Result: 48-6 win over Richmond
3. Montana (9-2), 3,558
Previous Ranking: 5; Last Week’s Result: 35-16 win over Weber State
4. Sacramento State (8-3), 3,220
Previous Ranking: 6; Last Week’s Result: 31-7 win over Idaho
5. South Dakota State (8-3), 3,193
Previous Ranking: 8; Last Week’s Result: 38-7 win over Northern Iowa
6. Weber State (8-3), 3,067
Previous Ranking: 3; Last Week’s Result: 35-16 loss to Montana
7. Illinois State (8-3), 3,056
Previous Ranking: 7; Last Week’s Result: 17-12 win over Missouri State
8. Montana State (8-3), 2,625
Previous Ranking: 10; Last Week’s Result: 27-17 win over UC Davis
9. Northern Iowa (7-4), 2,619
Previous Ranking: 4; Last Week’s Result: 38-7 loss to South Dakota State
10. Villanova (8-3), 2,144
Previous Ranking: 13; Last Week’s Result: 35-7 win over Long Island
11. Central Arkansas (8-3), 1,945
Previous Ranking: 14; Last Week’s Result: 30-7 win over Stephen F. Austin
12. Florida A&M (9-1), 1,923
Previous Ranking: 12; Last Week’s Result: 39-7 win over Howard
13. Southeast Missouri (8-3), 1,799
Previous Ranking: 15; Last Week’s Result: 26-12 win over Eastern Illinois
14. Wofford (7-3), 1,711
Previous Ranking: 21; Last Week’s Result: 24-7 win over Furman
15. Monmouth (9-2), 1,656
Previous Ranking: 17; Last Week’s Result: 47-10 win over Campbell
16. Kennesaw State (9-2), 1,529
Previous Ranking: 16; Last Week’s Result: 50-7 win over Hampton
17. Furman (7-4), 1,456
Previous Ranking: 9; Last Week’s Result: 24-7 loss to Wofford
18. Central Connecticut State (10-1), 1,306
Previous Ranking: 19; Last Week’s Result: 49-28 win over Robert Morris
19. Towson (7-4), 1,165
Previous Ranking: 20; Last Week’s Result: 31-10 win over William & Mary
20. Austin Peay (8-3), 1,025
Previous Ranking: 22; Last Week’s Result: 42-7 win over Murray State
21. Southeastern Louisiana (7-3), 899
Previous Ranking: 23; Last Week’s Result: 35-14 win over Abilene Christian
22. Dartmouth (8-1), 819
Previous Ranking: 11; Last Week’s Result: 20-17 loss to Cornell
23. Nicholls (7-4), 626
Previous Ranking: 24; Last Week’s Result: 34-20 win over McNeese
24. Yale (8-1), 315
Previous Ranking: N/R; Last Week’s Result: 51-14 win over Princeton
25. North Carolina A&T (7-3), 305
Previous Ranking: 25; Last Week’s Result: 47-17 win over Bethune-Cookman
Dropped Out: Princeton (18)
Others Receiving Votes: Southern Illinois 282, North Dakota 269, Albany 185, Princeton 92, San Diego 82, UT Martin 38, Alcorn State 37, Sam Houston State 25, Maine 22, Eastern Washington 20, The Citadel 14, New Hampshire 10, South Carolina State 8, UC Davis 8, Chattanooga 4
