Polls – Skyline Sports

Marquis Buchanan Talks About 2025 Season, Staying At Rhode Island For 2026, & His Upcoming Season

Samuel Akem — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 19:51:42 +0000

In this week’s Deep Ball Podcast, Keenan and Samuel are joined by Marquis Buchanan. The Rhode Island WR who led the FCS in receiving yards during the 2025 season. He returns to Rhode Island for his senior season with history on his mind. He’s had quite the journey, and he hopes to add to it in 2026. Stay tuned for the entire episode.

Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll Showdown: No. 2 SDSU vs. No. 3 Montana State

Colter Nuanez — Mon, 01 Sep 2025 16:05:27 +0000

As expected in the preseason, Saturday’s showdown between South Dakota State and Montana State matches the No. 2 and 3 teams in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll.

It’s just that the two national powers have reversed spots since the preseason poll.

South Dakota State has jumped to No. 2 over the now-No. 3 Bobcats in the national media rankings. Both teams are behind defending national champion North Dakota State, which last season defeated SDSU in the playoff semifinals and Montana State in the title game.

SDSU was ultra-impressive this past Saturday while limiting then-No. 15 Sacramento State to just one field goal and 131 yards in a 20-3 victory. The Bobcats, meanwhile, fell to FBS power Oregon 59-13.

Their meeting at Montana State will be the fourth since 2021, which includes two semifinal-round playoff games.

Tarleton State, the first FCS team to be 2-0, moved up five spots from the preseason poll to No. 5. The Texans posted the first FCS-over-FBS win of the young season, topping Army 30-27 in two overtimes. Austin Peay later beat Middle Tennessee, and the Governors are now one spot outside the Top 25.

The Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll is released each Monday during the regular season and one day after the FCS championship game (to be played Jan. 5 in Nashville, Tennessee). 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 Perform FCS Top 25 Poll (Sept. 1)

1. North Dakota State (1-0)

Points: 1,397 (53 of 56 first-place votes); Previous Ranking: 1; Week 1: 38-0 win at The Citadel; Week 2: at Tennessee State

2. South Dakota State (1-0)

Points: 1,333 (2); Previous Ranking: 3; Week 1: 20-3 win over then-No. 15 Sacramento State; Week 2: at No. 3 Montana State

3. Montana State (0-1)

Points: 1,274 (1); Previous Ranking: 2; Week 1: 59-13 loss at Oregon; Week 2: No. 2 South Dakota State

4. South Dakota (0-1)

Points: 1,171; Previous Ranking: 4; Week 1: 55-7 loss at Iowa State; Week 2: at Lamar

5. Tarleton State (2-0)

Points: 1,164; Previous Ranking: 10; Week 0: 42-0 win at Portland State; Week 1: 30-27 win at Army; Week 2: Mississippi Valley State

6. Montana (0-0)

Points: 1,027; Previous Ranking: 7; Week 1: No game; Week 2: Central Washington

7. Illinois State (0-1)

Points: 961; Previous Ranking: 6; Week 1: 35-3 loss at Oklahoma State; Week 2: Morehead State

8. UC Davis (1-0)

Points: 958; Previous Ranking: 8; Week 0: No contest (inclement weather) vs.then-No. 11Mercer; Week 1: 31-24 win at Utah Tech; Week 2: at Washington

9. Rhode Island (1-0, 1-0 CAA)

Points: 953; Previous Ranking: 9; Week 1: 31-20 win over Campbell; Week 2: at Stony Brook

10. Idaho (0-1)

Points: 879; Previous Ranking: 12; Week 1: 13-10 loss at Washington State; Week 2: St. Thomas

11. Lehigh (1-0, 1-0 Patriot)

Points: 745; Previous Ranking: 14; Week 1: 21-14 win over then-No. 25Richmond; Week 2: Sacred Heart

12. UIW (1-1, 0-1 Southland)

Points: 730; Previous Ranking: 5; Week 0: 20-6 lossat Nicholls; Week 1: 31-21 win over Eastern Washington; Week 2: No game

13. Villanova (0-0)

Points: 718; Previous Ranking: 13; Week 1: No game; Week 2: Colgate

14. Southern Illinois (1-0)

Points: 423; Previous Ranking: 20; Week 1: 49-3 win over Thomas More; Week 2: at Purdue

15. Jackson State (1-0)

Points: 422; Previous Ranking: 17; Week 1: 28-14 win over Hampton; Week 2: at Southern Miss

16. Abilene Christian (0-1)

Points: 396; Previous Ranking: 16; Week 1: 35-7 loss at Tulsa; Week 2: No. 25Stephen F. Austin

17. Tennessee Tech (1-0)

Points: 371; Previous Ranking: 21; Week 1: 65-0 win over Cumberland; Week 2: Chattanooga

18. Sacramento State (0-1)

Points: 351; Previous Ranking: 15; Week 1: 20-3 loss at then-No. 3 South Dakota State; Week 2: at Nevada

19. Northern Arizona (0-1)

Points: 349; Previous Ranking: 19; Week 1: 38-19 loss at Arizona State; Week 2: Utah Tech

20. North Dakota (0-1)

Points: 325; Previous Ranking: NR; Week 1: 38-35 loss at Kansas State; Week 2: Portland State

21. Monmouth (1-0)

Points: 323; Previous Ranking: 22; Week 1: 42-39 win at Colgate; Week 2: at Fordham

22. Nicholls (1-1, 1-0 Southland)

Points: 265; Previous Ranking: NR; Week 0: 20-6 win over then-No. 5 UIW; Week 1: 38-20 loss at Troy; Week 2: West Georgia

23. Mercer (0-1)

Points: 229; Previous Ranking: 11; Week 0: No contest (inclement weather) vs. then-No. 8UC Davis; Week 1: 15-10 loss toPresbyterian; Week 2: No game

24. Southern Utah (1-0)

Points: 226; Previous Ranking: NR; Week 1: 46-24 win over Idaho State; Week 2: at San Diego

25. Stephen F. Austin (0-1)

Points: 146; Previous Ranking: 23; Week 1: 27-0 loss at Houston; Week 2: at No. 16 Abilene Christian

Dropped Out of Top 25: Western Carolina (18); Stony Brook (24); Richmond (25)

Others Receiving Votes (schools listed on two or more ballots): Austin Peay (1-0), 146; ETSU (1-0), 116; Harvard (0-0), 105; New Hampshire (1-0), 100; UT Martin (0-1), 93; Southeast Missouri (0-1), 71; Gardner-Webb (1-0), 54; Stony Brook (0-1): 54; Richmond (0-1, 0-1 Patriot), 53; Western Carolina (0-1), 45; Eastern Kentucky (0-1), 37: Chattanooga (0-1), 35: Tennessee State (1-0), 31: South Carolina State (1-0), 30; Presbyterian (1-0), 24; Youngstown State (1-0), 20; North Carolina Central (1-1), 11

FCS Top 25 Poll: Tarleton State on Rise to No. 16; UND vaults into Top 10

Press Release — Wed, 11 Sep 2024 15:12:36 +0000

It appears to be the right season for Tarleton State to be eligible for the FCS playoffs for the first time.

The Texans expect to have their strongest team on the Division I level, as evidenced by their rising to No. 16 in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll on Monday.

Tarleton State even has its deepest team, having used its third different starting quarterback (Daniel Greek) while winning at HCU 35-18 and improving to 2-1 Saturday night.

The Texans, under coach Todd Whitten, posted a winning record in each of four seasons during a reclassifying period from D-II. This season, their matchup with No. 7 Central Arkansas on Nov. 23 – the final Saturday of the regular season – could determine the United Athletic Conference title and automatic playoff bid. Both teams have potent offenses, with Tarleton State featuring running backs Kayvon Britten and Derrel Kelley III and wide receiver Darius Cooper.

While the Texans rose four spots in this week’s poll, North Dakota made the biggest move, up 13 spots to No. 10. South Dakota State, the two-time defending FCS champion, strengthened its hold on No. 1 while remaining on top for the 24th straight poll since 2022.

A national media panel selects the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll. 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 Perform FCS Top 25 Poll (Sept. 9)

1. South Dakota State (1-1, 0–0 MVFC), 1,386 points (44 of 56 first-place votes)

Previous Ranking:1;Week 2: 45-24 win over then-No. 12UIW; Week 3: Augustana

2. North Dakota State (1-1, 0-0 MVFC), 1,333 (6)

Previous Ranking:2; Week 2: 52-3 win over Tennessee State; Week 3: at ETSU

3. Montana State (3-0, 0-0 Big Sky), 1,301 (6)

Previous Ranking:3; Week 2: 41-24 win over Maine; Week 3: No game; Week 4: Mercyhurst

4. Idaho (1-1, 0-0 Big Sky), 1,195

Previous Ranking:7; Week 2: 17-13 win at Wyoming; Week 3: No. 17 UAlbany

5. Villanova (2-0, 0-0 CAA), 1,175

Previous Ranking:5; Week 2: 28-3 win at Colgate; Week 3: Towson

6. South Dakota (1-1, 0-0 MVFC), 1,127

Previous Ranking:6; Week 2: 27-13 loss at Wisconsin; Week 3: at Portland State

7. Central Arkansas (1-1, 0-0 UAC), 946

Previous Ranking:9; Week 2: 34-13 win at Lindenwood; Week 3: Austin Peay

8. Montana (1-1, 0-0 Big Sky), 927

Previous Ranking:4; Week 2: 27-24 loss at then-No. 23 North Dakota; Week 3: Morehead State

9. Southern Illinois (1-1, 0-0 MVFC), 919

Previous Ranking:10; Week 2: 31-17 win at Austin Peay; Week 3: No. 12 UIW

10. North Dakota (1-1, 0-0 MVFC), 853

Previous Ranking:23; Week 2: 27-24 win over then-No. 4 Montana; Week 3: Idaho State

11. Sacramento State (0-2, 0-0 Big Sky), 834

Previous Ranking:8; Week 2: 46-30 loss at Fresno State; Week 3: No. 24 Nicholls

12. UIW (1-1, 0-0 Southland), 646

Previous Ranking:12; Week 2: 45-24 loss at then-No. 1 South Dakota State; Week 3: at No. 9 Southern Illinois

13. William & Mary (1-1, 0-0 CAA), 632

Previous Ranking:13; Week 2: 40-21 loss at Coastal Carolina; Week 3: at Wofford

14. Chattanooga (0-2, 0-0 SoCon), 610

Previous Ranking:11; Week 2: 24-21 loss at Georgia State; Week 3: No. 23 Mercer

15. UC Davis (1-1, 0-0 Big Sky), 578

Previous Ranking:18; Week 2: 36-22 win over Texas A&M-Commerce; Week 3: at Southern Utah

16. Tarleton State (2-1, 0-0 UAC), 452

Previous Ranking:20; Week 2: 35-18 win at HCU; Week 3: No game; Week 4: at North Alabama

17. UAlbany (1-1, 0-0 CAA), 430

Previous Ranking:16; Week 2: 49-14 loss at West Virginia (6 p.m., ESPN+); Week 3: at No. 4 Idaho

18. Illinois State (1-1, 0-0 MVFC), 374

Previous Ranking:21; Week 2: 24-17 win at North Alabama; Week 3: Western Illinois

19. Lafayette (1-1, 0-0 Patriot), 347

Previous Ranking:19; Week 2: 40-35 win at Monmouth; Week 3: Marist

20. Weber State (1-1, 1-0 Big Sky), 333

Previous Ranking:24; Week 2: 43-16 win over Portland State; Week 3: at Lamar

21. Youngstown State (1-1, 0-0 MVFC), 252

Previous Ranking:25; Week 2: 59-25 win over Valparaiso; Week 3: Duquesne

22. Elon (1-1, 0-0 CAA), 216

Previous Ranking: NR; Week 2: 41-19 win at North Carolina Central; Week 3: Western Carolina

23. Mercer (2-0, 0-0 SoCon), 207

Previous Ranking:NR; Week 2: 31-2 win at Bethune-Cookman; Week 3: at No. 14 Chattanooga

24. Nicholls (0-2, 0-0 Southland), 200

Previous Ranking:22; Week 2: 44-21 loss at LSU; Week 3: at No. 11 Sacramento State

25. Abilene Christian (1-1, 1-0 UAC), 122

Previous Ranking:NR; Week 2: 38-24 win overWest Georgia; Week 3: at Northern Colorado

Dropped Out: Richmond (14), Furman (15), Western Carolina (17)

After No. 1 SDSU, One-Loss Teams Abound in Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll

Press Release — Mon, 23 Oct 2023 15:39:03 +0000

Top-ranked South Dakota State sits alone as the only unbeaten team in FCS college football, but eight 6-1 teams only have a loss against an FBS opponent, and each was ranked on Monday in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll, presented by FedEx Ground.

They’re all at least tied for first place in their conference standings: No. 3 Furman, No. 4 South Dakota, No. 5 Delaware, No. 8 UIW, No. 13 North Carolina Central, No. 14 UT Martin, No. 16 Florida A&M and No. 21 Lafayette.

Lafayette moved into the national media poll for the first time since the 2009 season-ending rankings following a 38-35 victory at Holy Cross, which ended the Crusaders’ 18-game Patriot League winning streak. The Leopards were named the FedEx Ground FCS National Team of the Week.

South Dakota State (7-0) earned its third Top 25 win by defeating Southern Illinois 17-10. The defending national champion Jackrabbits, whose 21-game winning streak is tied for the eighth-longest in FCS history, next plays rival South Dakota in a first-place showdown in the MVFC.

A national media panel selects the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll. 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 Perform FCS Top 25 Poll (Oct. 23)

Presented by FedEx Ground

1. South Dakota State (7-0, 4-0 MVFC), 1,400 points (56 of 56 first-place votes)

Previous Ranking: 1; Week 8: 17-10 win at then-No. 12 Southern Illinois; Week 9: at South Dakota

2. Montana State (6-1, 4-0 Big Sky), 1,342

Previous Ranking: 2; Week 8: 42-30 win at then-No. 3 Sacramento State; Week 9: at Idaho

3. Furman (6-1, 4-0 SoCon), 1,266

Previous Ranking: 4; Week 8: 29-17 win at then-No. 8 Western Carolina; Week 9: ETSU

4. South Dakota (6-1, 4-0 MVFC), 1,133

Previous Ranking: 6; Week 8: 17-3 win at Indiana State; Week 9: South Dakota State

5. Delaware (6-1, 4-0 CAA), 1,079

Previous Ranking: 7; Week 8: 47-3 win at Hampton; Week 9: at Towson

6. Sacramento State (5-2, 2-2 Big Sky), 1,074

Previous Ranking: 3; Week 8: 42-30 loss to then-No. 2 Montana State; Week 9: Idaho State

7. Montana (6-1, 3-1 Big Sky), 1,056

Previous Ranking: 9; Week 8: No game; Week 9: Northern Colorado

8. UIW (6-1, 3-0 Southland), 1,038

Previous Ranking: 5; Week 8: 35-24 win at McNeese; Week 9: at Lamar

9. Idaho (5-2, 3-1 Big Sky), 1,005

Previous Ranking: 10; Week 8: No game; Week 9: Montana State

10. Western Carolina (5-2, 3-1 SoCon), 829

Previous Ranking: 8; Week 8: 29-17 loss to then-No. 4 Furman; Week 9: Mercer

11. Southern Illinois (5-2, 2-2 MVFC), 768

Previous Ranking: 12; Week 8: 17-10 loss to then-No. 1 South Dakota State; Week 9: at Western Illinois

12. North Dakota State (5-2, 2-2 MVFC), 750

Previous Ranking: 14; Week 8: 52-7 win over Western Illinois; Week 9: Murray State

13. North Carolina Central (6-1, 1-0 MEAC), 703

Previous Ranking: 16; Week 8: 16-10 win at Morgan State; Week 9: South Carolina State

14. UT Martin (6-1, 3-0 Big South-OVC), 677

Previous Ranking: 17; Week 8: 17-0 win over Charleston Southern; Week 9: at Gardner-Webb

15. North Dakota (4-3, 2-2 MVFC), 596

Previous Ranking: 11; Week 8: 27-0 loss at Northern Iowa; Week 9: Indiana State

16. Florida A&M (6-1, 5-0 SWAC), 497

Previous Ranking: 19; Week 8: 31-21 win at Texas Southern; Week 9: Prairie View A&M

17. Chattanooga (6-2, 5-1 Southern), 462

Previous Ranking: 21; Week 8: 34-3 win over ETSU; Week 9: at VMI

18. Central Arkansas (5-2, 2-0 UAC), 461

Previous Ranking: 20; Week 8: No game; Week 9: Tarleton

19. Villanova (5-2, 3-1 CAA), 319

Previous Ranking: 22; Week 8: No game; Week 9: Stony Brook

20. Austin Peay (5-2, 2-0 UAC), 227

Previous Ranking: 24; Week 8: 48-45 2-OT win at Southern Utah; Week 9: North Alabama

21. Lafayette (6-1, 2-0 Patriot), 218

Previous Ranking: NR; Week 8: 38-35 win at then-No. 15 Holy Cross; Week 9: at Georgetown

22. William & Mary (4-3, 2-2 CAA), 213

Previous Ranking: 13; Week 8: 34-24 loss to Towson; Week 9: Monmouth

23. Northern Iowa (4-3, 3-1 MVFC), 196

Previous Ranking: NR; Week 8:27-0 win over then-No. 11 North Dakota; Week 9: at Illinois State

24. Youngstown State (4-3, 2-2 MVFC), 181

Previous Ranking: 25; Week 8: 41-38 win over Illinois State; Week 9: Missouri State

25. UC Davis (4-3, 2-2 Big Sky), 164

Previous Ranking: 23; Week 8: No game; Week 9: at Northern Arizona

Dropped Out: Holy Cross (15), Harvard (18)

Others Receiving Votes (schools listed on two or more ballots): Holy Cross (4-3, 2-1 Patriot) 146; Harvard (5-1, 2-1 Ivy) 113;UAlbany (5-3, 3-1 CAA) 112; New Hampshire (4-3, 2-2 CAA) 74;Fordham (5-2, 1-1 Patriot) 51;Tennessee State (5-2, 1-1 Big South-OVC) 18; Eastern Washington (3-4, 2-2 Big Sky)7; Penn (5-1, 2-1 Ivy) 7;Weber State (3-5, 1-4 Big Sky)6; Lamar (4-3, 3-0 Southland) 4

UIW Rises to No. 5 in Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll; four from Big Sky in Top 10

Press Release — Mon, 16 Oct 2023 17:44:04 +0000

Given its recent offenses, UIW is rarely considered a team that goes slowly, but surely, but the Cardinals are doing just that while rising inthe Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll, presented by FedEx Ground.

The Cardinals climbed two more spots to a season-high No. 5 in the national media poll on Monday. It comes after a 28-11 win over Texas A&M-Commerce, the defending Southland Conference co-champion’s fifth in a row since a season-opening FBS loss at UTEP.

It’s been a different kind of season for the Cardinals (5-1, 2-0) under first-year coach Clint Killough. Last year’s FCS semifinalist squad averaged 51.5 points per game, which was second-highest in an FCS season. While the scoring is down to 34.5 points per game, their Steven Parker-led defense is surrendering just 24.7 points on average, by-far the lowest in the program’s Division I history (since 2013).

The top half of the rankings will swirl around UIW and other teams this week. On Saturday, three games will involve teams in the top 12: No. 1 South Dakota State at No. 12 Southern Illinois in the MVFC; No. 2 Montana State at No. 3 Sacramento State in the Big Sky; and No. 4 Furman at No. 8 Western Carolina in the Southern Conference.

While North Dakota State extended its streak of Top 25 appearances to 181, its run inside the Top 10 ended at 173. The Bison dropped from No. 6 to No. 14 following a 49-24 loss at rival North Dakota.

A national media panel selects the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll. 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 Perform FCS Top 25 Poll (Oct. 16)

1. South Dakota State (6-0, 3-0 MVFC), 1,400 points (56 of 56 first-place votes)

Previous Ranking: 1; Week 7: 41-6 win over Northern Iowa; Week 8: at Southern Illinois

2. Montana State (5-1, 3-0 Big Sky), 1,342

Previous Ranking: 2; Week 7: 59-19 win over Cal Poly; Week 8: at Sacramento State

3. Sacramento State (5-1, 2-1 Big Sky), 1,203

Previous Ranking: 4; Week 7: 21-13 win at Northern Colorado; Week 8: Montana State

4. Furman (5-1, 3-0 SoCon), 1,195

Previous Ranking: 5; Week 7: 27-21 win at Samford; Week 8: at Western Carolina

5. UIW (5-1, 2-0 Southland), 1,023

Previous Ranking: 7; Week 7: 28-11 win over Texas A&M-Commerce; Week 8: at McNeese

6. South Dakota (5-1, 3-0 MVFC), 1,002

Previous Ranking: 10; Week 7: 34-31 win over then-No. 23 Youngstown State; Week 8: at Indiana State

7. Delaware (5-1, 3-0 CAA), 985

Previous Ranking: 8; Week 7: 21-6 win over North Carolina A&T; Week 8: at Hampton

8. Western Carolina (5-1, 3-0 SoCon), 981

Previous Ranking: 9; Week 7: No game; Week 8: Furman

9. Montana (6-1, 3-1 Big Sky), 978

Previous Ranking: 16; Week 7: 23-21 win at then-No. 3 Idaho; Week 8: No game

10. Idaho (5-2, 3-1 Big Sky), 946

Previous Ranking: 3; Week 7: 23-21 loss to then-No. 16 Montana; Week 8: No game

11. North Dakota (4-2, 2-1 MVFC), 930

Previous Ranking: 15; Week 7: 49-24 win over then-No. 6 North Dakota State; Week 8: at Northern Iowa

12. Southern Illinois (5-1, 2-1 MVFC), 725

Previous Ranking: 13; Week 7: 27-6 win at Murray State; Week 8: South Dakota State

13. William & Mary (4-2, 2-1 CAA), 687

Previous Ranking: 11; Week 7: No game; Week 8: Towson

14. North Dakota State (4-2, 1-2 MVFC), 673

Previous Ranking: 6; Week 7: 49-24 loss at then-No. 15 North Dakota; Week 8: Western Illinois

15. Holy Cross (4-2, 2-0 Patriot), 653

Previous Ranking: 12; Week 7: No game; Week 8: Lafayette

16. North Carolina Central (5-1, 0-0 MEAC), 607

Previous Ranking: 14; Week 7: No game; Week 8: at Morgan State

17. UT Martin (5-1, 2-0 Big South-OVC), 504

Previous Ranking: 17; Week 7: No game; Week 8: Charleston Southern

18. Harvard (5-0, 2-0 Ivy), 446

Previous Ranking: 19; Week 7: 48-7 win over Howard; Week 8: at Princeton

19. Florida A&M (5-1, 4-0 SWAC), 403

Previous Ranking: 18; Week 7: No game; Week 8: at Texas Southern

20. Central Arkansas (5-2, 3-0 UAC), 373

Previous Ranking: 20; Week 7: 24-21 win over Stephen F. Austin; Week 8: No game

21. Chattanooga (5-2, 4-1 Southern), 268

Previous Ranking: 25; Week 7: 22-10 win at Mercer; Week 8: ETSU

22. Villanova (5-2, 3-1 CAA), 229

Previous Ranking: NR; Week 7: 21-0 win over Elon; Week 8: No game

23. UC Davis (4-3, 2-2 Big Sky), 136

Previous Ranking: NR; Week 7: 17-16 win at then-No. 22 Weber State; Week 8: No game

24. Austin Peay (4-2, 1-0 UAC), 125

Previous Ranking: NR; Week 7: 41-14 win over Gardner-Webb; Week 8: at Southern Utah

25. Youngstown State (3-3, 1-2 MVFC), 108

Previous Ranking: 23; Week 7: 34-31 loss at then-No. 10 South Dakota; Week 8: Illinois State

Dropped Out: Eastern Washington (21), Weber State (22), UAlbany (24)

Others Receiving Votes (schools listed on two or more ballots): New Hampshire (3-3, 1-2 CAA) 68; Fordham (5-2, 1-1 Patriot) 44; UAlbany (4-3, 2-1 CAA) 39; Lafayette (5-1, 1-0 Patriot) 32; Northern Iowa (3-3, 2-1 MVFC) 23; Weber State (3-4, 1-3 Big Sky) 23; Eastern Kentucky (3-3, 2-0 UAC) 13; Eastern Washington (2-4, 1-2 Big Sky) 13; Illinois State (4-2, 2-1 MVFC) 11; Tennessee State (4-2, 1-1 Big South-OVC) 6; Lamar (4-3, 3-0 Southland) 2

Three teams move into FCS Top 25 Poll; No. 1 ‘Jacks, No. 3 ‘Cats play this weekend

Colter Nuanez — Wed, 06 Sep 2023 02:59:52 +0000

Many factors were impacted by Florida A&M’s 28-10 win over Jackson State on Sunday, and it turned out one of them was a spot in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll, presented by FedEx Ground.

The Rattlers moved into the national media rankings at No. 23 on Monday, marking their first appearance since the 2021 season-ending poll.

Coach Willie Simmons’ squad won what’s generally considered the most-important game in the SWAC East Division, and it ended Jackson State’s 21-game winning streak against conference opponents. The Tigers (1-1), the two-time defending SWAC champions, opened the season one weekend earlier by defeating South Carolina State in the MEAC-SWAC Challenge.

Missouri Valley programs Southern Illinois (49-23 over Austin Peay) and Youngstown State (52-10 over Valparaiso) also moved into the poll at No. 24 and 25, respectively.

Top-ranked South Dakota State, the defending FCS champion, lost one first-place vote to North Dakota State. Montana State came in at No. 3 behind SDSU and NDSU, a spot Montana State has occupied for the better part of the last three seasons. On Saturday, No. 3 MSU plays at No. 1 SDSU in an anticipated sellout of Dana Dykhouse Stadium.

The Bobcats are one of three Big Sky Conference teams in the top 10. Idaho is No. 7 after blasting Lamar 42-10. Sacramento State also moved up one spot to No. 9 with a 38-24 at Nicholls. Weber State, Montana and UC Davis all moved up one spot to 12, 13 and 15, respecively, after season-opening wins. Weber State beat Central Washington 35-10. The Griz beat Butler 35-20. UC Davis rolled Texas A&M-Commerce 48-10.

The only movement within the top 10 involved UIW, which lost at UTEP, then dropped from No. 7 to 10, with the next three teams climbing one spot each.

A national media panel selects the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll. 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 Perform FCS Top 25 Poll (Sept. 4)

Presented by FedEx Ground

1. South Dakota State (1-0), 1,399 points (55 first-place votes)

Previous Ranking: 1; Week 1 Result: 45-7 win over Western Oregon

2. North Dakota State (1-0), 1,330 (1)

Previous Ranking: 2; Week 1 Result: 35-10 win over Eastern Washington

3. Montana State (1-0), 1,298

Previous Ranking: 3; Week 1 Result: 63-20 win over Utah Tech

4. William & Mary (1-0, 1-0 CAA), 1,184

Previous Ranking: 4; Week 1 Result: 34-24 win at Campbell

5. Holy Cross (1-0), 1,114

Previous Ranking: 5; Week 1 Result: 42-20 win over Merrimack

6. Furman (1-0), 1,075

Previous Ranking: 6; Week 1 Result: 45-10 win over Tennessee Tech

7. Idaho (1-0), 991

Previous Ranking: 8; Week 1 Result: 42-17 win at Lamar

8. Samford (1-0), 958

Previous Ranking: 9; Week 1 Result: 69-14 win over Shorter

9. Sacramento State (1-0), 925

Previous Ranking: 10; Week 1 Result: 38-24 win at Nicholls

10. UIW (0-1), 888

Previous Ranking: 7; Week 1 Result: 28-14 loss at UTEP

11. New Hampshire (1-0), 843

Previous Ranking: 11; Week 1 Result: 51-17 win at Stonehill

12. Weber State (1-0), 783

Previous Ranking: 13; Week 1 Result: 35-10 win over Central Washington

13. Montana (1-0), 706

Previous Ranking: 14; Week 1 Result: 35-20 win over Butler

14. Southeast Missouri (0-1), 667

Previous Ranking: 12; Week 1 Result: 45-0 loss at Kansas State

15. UC Davis (1-0), 617

Previous Ranking: 16; Week 1 Result: 48-10 win at Texas A&M-Commerce

16. Southeastern Louisiana (0-1), 578

Previous Ranking: 15; Week 1 Result: 48-7 loss at Mississippi State

17. North Dakota (1-0), 524

Previous Ranking: 17; Week 1 Result: 55-7 win over Drake

18. North Carolina Central (1-0), 387

Previous Ranking: 19; Week 1 Result: 47-21 win over Winston Salem State

19. Delaware (1-0, 1-0 CAA), 317

Previous Ranking: 22; Week 1 Result: 37-13 win at Stony Brook

20. Mercer (1-1), 240

Previous Ranking: 20; Week 0 and 1 Results: 17-7 win over North Alabama; 73-7 loss at Ole Miss

21. Northern Iowa (0-1), 190

Previous Ranking: 23; Week 1 Result: 30-9 loss at Iowa State

22. Rhode Island (0-1), 167

Previous Ranking: 21; Week 1 Result: 42-35 loss at Georgia State

23. Florida A&M (1-0), 154

Previous Ranking: NR; Week 1 Result: 28-10 win over Jackson State

24. Southern Illinois (1-0), 152

Previous Ranking: NR; Week 1 Result: 49-23 win over Austin Peay

25. Youngstown State (1-0), 103

Previous Ranking: NR; Week 1 Result: 52-10 win over Valparaiso

Dropped Out: Richmond (18), Eastern Kentucky (24), Gardner-Webb (25)

Others Receiving Votes (schools listed on two or more ballots): Eastern Kentucky (0-1) 90; Richmond (0-1) 89; Central Arkansas (0-1) 78; Gardner-Webb (0-1) 67;Villanova (1-0) 66; Elon (0-1) 40;UT Martin (0-1) 38;Abilene Christian (1-0) 32;Morgan State (1-0) 31;UAlbany (1-1) 22;Yale (0-0) 13; Jackson State (1-1) 12;Tarleton (1-0) 9;St. Thomas (1-0) 7; Saint Francis (0-1) 3

Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Voters – Stats Perform: Craig Haley, Gary Reasons. Big Sky Conference: Doug Kelly,Tyson Rodgers,Larry Weir.Big South-OVC Football Association: Mike Bradd, Brian Cleary, Kyle Schwartz, Mark Simpson. CAA Football: Matt Harmon,Scott Klatzkin, Rob Washburn. Ivy League: Rick Bender, Craig Larson.Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference: Kendrick Lewis, Patricia Porter-Mayfield.Missouri Valley Football Conference: Dom Izzo, Mike Kern, Randy Reinhardt.Northeast Conference: Sarah Boissonneault, Randy Brochu.Patriot League: Eric Malanoski, Ryan Sakamoto.Pioneer Football League: Cody Bush, Jack Cronin.Southern Conference: Scott Keeler, Andrew Miller, Ralan Wardlaw.Southland Conference: Matthew Bonnette, James Dixon, James Hill. Southwestern Athletic Conference: Ronnie Johnson, Joshua Padilla. United Athletic Conference: Steve East, Tony Jones, Brian Morgan, Jake Withee. National Representatives: Sean Anderson,Zack Carlton, Riley Corcoran, Joe DeLeone, Steven J. Gaither, Sam Herder,Emory Hunt, Kyle Kensing, Brandon Lawrence, Zach McKinnell, Brian McLaughlin,Jon Passman, Omar Rashon Borja, Ryan Roberts, Kent Schmidt, Phil Sokol,Reggie Thomas, Ralph Ventre, Jamie Williams.

Defending champion SDSU is unanimous No. 1 in FCS Preseason Top 25 Poll; six Big Sky teams ranked in Top 16

Press Release — Mon, 07 Aug 2023 16:04:33 +0000

Everybody loves the thrilling moment when they can exalt, “We’re No. 1!”

The defending national champion South Dakota State Jackrabbits, who were a unanimous selection atop the Stats Perform FCS Preseason Top 25 Poll, presented by FedEx Ground and unveiled on Monday, feel there’s responsibility that accompanies the lofty position.

“I think it sets you apart as far as a standard,” said first-year coach Jimmy Rogers, the top assistant on last year’s coaching staff under John Stiegelmeier who helped guide the Jackrabbits to their first-ever No. 1 ranking in midseason and didn’t relinquish it in a 14-1, title-winning campaign.

“What does it mean? It means we’re at a point right now that the outside world expects a lot. But we need to expect more from ourselves than from what you guys expect from us.”

South Dakota State received all 56 first-place votes in the national media poll to outdistance fellow Missouri Valley Football Conference power North Dakota State. The Jackrabbits dethroned the Bison, who had won nine of the previous 11 titles, 45-21 in the 2022 national championship game.

The Big Sky Conference, led by No. 3 Montana State, had the most ranked teams with six. CAA Football collected the second-most with five, including No. 4 William & Mary, as nine of the 13 leagues were represented in the preseason poll.

A national media panel selects the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll. 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 Perform FCS Preseason Top 25 Poll, Presented by FedEx Ground

1. South Dakota State (2022 Season: 14–1, 8–0 Missouri Valley), 1,400 points (56 first-place votes)

2023 Season Opener: Aug. 31 vs. Western Oregon

2. North Dakota State (12–3, 7–1 Missouri Valley), 1,329

2023 Season Opener: Sept. 2 vs. Eastern Washington (in Minneapolis)

3. Montana State (12–2, 8–0 Big Sky), 1,294

2023 Season Opener: Sept. 2 vs. Utah Tech

4. William & Mary (11–2, 7–1 CAA), 1,172

2023 Season Opener: Aug. 31 at Campbell

5. Holy Cross (12–1, 6–0 Patriot), 1,113

2023 Season Opener: Sept. 2 vs. Merrimack

6. Furman (10–3, 7–1 Southern), 1,035

2023 Season Opener: Aug. 31 vs. Tennessee Tech

7. UIW (12–2, 5–1 Southland), 935

2023 Season Opener: Sept. 2 at UTEP.

8. Idaho (7–5, 6–2 Big Sky), 932

2023 Season Opener: Aug. 31 at Lamar

9. Samford (11–2, 8–0 Southern), 885

2023 Season Opener: Aug. 31 vs. Shorter

10. Sacramento State (12–1, 8–0 Big Sky), 881

2023 Season Opener: Aug. 31 at Nicholls

11. New Hampshire (9–4, 7–1 CAA), 798

2023 Season Opener: Sept. 2 at Stonehill

12. Southeast Missouri (9-3, 5-0 Ohio Valley), 768

2023 Season Opener: Sept. 2 at Kansas State

13. Weber State (10–3, 6–2 Big Sky), 744

2023 Season Opener: Aug. 31 vs. Central Washington

14. Montana (8–5, 4–4 Big Sky), 711

2023 Season Opener: Sept. 2 vs. Butler

15. Southeastern Louisiana (9–4, 5–1 Southland), 710

2023 Season Opener: Sept. 2 at Mississippi State

16. UC Davis (6–5, 5–3 Big Sky), 513

2023 Season Opener: Aug. 31 at Texas A&M-Commerce

17. North Dakota (7–5, 5–3 Missouri Valley), 479

2023 Season Opener: Sept. 2 vs. Drake

18. Richmond (9–4, 6–2 CAA), 387

2023 Season Opener: Sept. 2 vs. Morgan State

19. North Carolina Central (10–2, 4–1 MEAC), 330

2023 Season Opener: Sept. 2 vs. Winston Salem State

20. Mercer (7–4, 5–3 Southern), 293

2023 Season Opener: Aug. 26 vs. North Alabama

21. Rhode Island (7–4, 5–3 CAA), 169

2023 Season Opener: Aug. 31 at Georgia State

22. Delaware (8-5, 4-4 CAA), 166

2023 Season Opener: Aug. 31 at Stony Brook

23. Northern Iowa (6-5, 5-3 Missouri Valley), 155

2023 Season Opener: Sept. 2 at Iowa State

24. Eastern Kentucky (7-5, 3-2 ASUN), 137

2023 Season Opener: Sept. 2 at Cincinnati

25. Gardner-Webb (7-6, 5-0 Big South), 129

2023 Season Opener: Sept. 2 at Appalachian State

Others Receiving Votes (schools listed on two or more ballots): Central Arkansas (5–6, 3–2 ASUN) 110, Chattanooga (7-4, 5-3 Southern) 84, Jackson State (12-1, 8-0 SWAC) 71, Southern Illinois (5–6, 4–4 Missouri Valley) 66, Youngstown State (7-4, 5-3 Missouri Valley) 66, Florida A&M (9-2, 7-1 SWAC) 65, UT Martin (7–4, 5–0 Ohio Valley) 65, Elon (8-4, 6-2 CAA) 61, Austin Peay (7-4, 3-2 ASUN) 40, Fordham (9-3, 5-1 Patriot) 28, Yale (8-2, 6-1 Ivy) 18, Villanova (6-5, 4-4 CAA) 8, McNeese (4-7, 2-4 Southland) 7, Abilene Christian (7-4, 3-1 WAC) 6, St. Thomas (10-1, 8-0 Pioneer) 6, Saint Francis (9-3, 7-0 NEC) 5

Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Voters – Stats Perform: Craig Haley, Gary Reasons. Big Sky Conference: Doug Kelly,Tyson Rodgers,Larry Weir. Big South-OVC Football Association: Mike Bradd, Brian Cleary, Kyle Schwartz, Mark Simpson. CAA Football: Matt Harmon,Scott Klatzkin, Rob Washburn. Ivy League: Rick Bender, Craig Larson. Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference: Kendrick Lewis, Patricia Porter-Mayfield. Missouri Valley Football Conference: Dom Izzo, Mike Kern, Randy Reinhardt. Northeast Conference: Sarah Boissonneault, Randy Brochu. Patriot League: Eric Malanoski, Ryan Sakamoto. Pioneer Football League: Cody Bush, Jack Cronin.Southern Conference: Scott Keeler, Andrew Miller, Ralan Wardlaw. Southland Conference: Matthew Bonnette, James Dixon, James Hill. Southwestern Athletic Conference: Ronnie Johnson, Joshua Padilla. United Athletic Conference: Steve East, Tony Jones, Brian Morgan, Jake Withee. National Representatives: Sean Anderson,Zack Carlton, Riley Corcoran, Joe DeLeone, Steven J. Gaither, Sam Herder,Emory Hunt, Kyle Kensing, Brandon Lawrence, Zach McKinnell, Brian McLaughlin,Jon Passman, Omar Rashon Borja, Ryan Roberts, Kent Schmidt, Phil Sokol,Reggie Thomas, Ralph Ventre, Jamie Williams.

Montana State tabbed preseason Big Sky men’s hoops favorites

Press Release — Fri, 28 Oct 2022 02:12:48 +0000

FARMINGTON, Utah (October 26, 2022) – As the 2022-23 Big Sky Conference men’s basketball season inches closer and closer to tipping off, the league office has announced the results of its Preseason Coaches’ and Media Polls where Montana State has emerged as the favorites following a historic season on the hardwood.

The Bobcats, who claimed both regular season and tournament titles last season, received eight first-place votes in the coaches’ poll and 19 in the media poll to secure their spot as the clear favorites in the league going into the season.

MSU finished its last campaign with a 27-8 overall record, and a 16-4 mark in Big Sky Conference play. They knocked off Northern Colorado to claim the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1996.

Those same Bears were tabbed second in the conference by both coaches and media, following up a season where they finished 23-12 overall and 14-6 in Big Sky play. UNC garnered six first-place votes in the media poll, and one in the coaches’ poll.

The Montana Grizzlies were selected third by both coaches and media. The Griz were back-to-back Big Sky Conference champions from 2017-19, claiming the final tournament trophy awarded in Reno and the first in Boise.

Weber State and Eastern Washington rounded out the top five in fourth and fifth respectively, following up on impressive seasons.

First year head coach David Patrick has turned some heads at Sacramento State, as the Hornets were tabbed sixth in the league by both entities.

The 2023 Big Sky Conference Basketball Championships will take place once again in Boise, Idaho, and run from March 4-8.

2022-23 Men’s Basketball Coaches’ Poll Results

Montana State – 80 Points (8 First Place Votes)
Northern Colorado – 69 Points (1 First Place Vote)
Montana – 64 Points (1 First Place Vote)
Weber State – 55 Points
Eastern Washington – 53 Points
Sacramento State – 42 Points

T7. Northern Arizona – 27 Points

T7. Portland State – 27 Points

Idaho – 17 Points
Idaho State – 16 Points

2022-23 Men’s Basketball Media Poll Results

Montana State – 258 Points (19 First Place Votes)
Northern Colorado – 231 Points (6 First Place Votes)
Montana – 204 Points (1 First Place Vote)
Weber State – 189 Points (1 First Place Vote)
Eastern Washington – 173 Points
Sacramento State – 129 Points
Portland State – 118 Points
Northern Arizona – 78 Points
Idaho – 64 Points
Idaho State – 41 Points

Montana State Selected as preseason women’s basketball favorite

Press Release — Thu, 27 Oct 2022 23:42:37 +0000

FARMINGTON, Utah (October 26, 2022) – As teams prepare to tip-off the 2022-23 Big Sky Conference’s women’s basketball season, the league office has announced the results of its Preseason Coaches’ and Media Polls as Montana State was chosen as the favorite following their successful season and championship run.

Montana State was picked unanimously to win the league in the coaches’ poll, with head coaches not being able to vote for their own team. The Bobcats received 24 first place votes in the media poll.

The Bobcats finished the 2021-22 season with a 22-12 overall record, and a 14-6 record in Big Sky Conference play. They received the championship title after defeating Northern Arizona in the final round of the Big Sky Conference tournament. Their championship success also earned them a spot in the NCAA Tournament.

The Montana Grizzlies were tabbed second in the conference by both coaches and media. The Griz finished with a 19-11 overall record and a 12-8 record in league play. Montana earned one first place vote in the media poll.

The media and the coaches have differing thoughts on which team will take the third and fourth place slot but both groups agree that Northern Arizona and Idaho will finish in either place. The media voted that the Lumberjacks will finish in third and the Vandals will finish fourth, while the coaches have the choices flipped as they tabbed the Vandals in third (earning one first place vote) and the Lumberjacks in fourth.

Both the media and the coaches tabbed Sacramento State fifth.

The 2022-23 Preseason All-Conference Team will be announced tomorrow (Thursday, October 27) at 10 a.m. MT.

The 2023 Big Sky Conference Basketball Championships will take place once again in Boise, Idaho, and run from March 4-8.

2022-23 Women’s Basketball Coaches’ Poll Results

Montana State – 81 Points (9 First Place Votes)
Montana – 65 Points
Idaho – 62 Points (1 First Place Vote)
Northern Arizona – 60 Points
Sacramento State – 46 Points
Eastern Washington – 37 Points
Weber State – 31 Points
Idaho State – 30 Points
Northern Colorado – 28 Points
Portland State – 10 Points

2022-23 Women’s Basketball Media Poll Results

Montana State – 257 Points (24 First Place Votes)
Montana – 204 Points (1 First Place Vote)
Northern Arizona – 189 Points
Idaho – 187 Points
Sacramento State – 146 Points (1 First Place Vote)
Idaho State – 132 Points
Northern Colorado – 102 Points
Eastern Washington – 98 Points
Weber State – 87 Points
Portland State – 28 Points

Among 12 teams without FCS loss, two reside in Big Sky; BSC has 3 in top 5 of Top 25

Press Release — Mon, 24 Oct 2022 19:22:13 +0000

Five unbeaten FCS teams are rightfully receiving national attention, and one of them, Jackson State, is about to be the center of the college football world by hosting ESPN’s iconic pregame show “College GameDay.”

Heading into the final weekend of October, though, there are seven other teams that remain unbeaten against FCS opponents with only losses to FBS foes. Each was ranked in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 on Monday.

Top-ranked South Dakota State (7-1) leads the way in the national media poll, coming off a 49-35 road win at then-No. 20 North Dakota. Third-ranked Montana State (7-1), No. 7 Chattanooga (6-1), No. 13 Samford (6-1), No. 14 Idaho (5-2), No. 15 Southeast Missouri (6-1) and No. 22 Fordham (7-1) also are unbeaten against FCS foes.

The overall unbeatens are No. 2 Sacramento State (7-0) from the Big Sky, co-No. 5 Holy Cross (7-0) from the Patriot League, No. 9 Jackson State (7-0) from the SWAC and the Ivy League pair of Princeton (6-0) and Penn (6-0). Princeton is the second team outside the Top 25 and Penn also is receiving votes.

Jackson State will host “GameDay” Saturday morning before it plays Southern. The Idaho at Sacramento State and Fordham at Holy Cross matchups also are headline games and guarantee at least two teams will suffer their first FCS loss.

A national media panel selects the Stats Perform 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 Perform FCS Top 25 (Oct. 24)

1. South Dakota State (7-1, 5-0 MVFC), 1,347 points (51 first-place votes)

Previous Ranking: 1; Week 8 Result: 49-35 win at then-No. 20 North Dakota

2. Sacramento State (7-0, 4-0 Big Sky), 1,268 (2)

Previous Ranking: 2; Week 8 Result: 31-24 OT win over then-No. 7 Montana

3. Montana State (7-1, 5-0 Big Sky), 1,249

Previous Ranking: 3; Week 8 Result: 43-38 win over then-No. 5 Weber State

4. North Dakota State (5-2, 3-1 MVFC), 1,195

Previous Ranking: 4; Week 8 Result: No game

5.(tie) Weber State (6-1, 3-1 Big Sky), 1,014

Previous Ranking: 5; Week 8 Result: 43-38 loss at then-No. 3 Montana State

5.(tie) Holy Cross (7-0, 3-0 Patriot), 1,014

Previous Ranking: 6; Week 8 Result: 24-21 win at Lafayette

7. Chattanooga (6-1, 4-0 Southern), 995

Previous Ranking: 10; Week 8 Result: 41-21 win over then-No. 11 Mercer

8. UIW (7-1, 3-1 Southland), 979

Previous Ranking: 8; Week 8 Result: 70-0 win over Faulkner

9. Jackson State (7-0, 4-0 SWAC), 918 (1)

Previous Ranking: 9; Week 8 Result: 22-14 win over Campbell

10. William & Mary (6-1, 3-1 CAA), 848

Previous Ranking: 12; Week 8 Result: 44-24 win at Towson

11. Montana (5-2, 2-2 Big Sky), 824

Previous Ranking: 7; Week 8 Result: 31-24 OT lossat then-No. 2 Sacramento State

12. Delaware (6-1, 3-1 CAA), 779

Previous Ranking: 13; Week 8 Result: 38-7 win over Morgan State

13. Samford (6-1, 4-0 Southern), 684

Previous Ranking: 15; Week 8 Result: 55-45 win at ETSU

14. Idaho (5-2, 4-0 Big Sky), 606

Previous Ranking: 17; Week 8 Result: 56-21 win over Portland State

15. Southeast Missouri (6-1, 2-0 Ohio Valley), 578

Previous Ranking: 16; Week 8 Result: 51-16 win at Northwestern State

16. Mercer (6-2, 4-1 Southern), 547

Previous Ranking: 11; Week 8 Result: 41-21 loss at then-No. 10 Chattanooga

17. Richmond (5-2, 3-1 CAA), 455

Previous Ranking: 19; Week 8 Result: 41-10 win at Hampton

18. Rhode Island (5-2, 3-1 CAA), 330

Previous Ranking: 22; Week 8 Result: 48-46, seven-OT win at Monmouth

19. New Hampshire (6-2, 5-0 CAA), 315

Previous Ranking: 25; Week 8 Result: 40-22 win over then-No. 21 Elon

20. Southern Illinois (5-3, 4-1 MVFC), 270

Previous Ranking: 14; Week 8 Result: 27-24 loss at South Dakota

21. UT Martin (4-3, 3-0 Ohio Valley), 257

Previous Ranking: 18; Week 8 Result: 65-24 loss at Tennessee

22. Fordham (6-1, 2-0 Patriot), 253

Previous Ranking: 23; Week 8 Result: No game

23. North Dakota (4-3, 3-2 MVFC), 185

Previous Ranking: 20; Week 8 Result: 49-35 loss to then-No. 1 South Dakota State

24. Furman (6-2, 4-1 Southern), 171

Previous Ranking: Not Ranked; Week 8 Result: 41-3 win at VMI

25. Austin Peay (5-2, 5-1 ASUN-WAC), 159

Previous Ranking: 24; Week 8 Result: No game

Dropped Out: Elon (21)

Others Receiving Votes (schools listed on two or more ballots): Southeastern Louisiana (4-3, 1-1 Southland) 64, Princeton (6-0, 3-0 Ivy) 62, Stephen F. Austin (5-3, 4-0 ASUN-WAC) 39, Elon (5-3, 3-2 CAA) 30, Illinois State (5-2, 3-1 MVFC) 26, Villanova (4-3, 2-2 CAA) 25, Abilene Christian (5-2, 4-1 ASUN-WAC) 16, Eastern Kentucky (4-3, 4-2 ASUN-WAC) 15, Campbell (4-3, 2-0 Big South) 7, Penn (6-0, 3-0 Ivy) 7

Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Voters – Stats Perform: Craig Haley, Gary Reasons. ASUN: John Bednarowski, Brian Morgan. Big Sky Conference: Doug Kelly,Tyson Rodgers,Larry Weir. Big South Conference: Brian Cleary, Mark Simpson. CAA Football: Matt Harmon,Scott Klatzkin, Rob Washburn. Ivy League: Rick Bender, Craig Larson. Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference: Bill Hamilton, Maurice Williams. Missouri Valley Football Conference: Dom Izzo, Mike Kern, Randy Reinhardt. Northeast Conference: Sarah Boissonneault, Randy Brochu. Ohio Valley Conference: Mike Bradd, Kyle Schwartz. Patriot League: Eric Malanowski, Ryan Sakamoto. Pioneer Football League: Cody Bush, Jack Cronin.Southern Conference: Scott Keeler, Andrew Miller, Phil Perry. Southland Conference: Matthew Bonnette, James Dixon,Josh Manck. Southwestern Athletic Conference: Ronnie Johnson, Andrew Roberts, Jacob Shames. Western Athletic Conference: Eric Danner, Dennis Driscoll. National Representatives: Josh Buchanan, Zack Carlton, Riley Corcoran, Sam Herder,Emory Hunt, Kyle Kensing, Brandon Lawrence, Zach McKinnell, Brian McLaughlin,Jon Passman, Kent Schmidt, Lawrence Smith, Phil Sokol,Reggie Thomas, Ralph Ventre, Jamie Williams.