(STATS) – Top teams in the STATS FCS Top 25 have surged into the FCS playoffs with strong finishes to the regular season.
The five highest-ranked teams, led by unanimous No. 1 North Dakota State, went unchanged from last week in the new national media poll Sunday morning. In fact, the Bison (11-0), Kennesaw State (10-1), Weber State (9-2), Eastern Washington (9-2) and South Dakota State (8-2) carry at least a four-game winning streak into the playoffs.
The 24-team pairings were set to be announced later on Sunday.
North Dakota State received all 155 first-place votes in the final regular-season poll. The Bison, who beat Southern Illinois 65-17 on Saturday to finish a perfect run through the Missouri Valley Football Conference, are seeking a record seventh FCS title.
“It’s something that’s really special,” coach Chris Klieman said about the regular season. “I know that we’re judged by what we do in the postseason.”
Princeton (10-0), which rose one spot to No. 10, finished its season with an unbeaten record. The Ivy League doesn’t send its champion to the playoffs.
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.
The final poll will be announced after the playoffs on Jan. 7.
STATS FCS Top 25 (Nov. 18)
1. North Dakota State (11-0), 3,875 points (155 first-place votes)
Previous Ranking: 1; Last Week’s Result: 65-17 win over Southern Illinois
2. Kennesaw State (10-1), 3,677
Previous Ranking: 2; Last Week’s Result: 60-52, five-OT win over Jacksonville State
3. Weber State (9-2), 3,520
Previous Ranking: 3; Last Week’s Result: 26-13 win over Idaho State
4. Eastern Washington (9-2), 3,413
Previous Ranking: 4; Last Week’s Result: 74-23 win over Portland State
5. South Dakota State (8-2), 3,274
Previous Ranking: 5; Last Week’s Result: 49-27 win over South Dakota
6. James Madison (8-3), 2,978
Previous Ranking: 7; Last Week’s Result: 38-17 win over Towson
7. UC Davis (9-2), 2,761
Previous Ranking: 9; Last Week’s Result: 56-13 win over Sacramento State
8. Jacksonville State (8-3), 2,649
Previous Ranking: 6; Last Week’s Result: 60-52, five-OT loss to Kennesaw State
9. Colgate (9-1), 2,521
Previous Ranking: 8; Last Week’s Result: 28-14 loss to Army West Point
10. Princeton (10-0), 2,322
Previous Ranking: 11; Last Week’s Result: 42-14 win over Penn
11. North Carolina A&T (9-2), 2,273
Previous Ranking: 12; Last Week’s Result: 45-0 win over North Carolina Central
12. Maine (8-3), 2,218
Previous Ranking: 16; Last Week’s Result: 27-26 win over Elon
13. Wofford (8-3), 2,185
Previous Ranking: 13; Last Week’s Result: 45-21 win over Presbyterian
14. Nicholls (8-3), 1,906
Previous Ranking: 18; Last Week’s Result: 44-0 win over Southeastern Louisiana
15. Stony Brook (7-4), 1,413
Previous Ranking: 10; Last Week’s Result: 25-23 loss to Albany
16. Towson (7-4), 1,359
Previous Ranking: 15; Last Week’s Result: 38-17 loss to James Madison
17. Elon (6-4), 1,272
Previous Ranking: 14; Last Week’s Result: 27-26 loss to Maine
18. Dartmouth (9-1), 1,188
Previous Ranking: 20; Last Week’s Result: 49-7 win over Brown
19. San Diego (9-2), 918
Previous Ranking: 21; Last Week’s Result: 31-14 win over Marist
20. Southeast Missouri State (8-3), 896
Previous Ranking: 23; Last Week’s Result: 38-32 win over Eastern Illinois
21. Delaware (7-4), 791
Previous Ranking: 17; Last Week’s Result: 42-21 loss to Delaware
22. ETSU (8-3), 642
Previous Ranking: 19; Last Week’s Result: 38-27 loss to Samford
23. Montana State (7-4), 550
Previous Ranking: 25; Last Week’s Result: 29-25 win over Montana
24. UIW (6-4), 484
Previous Ranking: 24; Last Week’s Result: Bye
25. Indiana State (7-4), 350
Previous Ranking: NR; Last Week’s Result: 15-13 win over Western Illinois
Dropped Out: McNeese
Others Receiving Votes: Lamar 294, Northern Iowa 128, Alcorn State 127, Furman 118, Monmouth 79, Duquesne 40, McNeese 37, Illinois State 23, Idaho State 19, North Dakota 15, Samford 13, Sam Houston State 12, Rhode Island 11, Central Arkansas 7, Eastern Kentucky 6, Southern 5, Abilene Christian 3, Montana 2, Stetson 2
Press release courtest of Craig Haley – STATS. All Rights Reserved.
