FCS National Polls (Oct. 21)
Two-time defending national champ North Dakota State headlines a list of four MVFC teams who appear in the polls this week.
Massey Rankings, Team Leaders (Top 12)
1. North Dakota State
2. South Dakota State
3. James Madison
4. Sacramento State
5. Montana
6. Dartmouth
7. Princeton
8. Weber State
9. UNI
10. Villanova
11. UC Davis
12. Illinois State
Among conferences, the MVFC is the top-rated league in the FCS (Sagarin), and four MVFC schools are in the Top 11.
Sagarin Rankings, Team Leaders (FCS)
1. North Dakota State
2. James Madison (CAA)
3. South Dakota State
4. Montana (Big Sky)
5. Sacramento State (Big Sky)
6. UNI
7. Weber State (Big Sky)
8. Princeton (Ivy)
9. Dartmouth (Ivy)
10. Villanova (SoCon)
11. Illinois State
Sagarin Rankings, Conference Leaders (FCS)
1. MISSOURI VALLEY
2. Big Sky
3. CAA Football
4. Ivy
5. Southland
UNI’s strength of schedule has been rated the toughest in the FCS, according to the Massey Ratings.
Strength of Schedule Ratings, Massey Ratings
1. UNI
11. Missouri State
15. South Dakota
16. Southern Illinois
20. South Dakota State
27. North Dakota State
30. Illinois State
FCS AFCA TOP-25 POLL (Oct. 21)
WACO, TEX.– In front of one of the largest crowds in Hornet Stadium history, Sacramento State completely dominated then-No. 6 Montana, 49-22, to jump from No. 17 to No. 8 in this week’s AFCA FCS Coaches’ Top 25 Poll. Montana was the third straight ranked opponent that Sacramento State has beaten in as many weeks. The Hornets are 3-0 in Big Sky Conference play for the first time in school history.
North Dakota State still sits No. 1 after a 22-0 blanking of Missouri State. The Bison will take part in one of four Top 25 matchups this coming weekend as they travel to No. 3 South Dakota State. The winner will be in sole possession of first place in the Missouri Valley Football Conference.
The rest of the Top 25 matchups include No. 2 James Madison playing host to No. 17 Towson while No. 5 Weber State travels to No. 22 UC Davis. The final matchup sees No. 10 Central Arkansas hosting No. 25 Sam Houston State. The Bearcats jumped back into the poll this week after upsetting then-No. 9 Nicholls, 17-0. The other two newcomers to this week’s poll are No. 23 Florida A&M and No. 24 Central Connecticut State. The Rattlers took down then-No. 11 North Carolina A&T, 34-31, in overtime, to assure their spot in the Top 25.
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Week 8 Next Game
1. North Dakota St. (26) 7-0 650 1 D. Missouri St., 22-0 Oct. 26 at No. 3 South Dakota St.
2. James Madison 7-1 622 2 D. William & Mary, 38-10 Oct. 26 vs. No. 17 Towson
3. South Dakota St. 6-1 600 3 D. Indiana St., 42-23 Oct. 26 vs. No. 1 North Dakota St.
4. Kennesaw St. 6-1 561 4 D. Presbyterian, 55-10 Oct. 26 vs. North Alabama
5. Weber St. 5-2 552 5 D. Northern Arizona, 51-28 Oct. 26 at No. 22 UC Davis
6. Villanova 6-1 516 7 Idle Oct. 26 vs. Stony Brook
7. Illinois St. 5-2 484 10 D. Western Illinois, 28-14 Oct. 26 vs. Indiana St.
8. Sacramento St. 5-2 422 17 D. No. 6 Montana, 49-22 Oct. 26 at Cal Poly
9. Montana St. 5-2 420 12 Idle Oct. 26 at North Dakota
10. Central Arkansas 5-2 400 13 D. Northwestern St., 31-30 Oct. 26 vs. No. 25 Sam Houston St.
11. Montana 5-2 388 6 Lost to No. 17 Sacramento St., 49-22 Oct. 26 vs. Eastern Washington
12. Northern Iowa 4-3 377 15 D. South Dakota, 42-27 Oct. 26 at Missouri St.
13. Princeton 5-0 323 16 D. Brown, 65-22 Oct. 26 vs. Harvard
14. Furman 4-3 268 8 Lost to The Citadel, 27-10 Oct. 26 at Western Carolina
15. Nicholls 4-3 232 9 Lost to Sam Houston St., 17-0 Oct. 26 vs. Abilene Christian
16. Dartmouth 5-0 225 21 D. Marist, 49-7 Oct. 25 vs. Columbia
17. Towson 4-3 212 20 D. Bucknell, 56-7 Oct. 26 at No. 2 James Madison
18. North Carolina A&T 4-2 207 11 Lost to Florida A&M, 34-31 OT Oct. 26 vs. Howard
19. Delaware 4-3 115 24 D. No. 23 New Hampshire, 16-10 Oct. 26 vs. Richmond
20. UIW 5-2 113 25 D. Lamar, 35-17 Oct. 26 vs. Northwestern St.
21. Jacksonville St. 5-3 101 14 Lost to Southeast Missouri St., 24-21 Oct. 26 vs. Murray St.
22. UC Davis 4-4 96 22 D. Southern Utah, 33-25 Oct. 26 vs. No. 5 Weber St.
23. Florida A&M 6-1 86 NR D. No. 11 North Carolina A&T, 34-31 OT Oct. 26 at Morgan St.
24. Central Connecticut St. 6-1 83 NR D. Bryant, 52-14 Oct. 26 vs. LIU
25. Sam Houston St. 5-3 75 NR D. No. 9 Nicholls, 17-0 Oct. 26 at No. 10 Central Arkansas
Others Receiving Votes: UT Martin, 71; Southeast Missouri St., 65; Wofford, 43; Austin Peay, 27; Portland St., 21; Campbell, 19; Monmouth (N.J.), 18; Youngstown St., 18; New Hampshire, 16; Alcorn St., 9; North Dakota, 7; Albany, 3; Chattanooga, 2; San Diego, 2.
STATS FCS Top 25 (Oct. 21)
CHICAGO – Oct. 21, 2019 – South Dakota State made its 100th consecutive appearance in the STATS FCS Top 25 on Monday.
On Saturday, the No. 3 Jackrabbits hope to celebrate with an upset of the only team with a longer active run in the national media poll.
The ‘Rabbits (6-1) have turned 100 heading into their biggest game of the FCS regular season against No. 1 North Dakota State (7-0), which has made 128 straight appearances in the Top 25. NDSU lost in its last visit to Brookings on Nov. 4, 2017, but the Bison have gone on to win 28 straight games, including two over SDSU last season on the way to capturing their second straight national title.
Saturday’s rivalry matchup is so big that it is drawing ESPN’s iconic “College GameDay” pregame show to SDSU.
Standing in between the two Missouri Valley Football Conference co-leaders in the rankings is CAA front-runner James Madison (7-1). The three powers have held the same 1, 2 and 3 spots since the preseason poll.
Sam Houston State (21) and Southeast Missouri (24) returned to the Top 25 after being ranked earlier this season. MEAC member Florida A&M entered at No. 20 – the Rattlers’ first appearance since the 2009 postseason poll.
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.
1. North Dakota State (7-0), 3,972 points (156 first-place votes)
Previous Ranking: 1; Last Week’s Result: 22-0 win over Missouri State
2. James Madison (7-1), 3,765 (3 first-place votes)
Previous Ranking: 2; Last Week’s Result: 38-10 win over William & Mary
3. South Dakota State (6-1), 3,677
Previous Ranking: 3; Last Week’s Result: 42-23 win over Indiana State
4. Weber State (5-2), 3,443
Previous Ranking: 4; Last Week’s Result: 51-28 win over Northern Arizona
5. Villanova (6-1), 3,168
Previous Ranking: 7; Last Week’s Result: Bye
6. Kennesaw State (6-1), 3,137
Previous Ranking: 6; Last Week’s Result: 55-10 win over Presbyterian
7. Sacramento State (5-2), 2,927
Previous Ranking: 15; Last Week’s Result: 49-22 win over Montana
8. Illinois State (5-2), 2,781
Previous Ranking: 11; Last Week’s Result: 28-14 win over Western Illinois
9. Montana State (5-2), 2,528
Previous Ranking: 12; Last Week’s Result: Bye
10. Montana (5-2), 2,422
Previous Ranking: 5; Last Week’s Result: 49-22 loss to Sacramento State
11. Northern Iowa (4-3), 2,316
Previous Ranking: 14; Last Week’s Result: 42-27 win over South Dakota
12. Central Arkansas (5-2), 2,225
Previous Ranking: 13; Last Week’s Result: 31-30 win over Northwestern State
13. Princeton (5-0), 1,780
Previous Ranking: 17; Last Week’s Result: 65-22 win over Brown
14. Furman (4-3), 1,618
Previous Ranking: 8; Last Week’s Result: 27-10 loss to The Citadel
15. Nicholls (4-3), 1,470
Previous Ranking: 9; Last Week’s Result: 17-0 loss to Sam Houston State
16. Towson (4-3), 1,383
Previous Ranking: 18; Last Week’s Result: 56-7 win over Bucknell
17. Dartmouth (5-0), 1,188
Previous Ranking: 21; Last Week’s Result: 49-7 win over Marist
18. North Carolina A&T (4-2), 1,147
Previous Ranking: 10; Last Week’s Result: 34-31 OT loss to Florida A&M
19. Delaware (4-3), 816
Previous Ranking: 24; Last Week’s Result: 16-10 win over New Hampshire
20. Florida A&M (6-1), 762
Previous Ranking: N/R; Last Week’s Result: 34-31 OT win over North Carolina A&T
21. Sam Houston State (5-3), 735
Previous Ranking: N/R; Last Week’s Result: 17-0 win over Nicholls
22. UC Davis (4-4), 663
Previous Ranking: 23; Last Week’s Result: 33-25 win over Southern Utah
23. Central Connecticut State (6-1), 645
Previous Ranking: 25; Last Week’s Result: 52-14 win over Bryant
24. Southeast Missouri (4-3), 548
Previous Ranking: N/R; Last Week’s Result: 24-21 win over Jacksonville State
25. Jacksonville State (5-3), 488
Previous Ranking: 16; Last Week’s Result: 24-21 loss to Southeast Missouri
Dropped Out: Youngstown State (19), Austin Peay (20), New Hampshire (22)
Others Receiving Votes: UT Martin 477, Wofford 264, UIW 196, Stony Brook 167, Alcorn State 131, New Hampshire 127, Austin Peay 103, The Citadel 88, Albany 82, Elon 72, Youngstown State 63, Eastern Washington 62, Southeastern Louisiana 44, Yale 43, Monmouth 34, South Carolina State 25, Portland State 23, Bethune-Cookman 21, Harvard 14, Chattanooga 12, North Dakota 9, Campbell 7, Southern Illinois 4, Duquesne 2, Eastern Kentucky 1