Six MVFC teams were ranked in the final Top 25 polls of 2021 as national champ North Dakota State was a unanimous No. 1 choice.  The Bison were joined by South Dakota State (4/5), Missouri State (14/14), Southern Illinois (16/17), South Dakota (18/20), and UNI (23/25).


North Dakota State is a Unanimous No. 1 in Final Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Rankings
CHICAGO – Jan. 10, 2022 – The FCS dynasty never ended at North Dakota State, it just took a small step backward during the spring season – as if being a national quarterfinalist is anything to scoff at.
 
In the 2021 season, the Bison didn’t leave any doubt as to who’s No. 1 in college football’s Division I subdivision.
 
Two days after the Bison extended their record of FCS national championships to nine in the last 11 seasons, they were a unanimous No. 1 in the final Stats Perform FCS Top 25 on Monday.
 
“I think these kids appreciate one another, they appreciate the energy, they appreciate the hard work,” said coach Matt Entz, whose 14-1 team routed Montana State 38-10 in the national final.
 
“This isn’t a spotlight program. You’re not coming here to be the guy and have gaudy stats. You’re coming here to win and, hopefully, win championships and get a degree.”
 
The Bison, who also captured a 10th Missouri Valley Football Conference title in the last 11 seasons, finished atop the national media poll over Montana State. The Bobcats (12-3) from the Big Sky were just ahead of national semifinalist James Madison (12-2), while South Dakota State (11-4), the other semifinalist and only team to beat NDSU during the regular season, was fourth, and Sam Houston (11-1), the FCS spring champion and ranked No. 1 throughout the 2021 regular season, rounded out the top five.
 
A national media panel selected the Stats Perform FCS Top 25, which had 11 different conferences represented in the final poll, led by the MVFC with six teams and the Big Sky five. A first-place vote was worth 25 points, a second-place vote 24 points, all the way down to one point for a 25th-place vote.
 
Final 2021 Stats Perform FCS Top 25
 
1. North Dakota State (14-1, 7-1 Missouri Valley), 1,250 points (50 first-place votes)
Previous Ranking: 3; Postseason Results: 38-7 win over Southern Illinois; 27-3 win over ETSU; 20-14 win over James Madison; 38-10 win over Montana State
 
2. Montana State (12-3, 7-1 Big Sky), 1,173
Previous Ranking: 7; Postseason Results: 26-7 win over UT Martin; 42-19 win at Sam Houston; 31-17 win over South Dakota State; 38-10 loss to North Dakota State
 
3. James Madison (12-2, 7-1 CAA), 1,165
Previous Ranking: 2; Postseason Results: 59-20 win over Southeastern Louisiana; 28-6 win over Montana; 20-14 loss at North Dakota State
 
4. South Dakota State (11-4, 5-3 Missouri Valley), 1,051
Previous Ranking: 11; Postseason Results: 56-24 win over UC Davis; 24-19 win at Sacramento State; 35-21 win at Villanova; 31-17 loss at Montana State
 
5. Sam Houston (11-1, 6-0 AQ7), 1,046
Previous Ranking: 1; Postseason Results: 49-42 win over UIW; 42-19 loss to Montana State
 
6. Montana (10-3, 6-2 Big Sky), 1,008
Previous Ranking: 5; Postseason Results: 57-41 win over Eastern Washington; 28-6 loss at James Madison
 
7. Eastern Washington (10-3, 6-2 Big Sky), 924
Previous Ranking: 4; Postseason Results: 19-9 win over Northern Iowa; 57-41 loss at Montana
 
8. Villanova (10-3, 7-1 CAA), 919
Previous Ranking: 6; Postseason Results: 21-16 win over Holy Cross; 35-21 loss to South Dakota State 
 
9. ETSU (11-2, 7-1 Southern), 879
Previous Ranking: 9; Postseason Results: 32-31 win over Kennesaw State; 27-3 loss at North Dakota State
 
10. Sacramento State (9-3, 8-0 Big Sky), 745
Previous Ranking: 8; Postseason Result: 24-19 loss to South Dakota State
 
11. Kennesaw State (11-2, 7-0 Big South), 740
Previous Ranking: 10; Postseason Results: 48-21 win over Davidson; 32-31 loss at ETSU
 
12. UIW (10-3, 7-1 Southland), 682
Previous Ranking: 13; Postseason Results: 35-28 OT win over Stephen F. Austin; 49-42 loss at Sam Houston
 
13. UT Martin (10-3, 5-1 Ohio Valley), 654
Previous Ranking: 16; Postseason Results: 32-31 win at Missouri State; 26-7 loss at Montana State
 
14. Missouri State (8-4, 6-2 Missouri Valley), 531
Previous Ranking: 12; Postseason Result: 32-31 loss to UT Martin
 
15. Southeastern Louisiana (9-4, 6-2 Southland), 522
Previous Ranking: 18; Postseason Results: 38-14 win over Florida A&M; 59-20 loss at James Madison
 
16. Southern Illinois (8-5, 5-3 Missouri Valley), 504 
Previous Ranking: 21; Postseason Results: 22-10 win at South Dakota; 38-7 loss at North Dakota State
 
17. UC Davis (8-4, 5-3 Big Sky), 439                
Previous Ranking: 14; Postseason Result: 56-24 loss at South Dakota State
 
18. South Dakota (7-5, 5-3 Missouri Valley), 326
Previous Ranking: 17; Postseason Result: 22-10 loss to Southern Illinois
 
19. Holy Cross (10-3, 6-0 Patriot), 319
Previous Ranking: 24; Postseason Results: 13-10 win over Sacred Heart; 21-16 loss at Villanova
 
20. Dartmouth (9-1, 6-1 Ivy), 281
Previous Ranking: 19; Postseason Results: No games
 
21. Stephen F. Austin (8-4, 4-2 AQ7), 268 
Previous Ranking: 20; Postseason Result: 35-28 OT loss at UIW
 
22. Jackson State (11-2, 8-0 SWAC), 259
Previous Ranking: 15; Postseason Results: 27-10 win over Prairie View A&M; 31-10 loss to South Carolina State
 
23. Northern Iowa (6-6, 4-4 Missouri Valley), 132
Previous Ranking: Unranked; Postseason Result: 19-9 loss at Eastern Washington
 
24. Princeton (9-1, 6-1 Ivy), 116
Previous Ranking: 23; Postseason Results: No games
 
25. Florida A&M (9-3, 7-1 SWAC), 114
Previous Ranking: 22; Postseason Result: 38-14 loss at Southeastern Louisiana
 
Dropped Out: Mercer (25)
 
Others Receiving Votes (schools listed on two or more ballots):  Mercer (7-3, 6-2 Southern) 76, South Carolina State (7-5, 5-0 MEAC) 35, Rhode Island (7-4, 4-4 CAA) 23, Sacred Heart (8-4, 6-1 Northeast) 23, Eastern Kentucky (7-4, 4-2 AQ7) 15, Davidson (8-3, 7-1 Pioneer) 12, Harvard (8-2, 5-2 Ivy) 8
 
Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Voters – Stats Perform: Craig Haley, Gary Reasons. ASUN: Patrick McCoy, Mike Parris. Big Sky Conference: Doug Kelly, Tyson Rodgers, Larry Weir. Big South Conference: Brian Cleary, Matt Harmon, Mark Simpson. CAA Football: Scott Klatzkin, Greg Madia, 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: Tad Maury, Ralph Ventre. Ohio Valley Conference: Neal Bradley, Kyle Schwartz. Patriot League: Eric Malanowski, Ryan Sakamoto. Pioneer Football League: Cody Bush, Jack Cronin. Southern Conference: David Fox, Jeff Hartsell, Phil Perry. Southland Conference: Zack Carlton, Josh Yonis. Southwestern Athletic Conference: Ronnie Johnson, Travis Jarome, Andrew Roberts. Western Athletic Conference: Josh Criswell, Chris Thompson. National Representatives: Josh Buchanan, Riley Corcoran, Sam Herder, Emory Hunt, Brett Huston, Kyle Kensing, Brandon Lawrence, Jon Passman, Lawrence Smith, Phil Sokol, Reggie Thomas, Jamie Williams.


NORTH DAKOTA STATE ENDS 2021 AT NO. 1 IN AFCA TOP 25
WACO, TEX.– North Dakota State returned to their winning ways, completing a 14-1 season, and claiming the program’s ninth FCS national championship in the past 11 years. The Bison are a perfect 9-0 in FCS national title game appearances. Hunter Luepke earned the game’s Most Outstanding Player, scoring three touchdowns in the first half to lead NDSU to a 38-10 win over Montana State. The Bison finish the 2021 season at No. 1 in the AFCA FCS Coaches’ Top 25 Poll, with Montana State at No. 2.   
    James Madison, who lost to North Dakota State in the semifinals, finished with a 12-2 record and a No. 3 ranking. Defending national champion Sam Houston, who ran the table at No. 1 during the regular season, finishes at No. 4 ahead of South Dakota State, who jumped six spots to No. 5 after their appearance in the semifinals.
    Southern Illinois joined South Dakota State with a six-spot move in the poll to No. 17 thanks to its second-round appearance in the playoffs. Holy Cross ended the season with their highest ranking this year at No. 22. The Crusaders finished the season at 10-3 after recording their first playoff victory in program history.
 

Rank	School (1st votes)	Pts.	Prev.	Post-season
1	North Dakota St. (24)	600	3	D. No. 9 Montana St., 38-10, in championship
2	Montana St.	571	9	Lost to No. 3 North Dakota St., 38-10, in championship
3	James Madison	548	2	Lost to No. 3 North Dakota St., 20-14, in semifinals
4	Sam Houston	520	1	Lost to No. 9 Montana St., 42-19, in quarterfinals
5	South Dakota St.	471	11	Lost to No. 9 Montana St., 31-17, in semifinals
6	Montana	470	5	Lost to No. 2 James Madison, 28-6, in quarterfinals
7	East Tennessee St.	438	8	Lost to No. 3 North Dakota St., 27-3, in quarterfinals
8	Villanova	435	7	Lost to No. 11 South Dakota St., 35-21, in quarterfinals
9	Eastern Washington	416	6	Lost to No. 5 Montana, 57-41, in second round
10	Kennesaw St.	399	4	Lost to No. 8 Tennessee St., 32-31, in second round
11	Sacramento St.	358	12	Lost to No. 11 S. Dakota St., 24-19, in second round
12	UT Martin	307	13	Lost to No. 9 Montana St., 26-7, in second round
13	UIW	297	15	Lost to No. 1 Sam Houston, 49-42, in second round
14	Missouri St.	276	10	Lost to No. 13 UT Martin, 32-31, in first round
15	SE Louisiana	248	17	Lost to No. 2 James Madison, 59-20, in second round
16	UC Davis	205	16	Lost to No. 11 South Dakota St., 56-24, in first round
17	Southern Illinois	203	23	Lost to No. 3 North Dakota St., 38-7, in second round
18	Stephen F. Austin	188	19	Lost to No. 15 UIW, 35-28 OT, in first round
19	Jackson St.	136	14	Lost to South Carolina St., 31-10, in Celebration Bowl
20	South Dakota	133	20t	Lost to No. 23 Southern Illinois, 22-10, in first round
21	Princeton	130	18	DNQ Playoffs
22	Holy Cross	117	24	Lost to No. 7 Villanova, 21-16, in second round
23	Dartmouth	89	20t	DNQ Playoffs
24	Florida A&M	88	22	Lost to No. 17 SE Louisiana, 38-14, in first round
25	Northern Iowa	62	25	Lost to No. 6 Eastern Washington, 19-9, in first round