National powers have dominated the top five spots in the FCS football rankings. Successful teams such as UC Davis, Lehigh and North Dakota seek to break through.
South Dakota State surely wasn’t going to drop too far in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll this week even after a lopsided loss to top-ranked North Dakota State last Saturday night.
The Jackrabbits, who had been second-ranked, fell into a tie with Montana State for the No. 4 ranking – their lowest since being fourth to end the 2021 season.
Tarleton State and Montana moved up one spot each to No. 2 and 3, respectively, behind NDSU and in front of SDSU and Montana State.
It’s a familiar group.
In the season’s first 10 polls, from the preseason through Week 9, those five teams have claimed 47 of the 50 Top 5 spots, and it’s only been them since the Week 2 poll. They have a combined 38-3 record, with the only losses belonging to Montana State against Oregon and SDSU, and SDSU versus NDSU.
While significant movement behind the top five has settled a bit, UC Davis, Lehigh, North Dakota and Monmouth, and now Villanova, have found themselves in front of a roadblock.
There could be change ahead, however. In the final four full weeks of the regular season, the Top 5 teams have a combined nine games against teams currently ranked in the FCS Top 25. Included is NDSU against No. 18 Youngstown State and Tarleton State at No. 24 Abilene Christian on Saturday.
No. 1 Ranking in FCS Top 25
North Dakota State, the 2024 FCS national champion, has been No. 1 since the preseason.
No. 2 Ranking
Montana State was the preseason No. 2 and South Dakota State then held the ranking for eight straight weeks before Tarleton State moved up one spot following Week 9.
No. 3 Ranking
South Dakota State was the preseason No. 3, then flip-flopped with South Dakota State for a week. Tarleton State was No. 3 for seven straight weeks before Montana moved up one spot this week.
No. 4 Ranking
South Dakota was No. 4 in the preseason and after Week 1, then it was three weeks of Montana State, four weeks of Montana and this week a tie between Montana State and South Dakota State.
No. 5 Ranking
Preseason No. 5 UIW dropped after an opening loss. Tarleton State was No. 5 after Week 1 with a five-spot leap following a victory at Army. Then it was three weeks of Montana, four weeks of Montana State, and this week the spot being incorporated into the Montana State/South Dakota State tie for No. 4.
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2 months ago Craig HaleyNo. 6 Ranking
The roadblock starts here: UC Davis has been No. 6 for the last four weeks.
No. 7 Ranking
Lehigh has been No. 7 for the last four weeks.
No. 8 Ranking
North Dakota has been No. 8 for two straight polls after moving up one spot from No. 9 following Week 7.
No. 9 Ranking
Tennessee Tech has been No. 9 for two straight polls after dropping one spot from No. 8 following Week 7.
No. 10 Ranking
Monmouth has been No. 10 for two straight polls after moving up one spot from No. 11 following Week 7.
No. 11 Ranking
Villanova has followed Monmouth into the No. 11 spot for each of the last two polls.
For more FCS football coverage, follow on social media at X, Facebook, Instagram and Bluesky.
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