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NCAA DIVISION I FCS ®
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FCS HEADLINES u A total of 23 FCS-ranked teams (STATS poll) will play this weekend, and eight games will feature two ranked teams playing one another. No. 11 South Dakota State at No. 12 Western Illinois, 2 pm ET [ESPN3] No. 16 Illinois State at No. 21 Youngstown State, 2 pm ET [ESPN3] No. 22 Stony Brook at No. 19 Richmond, 3 pm ET [NBCSW+/SNY (delayed)] No. 17 New Hampshire at No. 1 James Madison, 3:30 pm ET No. 10 Elon at No. 13 Villanova, 3:30 pm ET No. 20 McNeese at No. 4 Central Arkansas, 7 pm ET [ESPN3] *No. 24 Montana at Weber State, 4 pm ET *UNI at No. 2 North Dakota State, 3:30 pm ET [NBC ND / ESPN3] *Weber State (22) and UNI (25) are ranked in the FCS coaches poll, but not the STATS poll.
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FACES of the FCS
u Four unbeatens remain in the FCS -- James Madison (7-0) and North Dakota State (7-0) are at home, Columbia (6-0) is on the road, and North Carolina A&T State (8-0) is idle. u 17 Freshmen were nominated to 2017 STATS FCS Jerry Rice Award Watch List this week. The Rice Award, named for the legendary Hall of Fame wide receiver, has been presented to the FCS freshman player of the year since 2011. u On Monday, the nation’s No. 2-ranked team made its 100th straight appearance in the STATS FCS Top 25 - the active high in the national media poll. North Dakota State has appeared in every Top 25 poll since Nov. 1, 2010 - the year before they began their run of five straight FCS championship seasons. The Bison’s next win will be their 100th of the decade.
QB Josh McCown (Sam Houston State) has had a 15-year NFL career with 8 different teams -- he’s the current starter for the New York Jets. He’s thrown for 15,825 yards with 89 career TD passes.
BIG SKY -- The Big Sky has four teams with a 5-2 overall record. The conference is down to one undefeated team in league play with Northern Arizona holding a 4-0 mark. The Big Sky has five teams ranked in the FCS Top 25 polls, with NAU, Eastern Washington, Southern Utah, Weber State, and Montana all making an appearance between the two polls. The Big Sky has the FCS leader in passing yards (Gage Gubrud, Eastern Washington, 2,658 yds), receiving yards (UC Davis, Keelan Doss, 976 yds), and all-purpose yards (Elijah Marks, Northern Arizona, 1,290 yds). Three out of the six 100-yard kickoff returns for a touchdown in the FCS in 2017 belong to a Big Sky player. Elijah Marks (Northern Arizona), Rashid Shaheed (Weber State), and Namane Modise all have 100-yard returns. OFF - WR Mitch Gueller, Idaho State | DEF - CB Maurice Davison, Northern Arizona | SPECIAL TEAMS - P Kiefer Glau, Northern Colorado BIG SOUTH -- Preseason co-favorite Kennesaw State sits atop the Big South standings at 2-0 -- the program’s first-ever 2-0 start to the conference season. This week, preseason co-favorite Charleston Southern seeks its third consecutive 2-0 Big South start, while Monmouth is looking to open 2-0 in the Big South for the first time. The last time the Hawks opened a league slate 2-0 was in 2012 as members of the NEC. Monmouth freshman RB tandem ERIC ZOKOURI and PETE GUERRIERO combined for 355 rushing yards Saturday against Liberty. Zokouri gained a team-high 193 yards with two TDs on 18 carries, while Guerriero tallied 162 and a score on 18 attempts. It was the fourth-highest combined rushing total in a Big South game and the seventh-highest overall total. Zokouri and Guerriero are the first Big South teammates to each rush for more than 150 yards in the same game since Stony Brook’s MIGUEL MAYSONET (182) and BROCK JACKOLSKI (174) against Charleston Southern on Nov. 5, 2011. Charleston Southern QB LONDON JOHNSON recorded his first career game with 100 rushing and passing yards, as he amassed career highs of 117 rushing yards and 219 passing yards this past Saturday vs. Savannah State. Johnson is the first CSU quarterback to reach the 100 rush / 100 pass plateau in a game since the 2013 season when Bucs’ alum and current RBs coach Malcolm Dixon reached the mark in back-to-back games. OFF – QB London Johnson, Charleston Southern | DEF – DB Akebren Ralls, Kennesaw St. | ST – KR Pete Guerriero, Monmouth | FR – RB Eric Zokouri, Monmouth
CAA FOOTBALL -- Six of CAA Football’s seven nationally ranked teams go head-to-head this Saturday. No. 1 James Madison hosts No. 16 New Hampshire, No. 10 Elon travels to No. 13 Villanova and No. 19 Richmond entertains No. 22 Stony Brook. This is the first Saturday all season where all 12 teams are competing in conference action. Close games have become the standard during conference play in CAA Football. For the season, 17 of the 25 CAA Football games have had margins of seven points or less in the fourth quarter, including three of the five contests last Saturday. James Madison extended its overall winning streak to 19 games with a 46-14 victory at William & Mary last Saturday. The Dukes broke Richmond’s conference record of 17 consecutive wins that was set during the 2008 and 2009 seasons. JMU’s 19-game streak is the longest active streak of any FBS or FCS team and is tied for the 9th-longest streak in FCS history. JMU has also won 14 straight CAA Football contests, which is the second-longest streak in league history. The record of 15 straight wins was set by UMass from 1965-67. Four CAA Football players were added to STATS FCS national Player of the Year watch lists. Maine running back Josh Mack was put on the Watch List for the Walter Payton Award, Elon linebacker Warren Messer was put on the Watch List for the Buck Buchanan Award and Elon quarterback Davis Cheek and Maine linebacker Jaron Grayer were put on the Watch List for the Jerry Rice Award. Off: Jamie Jarmon, WR, Delaware | Def: Nasir Adderley, S, Delaware | ST: Matt Pires, WR/PR, Rhode Island | Rookie: DeUnte Chatman, RB, UNH IVY LEAGUE -- For the first time in program history, Columbia has sole possession of first-place in the Ivy League standings, thanks to its 22-17 win over previously undefeated Dartmouth. The Lions are one of four undefeated teams in the FCS. A win by Columbia this week would give the Lions not only their first-ever 4-0 start in Ivy League play, but also their third 7-0 start in program history and first since 1932. Columbia’s seven-game win streak, dating back to last season, is its longest since 1934-35. Another win would match the Lions’ longest winning streak in program history, previously set twice, most recently from 1933-34. Three teams appear in the national rankings. Dartmouth and Columbia are receiving votes in both national polls, while the Big Green, Lions and Princeton are receiving votes in the STATS FCS poll. Off: QB Chad Kanoff, Princeton | Def: LB Foyesade Oluokun, Yale | ST: PK Nickolas Null, Cornell | Rookie: RB Zane Dudek, Yale MEAC -- North Carolina A&T improved to 8-0 with a come-from-behind victory last weekend. No Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference team since the league started in 1971 has ever finished with a perfect overall record. Only two teams in NCAT history have finished undefeated (1927, 1943). Juwan Carter threw four TD passes, including a pair of long scoring plays to Marcus Taylor, and the Norfolk State defense came up with two late interceptions that helped clinch the Spartans’ 28-21 win over defending MEAC champion and No. 25 ranked North Carolina Central on Saturday. One week after finishing with a career-best 111 yards against Hampton, Taylor had eight catches for a new career-high 132 yards. North Carolina A&T (8-0/5-0) and Hampton (5-2/4-0) are the lone unbeatens in MEAC play, with three other teams at 3-1. Off: Marcus Taylor, Norfolk St. | Def: Anthony Smith, NSU | O-Line: Gibril Ghee, Hampton | ST: Taylor Goettie, NSU | Rook: Juwan Carter, NSU MISSOURI VALLEY -- Eight MVFC teams rank in the Top 20 for FCS schools in the Sagarin Rankings, which includes 6 of the top 7 spots (James Madison of the CAA is the only non-MVFC school in the Top 7.) HERO Sports’ BennettRank yields similar results -- with six MVFC schools ranked in the Top 11. North Dakota State, South Dakota and Youngstown State rank in the Top 4 in both metrics. UNI knocked off a second-straight top-10 opponent after beating No. 9 Youngstown State this past weekend, 19-14. The Panthers beat No. 7 South Dakota State, 38-18, the week prior. UNI last accomplished the feat in 2014, knocking off No. 6 Illinois State (Nov. 1) and No. 1 North Dakota State (Nov. 8) in back-to-back games. Indiana State’s Thomas Bouldin uncorked a 90-yard punt against SIU to break the previous school record of 80 yards, set by Jim Shaughnessy in 1969. The punt also topped an 89-yard punt by Mike Scifres of Western Illinois, while punt fell just three yards short of the NCAA record. It’s the longest punt in all of college football this season. The punt was also the fifth longest in FCS history. Offense -- WR Spencer Schnell, Illinois State | Defense -- DE Rickey Neal, UNI | Special Teams -- PK Sean Slattery, Illinois State Newcomer -- WR/KR Cade Johnson, S. Dakota State | Offensive Lineman -- C Dean Helt, Illinois State NORTHEAST -- Wagner welcomes Bryant to Grymes Hill for the #NECFB Game of the Week on ESPN3 with both sides in search of their first conference victory. Bulldogs’ QB Price Wilson has the sixth-most passing yards (2,321) in the FCS this season while the Seahawks, who lost their opening day starting signal caller for the season due to injury, have two of the NEC’s top-seven rushers– Ryan Fulse (604 yds, 6 TD) and Denzel Knight (341 yds, 6 TD). Wagner LB Quintin Hampton and Bryant LB Thomas Costigan are tied for second amongst NEC leaders with 6.0 sacks apiece. Duquesne puts its six-game win streak and perfect NEC record on the line at Sacred Heart in a Week 9 game that can be seen live (for free) at NECFrontRow.com. Meanwhile, Central Connecticut, the lone other NEC unbeaten, is on its bye following a fifth straight victory (31-14 over Bryant). Duquesne QB Tommy Stuart, who has a NEC-leading 21 touchdowns passes to only four interceptions, ranks fifth in the FCS with a 171.5 passer efficiency rating. OFF: AJ Hines (DUQ) & Drew Jean-Guillaume (CCSU) | DEF: Khamaal Whitaker, SHU | ST: Harrison Dreher, RMU | ROOKIE: Joshua Turner, SHU
OHIO VALLEY -- Jacksonville State senior defensive end Darius Jackson, a candidate for the Buck Buchanan Award, had 2.0 tackles for loss in his team’s win at Eastern Illinois last Saturday. Jackson currently ranks second nationally in tackles for loss/ game (1.9) and has had at least one TFL in 10-straight games dating back to last season. He has keyed a defensive unit that now ranks sixth nationally in total defense (271.6 yards/game) and 13th in scoring defense (17.1 points/game allowed). Eastern Kentucky’s Keith Wrzuszczak broke a 51-year old school record when he boomed an 84-yard punt in the Colonels win over UT Martin. It broke the previous record of 78 yards set in 1966. It is the second-longest punt in the FCS this season and tied for the second-longest punt in the OVC since 2004. For the game Wrzuszczak, who ranks first nationally in punting (46.2 yards/punt), averaged 49.9 yards on nine punts. Making his first career start, Austin Peay true freshman quarterback Jeremiah Oatsvall passed for 199 yards and two touchdown and rushed for 66 yard and another score in a 38-31 victory over Southeast Missouri. In the process he became the first Austin Peay quarterback to win his first career start since the 2009 season. Off: Kentel Williams, Austin Peay | Def: Corey Glass, EKU | ST: Keith Wrzuszczak, EKU/Peyton Logan, UT Martin | Newc: Jeremiah Oatsvall, Austin Peay
PATRIOT -- Colgate freshman quarterback is one of 17 FCS freshman nominated to the STATS FCS Jerry Rice Award Watch List for the nation’s top rookie. Breneman, a Mechanicsburg, Pa. native, has completed 98-of-175 (56.1 percent) of his passes for 1,188 yards, 12 touchdowns and one interception, while rushed for an additional 268 yards and four touchdowns A 0-5 start has not kept Andy Coen and Lehigh from reeling off two consecutive League wins, by averaging 47.5 points and 568.5 yards of total offense. Junior RB Dom Bragalone has been at his best at the start of League play, averaging 154.0 rushing yards per game and scoring four touchdowns to help the Mountain Hawks into sole possession of first-place, with Lafayette’s loss to Bucknell in overtime on Saturday. Colgate beat Holy Cross and Lafayette fell to the Bison, tying them for second-place at 2-1. Bucknell moved into fourth-place at 1-1. The Bucknell defense has done more than just stop opposing offenses; they have put points on the board. The Bison returned a pair of interceptions for touchdowns in Saturday’s 13-7 overtime victory against Lafayette. Drew Newcomb opened the game with a 31-yard interception return for a touchdown and Colin Jonov closed it with a 95-yard interception return for a touchdown in overtime, the longest interception return in program history. Grant Breneman, Colgate, Fr., QB | Colin Jonov, Bucknell, Sr., LB | Andrew Mevis, Fordham, Fr., PK/P
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PFL -- San Diego’s Jonathan Petersen continues to be a force, entering Week 9 among FCS leaders in sacks (3rd, 1.50 per game), forced fumbles (1st, 0.71 per game) and tackles for loss (5th, 1.80). Among FCS active career leaders, he is No. 1 in total sacks (0.83) and forced fumbles (0.33) per game as well as No. 2 in both career sacks (35.0) and tackles for loss per game (1.46).
The PFL’s youth has run rampant in 2017, with Davidson freshman running back Wesley Dugger currently ranked sixth nationally at 103.0 yards per game while Campbell redshirt freshman quarterback Daniel Smith is eighth nationally (101.1 ypg). And proving age has its worth, Dayton senior running back Tucker Yinger rounds out a trio of PFL runner in the FCS Top 10 with his 101.5 yards per game (seventh in FCS). Dayton has blocked five kicks through the season’s first half, ranking fourth among all FCS teams. Redshirt freshman Matt Clifford has blocked two kicks in 2017, one of only four FCS defenders to block multiple kicks. OFF – QB Anthony Lawrence, San Diego | DEF – DB Sean Lynch, Drake | ST – PK Danny Donley, Drake SOUTHERN -- Samford topped then-No. 5 Wofford on Saturday, 24-21, to hand the Terriers their first loss of the season. Quarterback Devlin Hodges threw for 427 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Bulldogs to the victory. Chattanooga’s Darrell Bridges ran for 149 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries in the Mocs’ 20-14 loss to The Citadel on Saturday. His 61-yard TD run in the first quarter was the longest rush by a Chattanooga player this season. Furman is the league’s hottest team, as the Paladins have won five straight after opening the year 0-3 and now sit in a three-way tie for first place in the league standings with Western Carolina and Wofford at 4-1 in SoCon play. OFF – Devlin Hodges, QB, Samford | DEF: Omari Williams, DB, Samford | ST: Joshua Gibson, K, Western Carolina SOUTHLAND -- Central Arkansas and Sam Houston State continue to climb in the national rankings and are now both ranked in the top five at the No. 4 and 5 spots in both polls, respectively. McNeese is ranked at No. 18 in the FCS Coaches Poll and No. 20 in the STATS FCS Poll. Nicholls is at the No. 23 spot in the coaches poll and receiving votes from STATS while Southeastern La. is receiving votes in both. UCA and McNeese are both on six-game win streaks while Southeastern Louisiana has won five straight. A top-25 matchup awaits in week nine when the two teams clash in Conway. The Southland earned a national weekly honor for the second-straight week, with Sam Houston State wide receiver/punt returner Davion Davis garnering both conference and STATS FCS National Special Teams weekly distinction. OFF: WR Kijana Amous, Stephen F. Austin | DEF: Dominique Hill, McNeese | ST: KR Davion Davis, Sam Houston State SWAC -- Grambling State is far and away the top team in Division I football--FBS or FCS--in turnover ratio. The Tigers have a plus 20 margin in the category, seven better than South Florida, who leads FBS football with a plus 13 margin, and six better than Norfolk State in FCS football, who holds a plus 14 margin. Grambling is also ranked first in FCS football with 11 fumbles recoveries. Only Bowling Green in FBS football has more with 12 fumble recoveries as a team. Three running backs in the SWAC rank inside the top 30 in FCS football in rushing yards per attempt. Among them are Alcorn State’s De’Lance Turner (7.58 yards per carry, good for fourth), Grambling State’s Martez Carter (6.08 per carry, ranked 19th overall) and Arkansas-Pine Bluff ’s Keshawn Williams (5.67 per carry, ranked 28th). Devante Kincade, Grambling State | De’Arius Christmas, Grambling State | Marc Orozco, Grambling State | Kendall Catalon, Southern
Big Sky Conference Standings Team W L W L Streak Northern Arizona 4 0 5 2 Won 5 Eastern Washington (14) 4 1 5 3 Lost 1 Sacramento State 3 1 4 3 Won 2 Southern Utah (25) 3 1 5 2 Won 3 Montana (24) 3 1 5 2 Won 3 Weber State 3 1 5 2 Won 1 Montana State 3 2 3 4 Won 1 Idaho State 2 3 4 4 Won 1 UC Davis 1 3 3 4 Lost 2 Northern Colorado 1 3 2 4 Lost 3 North Dakota 1 4 2 6 Lost 2 Portland State 0 4 0 7 Lost 7 Cal Poly 0 4 0 7 Lost 7 Big South Conference Standings Team W L W L Streak Kennesaw State 2 0 6 1 Won 6 Monmouth 1 0 6 1 Won 4 Charleston Southern 1 0 4 3 Won 2 Presbyterian 0 1 3 4 Lost 1 Gardner-Webb 0 1 1 6 Lost 2 Liberty 0 2 3 4 Lost 4 CAA Football Standings Team W L W L Streak James Madison (1) 4 0 7 0 Won 7 Elon (10) 4 0 6 1 Won 6 Stony Brook (22) 4 1 5 2 Won 1 New Hampshire (17) 3 1 5 2 Won 1 Delaware (23) 3 1 5 2 Won 3 Richmond (19) 2 2 4 3 Lost 1 Villanova (13) 2 2 4 3 Lost 1 Maine 2 3 3 3 Won 2 Albany 1 3 3 4 Lost 3 William & Mary 0 4 2 5 Lost 4 Towson 0 4 2 5 Lost 4 Rhode Island 0 4 1 6 Lost 4 Ivy League Standings Team W L W L Streak Columbia 3 0 6 0 Won 6 Dartmouth 2 1 5 1 Lost 1 Yale 2 1 5 1 Won 2 Princeton 2 1 5 1 Won 3 Cornell 2 1 2 4 Won 1 Harvard 1 2 3 3 Lost 1 Penn 0 3 2 4 Lost 4 Brown 0 3 2 4 Lost 3 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Standings Team W L W L Streak North Carolina A&T (7) 5 0 8 0 Won 8 Hampton 4 0 5 2 Won 3 Norfolk State 3 1 3 4 Won 1 North Carolina Central 3 1 5 2 Lost 1 Howard 3 1 4 3 Won 2 Bethune-Cookman 2 2 3 4 Lost 1 Morgan State 1 3 1 6 Lost 1 South Carolina State 1 4 2 5 Lost 2 Florida A&M 1 4 2 6 Lost 4 Delaware State 1 4 1 6 Won 1 Savannah State 0 4 0 7 Lost 7 Missouri Valley Football Conference Standings Team W L W L Streak North Dakota State (2) 4 0 7 0 Won 7 South Dakota (6) 3 1 6 1 Lost 1 Illinois State (16) 3 1 5 2 Won 1 UNI 3 1 4 3 Won 2 South Dakota State (11) 2 2 5 2 Won 1 Western Illinois (12) 2 2 5 2 Lost 1 Southern Illinois 2 2 4 3 Won 2 Youngstown State (21) 1 3 3 4 Lost 3 Missouri State 0 4 1 6 Lost 4 Indiana State 0 4 0 7 Lost 7 Northeast Conference Standings Team W L W L Streak Duquesne 3 0 6 1 Won 6 Central Connecticut St. 3 0 5 3 Won 5 Saint Francis U 2 1 4 3 Lost 1 Sacred Heart 1 1 3 4 Won 1 Bryant 0 2 2 5 Lost 3 Robert Morris 0 2 2 5 Lost 4 Wagner 0 3 2 5 Lost 2
Ohio Valley Conference Standings Team W L W L Streak Jacksonville State (3) 4 0 6 1 Won 5 Austin Peay 4 1 5 3 Won 2 Eastern Illinois 4 1 5 3 Lost 1 Southeast Missouri State 2 2 2 5 Lost 1 Eastern Kentucky 2 3 2 5 Won 1 Murray State 1 2 2 5 Lost 1 UT Martin 1 3 3 4 Lost 3 Tennessee State 1 3 4 3 Lost 1 Tennessee Tech 0 4 0 7 Lost 7 Patriot League Standings Team W L W L Streak Lehigh 2 0 2 5 Won 2 Colgate 2 1 4 4 Won 2 Lafayette 2 1 2 6 Lost 2 Bucknell 1 1 4 3 Won 2 Fordham 1 2 2 6 Won 1 Holy Cross 1 2 2 6 Lost 5 Georgetown 0 2 1 6 Lost 6 Pioneer Football League Standings Team W L W L Streak San Diego 4 0 5 2 Won 4 Campbell 4 1 5 3 Lost 1 Drake 3 1 4 3 Won 1 Butler 3 2 5 3 Won 3 Jacksonville 2 2 4 3 Lost 2 Valparaiso 2 2 3 4 Won 1 Morehead State 2 3 3 5 Won 1 Marist 2 3 3 5 Lost 3 Dayton 2 3 3 5 Won 1 Stetson 1 4 2 6 Lost 1 Davidson 0 4 2 5 Lost 4 Southern Conference Standings Team W L W L Streak Wofford (8) 4 1 6 1 Lost 1 Western Carolina (18) 4 1 6 2 Won 2 Furman 4 1 5 3 Won 5 Samford (9) 3 1 5 2 Won 3 Mercer 3 3 4 4 Lost 1 Citadel 2 3 4 3 Won 1 ETSU 1 3 3 4 Lost 1 Chattanooga 1 4 1 7 Lost 4 VMI 0 5 0 8 Lost 8 Southland Conference Standings Team W L W L Streak Central Arkansas (4) 5 0 6 1 Won 6 Southeastern Louisiana 5 1 5 3 Won 5 Sam Houston State (5) 4 1 6 1 Won 3 Nicholls 4 1 5 2 Won 3 McNeese (20) 4 1 6 1 Won 6 Stephen F. Austin 3 3 3 5 Won 1 Abilene Christian 2 4 2 6 Lost 3 Incarnate Word 1 4 1 6 Lost 1 Northwestern State 1 4 1 6 Lost 4 Lamar 0 5 1 6 Lost 5 Houston Baptist 0 5 1 6 Lost 5 Southwestern Athletic Conference Standings Team W L W L Streak East Alcorn State 3 1 5 3 Lost 1 Alabama A&M 3 1 3 4 Won 1 Mississippi Valley State 1 2 2 5 Won 1 Alabama State 1 2 1 5 Won 1 Jackson State 0 3 0 7 Lost 7 West Grambling State (15) 3 0 6 1 Won 6 Southern University 2 1 4 3 Won 3 Prairie View A&M 2 2 2 4 Lost 2 Arkansas-Pine Bluff 1 2 2 5 Lost 3 Texas Southern 0 2 0 6 Lost 6
STATS FCS TOP-25 RANKINGS Team Pts. Prev. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
James Madison (7-0) (157) North Dakota St. (7-0) (9) Jacksonville State (6-1) Central Arkansas (6-1) Sam Houston State (6-1) South Dakota (6-1) North Carolina A&T (8-0) Wofford (6-1) Samford (5-2) Elon (6-1) South Dakota State (5-2) Western Illinois (5-2) Villanova (4-3) Eastern Washington (5-3) Grambling State (6-1) Illinois State (5-2) New Hampshire (5-2) Western Carolina (6-2) Richmond (4-3) McNeese (6-1) Youngstown State (3-4) Stony Brook (5-2) Delaware (5-2) Montana (5-2) Southern Utah (5-2)
4141 3993 3802 3641 3455 2861 2688 2636 2599 2555 2536 2207 1856 1806 1418 1312 1311 1243 1089 1055 953 671 668 634 624
1 2 3 6 7 4 12 5 16 14 13 10 15 8 17 24 18 19 11 20 9 22 NR 21 NR
FCS COACHES TOP-25 RANKINGS Team Pts. Rec. Prev. 1 James Madison (26) 2 North Dakota State 3 Jacksonville State 4 Central Arkansas 5 Sam Houston State 6 North Carolina A&T 7 South Dakota T-8 Samford T-8 South Dakota State 10 Wofford 11 Elon 12 Eastern Washington 13 Grambling State 14 Western Illinois 15 Villanova 16 New Hampshire 17 Richmond 18 McNeese 19 Youngstown State 20 Western Carolina 21 Illinois State 22 Weber State 23 Nicholls 24 Northern Arizona 25 Northern Iowa
650 624 597 548 541 463 444 435 435 421 362 278 269 266 257 240 226 219 167 165 158 121 118 112 64
7-0 1 7-0 2 6-1 3 6-1 6 6-1 7 8-0 11 6-1 4 5-2 14 5-2 13 6-1 5 6-1 15 5-3 8 6-1 17 5-2 12 4-3 16 5-2 18 4-3 10 6-1 19 3-4 9 6-2 21 5-2 24 5-2 23 5-2 20 5-2 NR 4-3 NR
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NCAA INFO: ncaa.com/fcs • STATS: ncaa.com/stats/football/fcs
FCS HEADLINES u A total of 23 FCS-ranked teams (STATS poll) will play this weekend, and eight games will feature two ranked teams playing one another. No. 11 South Dakota State at No. 12 Western Illinois, 2 pm ET [ESPN3] No. 16 Illinois State at No. 21 Youngstown State, 2 pm ET [ESPN3] No. 22 Stony Brook at No. 19 Richmond, 3 pm ET [NBCSW+/SNY (delayed)] No. 17 New Hampshire at No. 1 James Madison, 3:30 pm ET No. 10 Elon at No. 13 Villanova, 3:30 pm ET No. 20 McNeese at No. 4 Central Arkansas, 7 pm ET [ESPN3] *No. 24 Montana at Weber State, 4 pm ET *UNI at No. 2 North Dakota State, 3:30 pm ET [NBC ND / ESPN3] *Weber State (22) and UNI (25) are ranked in the FCS coaches poll, but not the STATS poll.
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FACES of the FCS
u Four unbeatens remain in the FCS -- James Madison (7-0) and North Dakota State (7-0) are at home, Columbia (6-0) is on the road, and North Carolina A&T State (8-0) is idle. u 17 Freshmen were nominated to 2017 STATS FCS Jerry Rice Award Watch List this week. The Rice Award, named for the legendary Hall of Fame wide receiver, has been presented to the FCS freshman player of the year since 2011. u On Monday, the nation’s No. 2-ranked team made its 100th straight appearance in the STATS FCS Top 25 - the active high in the national media poll. North Dakota State has appeared in every Top 25 poll since Nov. 1, 2010 - the year before they began their run of five straight FCS championship seasons. The Bison’s next win will be their 100th of the decade.
QB Josh McCown (Sam Houston State) has had a 15-year NFL career with 8 different teams -- he’s the current starter for the New York Jets. He’s thrown for 15,825 yards with 89 career TD passes.
BIG SKY -- The Big Sky has four teams with a 5-2 overall record. The conference is down to one undefeated team in league play with Northern Arizona holding a 4-0 mark. The Big Sky has five teams ranked in the FCS Top 25 polls, with NAU, Eastern Washington, Southern Utah, Weber State, and Montana all making an appearance between the two polls. The Big Sky has the FCS leader in passing yards (Gage Gubrud, Eastern Washington, 2,658 yds), receiving yards (UC Davis, Keelan Doss, 976 yds), and all-purpose yards (Elijah Marks, Northern Arizona, 1,290 yds). Three out of the six 100-yard kickoff returns for a touchdown in the FCS in 2017 belong to a Big Sky player. Elijah Marks (Northern Arizona), Rashid Shaheed (Weber State), and Namane Modise all have 100-yard returns. OFF - WR Mitch Gueller, Idaho State | DEF - CB Maurice Davison, Northern Arizona | SPECIAL TEAMS - P Kiefer Glau, Northern Colorado BIG SOUTH -- Preseason co-favorite Kennesaw State sits atop the Big South standings at 2-0 -- the program’s first-ever 2-0 start to the conference season. This week, preseason co-favorite Charleston Southern seeks its third consecutive 2-0 Big South start, while Monmouth is looking to open 2-0 in the Big South for the first time. The last time the Hawks opened a league slate 2-0 was in 2012 as members of the NEC. Monmouth freshman RB tandem ERIC ZOKOURI and PETE GUERRIERO combined for 355 rushing yards Saturday against Liberty. Zokouri gained a team-high 193 yards with two TDs on 18 carries, while Guerriero tallied 162 and a score on 18 attempts. It was the fourth-highest combined rushing total in a Big South game and the seventh-highest overall total. Zokouri and Guerriero are the first Big South teammates to each rush for more than 150 yards in the same game since Stony Brook’s MIGUEL MAYSONET (182) and BROCK JACKOLSKI (174) against Charleston Southern on Nov. 5, 2011. Charleston Southern QB LONDON JOHNSON recorded his first career game with 100 rushing and passing yards, as he amassed career highs of 117 rushing yards and 219 passing yards this past Saturday vs. Savannah State. Johnson is the first CSU quarterback to reach the 100 rush / 100 pass plateau in a game since the 2013 season when Bucs’ alum and current RBs coach Malcolm Dixon reached the mark in back-to-back games. OFF – QB London Johnson, Charleston Southern | DEF – DB Akebren Ralls, Kennesaw St. | ST – KR Pete Guerriero, Monmouth | FR – RB Eric Zokouri, Monmouth
CAA FOOTBALL -- Six of CAA Football’s seven nationally ranked teams go head-to-head this Saturday. No. 1 James Madison hosts No. 16 New Hampshire, No. 10 Elon travels to No. 13 Villanova and No. 19 Richmond entertains No. 22 Stony Brook. This is the first Saturday all season where all 12 teams are competing in conference action. Close games have become the standard during conference play in CAA Football. For the season, 17 of the 25 CAA Football games have had margins of seven points or less in the fourth quarter, including three of the five contests last Saturday. James Madison extended its overall winning streak to 19 games with a 46-14 victory at William & Mary last Saturday. The Dukes broke Richmond’s conference record of 17 consecutive wins that was set during the 2008 and 2009 seasons. JMU’s 19-game streak is the longest active streak of any FBS or FCS team and is tied for the 9th-longest streak in FCS history. JMU has also won 14 straight CAA Football contests, which is the second-longest streak in league history. The record of 15 straight wins was set by UMass from 1965-67. Four CAA Football players were added to STATS FCS national Player of the Year watch lists. Maine running back Josh Mack was put on the Watch List for the Walter Payton Award, Elon linebacker Warren Messer was put on the Watch List for the Buck Buchanan Award and Elon quarterback Davis Cheek and Maine linebacker Jaron Grayer were put on the Watch List for the Jerry Rice Award. Off: Jamie Jarmon, WR, Delaware | Def: Nasir Adderley, S, Delaware | ST: Matt Pires, WR/PR, Rhode Island | Rookie: DeUnte Chatman, RB, UNH IVY LEAGUE -- For the first time in program history, Columbia has sole possession of first-place in the Ivy League standings, thanks to its 22-17 win over previously undefeated Dartmouth. The Lions are one of four undefeated teams in the FCS. A win by Columbia this week would give the Lions not only their first-ever 4-0 start in Ivy League play, but also their third 7-0 start in program history and first since 1932. Columbia’s seven-game win streak, dating back to last season, is its longest since 1934-35. Another win would match the Lions’ longest winning streak in program history, previously set twice, most recently from 1933-34. Three teams appear in the national rankings. Dartmouth and Columbia are receiving votes in both national polls, while the Big Green, Lions and Princeton are receiving votes in the STATS FCS poll. Off: QB Chad Kanoff, Princeton | Def: LB Foyesade Oluokun, Yale | ST: PK Nickolas Null, Cornell | Rookie: RB Zane Dudek, Yale MEAC -- North Carolina A&T improved to 8-0 with a come-from-behind victory last weekend. No Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference team since the league started in 1971 has ever finished with a perfect overall record. Only two teams in NCAT history have finished undefeated (1927, 1943). Juwan Carter threw four TD passes, including a pair of long scoring plays to Marcus Taylor, and the Norfolk State defense came up with two late interceptions that helped clinch the Spartans’ 28-21 win over defending MEAC champion and No. 25 ranked North Carolina Central on Saturday. One week after finishing with a career-best 111 yards against Hampton, Taylor had eight catches for a new career-high 132 yards. North Carolina A&T (8-0/5-0) and Hampton (5-2/4-0) are the lone unbeatens in MEAC play, with three other teams at 3-1. Off: Marcus Taylor, Norfolk St. | Def: Anthony Smith, NSU | O-Line: Gibril Ghee, Hampton | ST: Taylor Goettie, NSU | Rook: Juwan Carter, NSU MISSOURI VALLEY -- Eight MVFC teams rank in the Top 20 for FCS schools in the Sagarin Rankings, which includes 6 of the top 7 spots (James Madison of the CAA is the only non-MVFC school in the Top 7.) HERO Sports’ BennettRank yields similar results -- with six MVFC schools ranked in the Top 11. North Dakota State, South Dakota and Youngstown State rank in the Top 4 in both metrics. UNI knocked off a second-straight top-10 opponent after beating No. 9 Youngstown State this past weekend, 19-14. The Panthers beat No. 7 South Dakota State, 38-18, the week prior. UNI last accomplished the feat in 2014, knocking off No. 6 Illinois State (Nov. 1) and No. 1 North Dakota State (Nov. 8) in back-to-back games. Indiana State’s Thomas Bouldin uncorked a 90-yard punt against SIU to break the previous school record of 80 yards, set by Jim Shaughnessy in 1969. The punt also topped an 89-yard punt by Mike Scifres of Western Illinois, while punt fell just three yards short of the NCAA record. It’s the longest punt in all of college football this season. The punt was also the fifth longest in FCS history. Offense -- WR Spencer Schnell, Illinois State | Defense -- DE Rickey Neal, UNI | Special Teams -- PK Sean Slattery, Illinois State Newcomer -- WR/KR Cade Johnson, S. Dakota State | Offensive Lineman -- C Dean Helt, Illinois State NORTHEAST -- Wagner welcomes Bryant to Grymes Hill for the #NECFB Game of the Week on ESPN3 with both sides in search of their first conference victory. Bulldogs’ QB Price Wilson has the sixth-most passing yards (2,321) in the FCS this season while the Seahawks, who lost their opening day starting signal caller for the season due to injury, have two of the NEC’s top-seven rushers– Ryan Fulse (604 yds, 6 TD) and Denzel Knight (341 yds, 6 TD). Wagner LB Quintin Hampton and Bryant LB Thomas Costigan are tied for second amongst NEC leaders with 6.0 sacks apiece. Duquesne puts its six-game win streak and perfect NEC record on the line at Sacred Heart in a Week 9 game that can be seen live (for free) at NECFrontRow.com. Meanwhile, Central Connecticut, the lone other NEC unbeaten, is on its bye following a fifth straight victory (31-14 over Bryant). Duquesne QB Tommy Stuart, who has a NEC-leading 21 touchdowns passes to only four interceptions, ranks fifth in the FCS with a 171.5 passer efficiency rating. OFF: AJ Hines (DUQ) & Drew Jean-Guillaume (CCSU) | DEF: Khamaal Whitaker, SHU | ST: Harrison Dreher, RMU | ROOKIE: Joshua Turner, SHU
OHIO VALLEY -- Jacksonville State senior defensive end Darius Jackson, a candidate for the Buck Buchanan Award, had 2.0 tackles for loss in his team’s win at Eastern Illinois last Saturday. Jackson currently ranks second nationally in tackles for loss/ game (1.9) and has had at least one TFL in 10-straight games dating back to last season. He has keyed a defensive unit that now ranks sixth nationally in total defense (271.6 yards/game) and 13th in scoring defense (17.1 points/game allowed). Eastern Kentucky’s Keith Wrzuszczak broke a 51-year old school record when he boomed an 84-yard punt in the Colonels win over UT Martin. It broke the previous record of 78 yards set in 1966. It is the second-longest punt in the FCS this season and tied for the second-longest punt in the OVC since 2004. For the game Wrzuszczak, who ranks first nationally in punting (46.2 yards/punt), averaged 49.9 yards on nine punts. Making his first career start, Austin Peay true freshman quarterback Jeremiah Oatsvall passed for 199 yards and two touchdown and rushed for 66 yard and another score in a 38-31 victory over Southeast Missouri. In the process he became the first Austin Peay quarterback to win his first career start since the 2009 season. Off: Kentel Williams, Austin Peay | Def: Corey Glass, EKU | ST: Keith Wrzuszczak, EKU/Peyton Logan, UT Martin | Newc: Jeremiah Oatsvall, Austin Peay
PATRIOT -- Colgate freshman quarterback is one of 17 FCS freshman nominated to the STATS FCS Jerry Rice Award Watch List for the nation’s top rookie. Breneman, a Mechanicsburg, Pa. native, has completed 98-of-175 (56.1 percent) of his passes for 1,188 yards, 12 touchdowns and one interception, while rushed for an additional 268 yards and four touchdowns A 0-5 start has not kept Andy Coen and Lehigh from reeling off two consecutive League wins, by averaging 47.5 points and 568.5 yards of total offense. Junior RB Dom Bragalone has been at his best at the start of League play, averaging 154.0 rushing yards per game and scoring four touchdowns to help the Mountain Hawks into sole possession of first-place, with Lafayette’s loss to Bucknell in overtime on Saturday. Colgate beat Holy Cross and Lafayette fell to the Bison, tying them for second-place at 2-1. Bucknell moved into fourth-place at 1-1. The Bucknell defense has done more than just stop opposing offenses; they have put points on the board. The Bison returned a pair of interceptions for touchdowns in Saturday’s 13-7 overtime victory against Lafayette. Drew Newcomb opened the game with a 31-yard interception return for a touchdown and Colin Jonov closed it with a 95-yard interception return for a touchdown in overtime, the longest interception return in program history. Grant Breneman, Colgate, Fr., QB | Colin Jonov, Bucknell, Sr., LB | Andrew Mevis, Fordham, Fr., PK/P
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PFL -- San Diego’s Jonathan Petersen continues to be a force, entering Week 9 among FCS leaders in sacks (3rd, 1.50 per game), forced fumbles (1st, 0.71 per game) and tackles for loss (5th, 1.80). Among FCS active career leaders, he is No. 1 in total sacks (0.83) and forced fumbles (0.33) per game as well as No. 2 in both career sacks (35.0) and tackles for loss per game (1.46).
The PFL’s youth has run rampant in 2017, with Davidson freshman running back Wesley Dugger currently ranked sixth nationally at 103.0 yards per game while Campbell redshirt freshman quarterback Daniel Smith is eighth nationally (101.1 ypg). And proving age has its worth, Dayton senior running back Tucker Yinger rounds out a trio of PFL runner in the FCS Top 10 with his 101.5 yards per game (seventh in FCS). Dayton has blocked five kicks through the season’s first half, ranking fourth among all FCS teams. Redshirt freshman Matt Clifford has blocked two kicks in 2017, one of only four FCS defenders to block multiple kicks. OFF – QB Anthony Lawrence, San Diego | DEF – DB Sean Lynch, Drake | ST – PK Danny Donley, Drake SOUTHERN -- Samford topped then-No. 5 Wofford on Saturday, 24-21, to hand the Terriers their first loss of the season. Quarterback Devlin Hodges threw for 427 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Bulldogs to the victory. Chattanooga’s Darrell Bridges ran for 149 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries in the Mocs’ 20-14 loss to The Citadel on Saturday. His 61-yard TD run in the first quarter was the longest rush by a Chattanooga player this season. Furman is the league’s hottest team, as the Paladins have won five straight after opening the year 0-3 and now sit in a three-way tie for first place in the league standings with Western Carolina and Wofford at 4-1 in SoCon play. OFF – Devlin Hodges, QB, Samford | DEF: Omari Williams, DB, Samford | ST: Joshua Gibson, K, Western Carolina SOUTHLAND -- Central Arkansas and Sam Houston State continue to climb in the national rankings and are now both ranked in the top five at the No. 4 and 5 spots in both polls, respectively. McNeese is ranked at No. 18 in the FCS Coaches Poll and No. 20 in the STATS FCS Poll. Nicholls is at the No. 23 spot in the coaches poll and receiving votes from STATS while Southeastern La. is receiving votes in both. UCA and McNeese are both on six-game win streaks while Southeastern Louisiana has won five straight. A top-25 matchup awaits in week nine when the two teams clash in Conway. The Southland earned a national weekly honor for the second-straight week, with Sam Houston State wide receiver/punt returner Davion Davis garnering both conference and STATS FCS National Special Teams weekly distinction. OFF: WR Kijana Amous, Stephen F. Austin | DEF: Dominique Hill, McNeese | ST: KR Davion Davis, Sam Houston State SWAC -- Grambling State is far and away the top team in Division I football--FBS or FCS--in turnover ratio. The Tigers have a plus 20 margin in the category, seven better than South Florida, who leads FBS football with a plus 13 margin, and six better than Norfolk State in FCS football, who holds a plus 14 margin. Grambling is also ranked first in FCS football with 11 fumbles recoveries. Only Bowling Green in FBS football has more with 12 fumble recoveries as a team. Three running backs in the SWAC rank inside the top 30 in FCS football in rushing yards per attempt. Among them are Alcorn State’s De’Lance Turner (7.58 yards per carry, good for fourth), Grambling State’s Martez Carter (6.08 per carry, ranked 19th overall) and Arkansas-Pine Bluff ’s Keshawn Williams (5.67 per carry, ranked 28th). Devante Kincade, Grambling State | De’Arius Christmas, Grambling State | Marc Orozco, Grambling State | Kendall Catalon, Southern
Big Sky Conference Standings Team W L W L Streak Northern Arizona 4 0 5 2 Won 5 Eastern Washington (14) 4 1 5 3 Lost 1 Sacramento State 3 1 4 3 Won 2 Southern Utah (25) 3 1 5 2 Won 3 Montana (24) 3 1 5 2 Won 3 Weber State 3 1 5 2 Won 1 Montana State 3 2 3 4 Won 1 Idaho State 2 3 4 4 Won 1 UC Davis 1 3 3 4 Lost 2 Northern Colorado 1 3 2 4 Lost 3 North Dakota 1 4 2 6 Lost 2 Portland State 0 4 0 7 Lost 7 Cal Poly 0 4 0 7 Lost 7 Big South Conference Standings Team W L W L Streak Kennesaw State 2 0 6 1 Won 6 Monmouth 1 0 6 1 Won 4 Charleston Southern 1 0 4 3 Won 2 Presbyterian 0 1 3 4 Lost 1 Gardner-Webb 0 1 1 6 Lost 2 Liberty 0 2 3 4 Lost 4 CAA Football Standings Team W L W L Streak James Madison (1) 4 0 7 0 Won 7 Elon (10) 4 0 6 1 Won 6 Stony Brook (22) 4 1 5 2 Won 1 New Hampshire (17) 3 1 5 2 Won 1 Delaware (23) 3 1 5 2 Won 3 Richmond (19) 2 2 4 3 Lost 1 Villanova (13) 2 2 4 3 Lost 1 Maine 2 3 3 3 Won 2 Albany 1 3 3 4 Lost 3 William & Mary 0 4 2 5 Lost 4 Towson 0 4 2 5 Lost 4 Rhode Island 0 4 1 6 Lost 4 Ivy League Standings Team W L W L Streak Columbia 3 0 6 0 Won 6 Dartmouth 2 1 5 1 Lost 1 Yale 2 1 5 1 Won 2 Princeton 2 1 5 1 Won 3 Cornell 2 1 2 4 Won 1 Harvard 1 2 3 3 Lost 1 Penn 0 3 2 4 Lost 4 Brown 0 3 2 4 Lost 3 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Standings Team W L W L Streak North Carolina A&T (7) 5 0 8 0 Won 8 Hampton 4 0 5 2 Won 3 Norfolk State 3 1 3 4 Won 1 North Carolina Central 3 1 5 2 Lost 1 Howard 3 1 4 3 Won 2 Bethune-Cookman 2 2 3 4 Lost 1 Morgan State 1 3 1 6 Lost 1 South Carolina State 1 4 2 5 Lost 2 Florida A&M 1 4 2 6 Lost 4 Delaware State 1 4 1 6 Won 1 Savannah State 0 4 0 7 Lost 7 Missouri Valley Football Conference Standings Team W L W L Streak North Dakota State (2) 4 0 7 0 Won 7 South Dakota (6) 3 1 6 1 Lost 1 Illinois State (16) 3 1 5 2 Won 1 UNI 3 1 4 3 Won 2 South Dakota State (11) 2 2 5 2 Won 1 Western Illinois (12) 2 2 5 2 Lost 1 Southern Illinois 2 2 4 3 Won 2 Youngstown State (21) 1 3 3 4 Lost 3 Missouri State 0 4 1 6 Lost 4 Indiana State 0 4 0 7 Lost 7 Northeast Conference Standings Team W L W L Streak Duquesne 3 0 6 1 Won 6 Central Connecticut St. 3 0 5 3 Won 5 Saint Francis U 2 1 4 3 Lost 1 Sacred Heart 1 1 3 4 Won 1 Bryant 0 2 2 5 Lost 3 Robert Morris 0 2 2 5 Lost 4 Wagner 0 3 2 5 Lost 2
Ohio Valley Conference Standings Team W L W L Streak Jacksonville State (3) 4 0 6 1 Won 5 Austin Peay 4 1 5 3 Won 2 Eastern Illinois 4 1 5 3 Lost 1 Southeast Missouri State 2 2 2 5 Lost 1 Eastern Kentucky 2 3 2 5 Won 1 Murray State 1 2 2 5 Lost 1 UT Martin 1 3 3 4 Lost 3 Tennessee State 1 3 4 3 Lost 1 Tennessee Tech 0 4 0 7 Lost 7 Patriot League Standings Team W L W L Streak Lehigh 2 0 2 5 Won 2 Colgate 2 1 4 4 Won 2 Lafayette 2 1 2 6 Lost 2 Bucknell 1 1 4 3 Won 2 Fordham 1 2 2 6 Won 1 Holy Cross 1 2 2 6 Lost 5 Georgetown 0 2 1 6 Lost 6 Pioneer Football League Standings Team W L W L Streak San Diego 4 0 5 2 Won 4 Campbell 4 1 5 3 Lost 1 Drake 3 1 4 3 Won 1 Butler 3 2 5 3 Won 3 Jacksonville 2 2 4 3 Lost 2 Valparaiso 2 2 3 4 Won 1 Morehead State 2 3 3 5 Won 1 Marist 2 3 3 5 Lost 3 Dayton 2 3 3 5 Won 1 Stetson 1 4 2 6 Lost 1 Davidson 0 4 2 5 Lost 4 Southern Conference Standings Team W L W L Streak Wofford (8) 4 1 6 1 Lost 1 Western Carolina (18) 4 1 6 2 Won 2 Furman 4 1 5 3 Won 5 Samford (9) 3 1 5 2 Won 3 Mercer 3 3 4 4 Lost 1 Citadel 2 3 4 3 Won 1 ETSU 1 3 3 4 Lost 1 Chattanooga 1 4 1 7 Lost 4 VMI 0 5 0 8 Lost 8 Southland Conference Standings Team W L W L Streak Central Arkansas (4) 5 0 6 1 Won 6 Southeastern Louisiana 5 1 5 3 Won 5 Sam Houston State (5) 4 1 6 1 Won 3 Nicholls 4 1 5 2 Won 3 McNeese (20) 4 1 6 1 Won 6 Stephen F. Austin 3 3 3 5 Won 1 Abilene Christian 2 4 2 6 Lost 3 Incarnate Word 1 4 1 6 Lost 1 Northwestern State 1 4 1 6 Lost 4 Lamar 0 5 1 6 Lost 5 Houston Baptist 0 5 1 6 Lost 5 Southwestern Athletic Conference Standings Team W L W L Streak East Alcorn State 3 1 5 3 Lost 1 Alabama A&M 3 1 3 4 Won 1 Mississippi Valley State 1 2 2 5 Won 1 Alabama State 1 2 1 5 Won 1 Jackson State 0 3 0 7 Lost 7 West Grambling State (15) 3 0 6 1 Won 6 Southern University 2 1 4 3 Won 3 Prairie View A&M 2 2 2 4 Lost 2 Arkansas-Pine Bluff 1 2 2 5 Lost 3 Texas Southern 0 2 0 6 Lost 6
STATS FCS TOP-25 RANKINGS Team Pts. Prev. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
James Madison (7-0) (157) North Dakota St. (7-0) (9) Jacksonville State (6-1) Central Arkansas (6-1) Sam Houston State (6-1) South Dakota (6-1) North Carolina A&T (8-0) Wofford (6-1) Samford (5-2) Elon (6-1) South Dakota State (5-2) Western Illinois (5-2) Villanova (4-3) Eastern Washington (5-3) Grambling State (6-1) Illinois State (5-2) New Hampshire (5-2) Western Carolina (6-2) Richmond (4-3) McNeese (6-1) Youngstown State (3-4) Stony Brook (5-2) Delaware (5-2) Montana (5-2) Southern Utah (5-2)
4141 3993 3802 3641 3455 2861 2688 2636 2599 2555 2536 2207 1856 1806 1418 1312 1311 1243 1089 1055 953 671 668 634 624
1 2 3 6 7 4 12 5 16 14 13 10 15 8 17 24 18 19 11 20 9 22 NR 21 NR
FCS COACHES TOP-25 RANKINGS Team Pts. Rec. Prev. 1 James Madison (26) 2 North Dakota State 3 Jacksonville State 4 Central Arkansas 5 Sam Houston State 6 North Carolina A&T 7 South Dakota T-8 Samford T-8 South Dakota State 10 Wofford 11 Elon 12 Eastern Washington 13 Grambling State 14 Western Illinois 15 Villanova 16 New Hampshire 17 Richmond 18 McNeese 19 Youngstown State 20 Western Carolina 21 Illinois State 22 Weber State 23 Nicholls 24 Northern Arizona 25 Northern Iowa
650 624 597 548 541 463 444 435 435 421 362 278 269 266 257 240 226 219 167 165 158 121 118 112 64
7-0 1 7-0 2 6-1 3 6-1 6 6-1 7 8-0 11 6-1 4 5-2 14 5-2 13 6-1 5 6-1 15 5-3 8 6-1 17 5-2 12 4-3 16 5-2 18 4-3 10 6-1 19 3-4 9 6-2 21 5-2 24 5-2 23 5-2 20 5-2 NR 4-3 NR
