CHICAGO – Oct. 1, 2018 –– Top-ranked North Dakota State is stepping outside the Fargodome for the first time this week, and, as usual, the Missouri Valley Football Conference awaits with top teams.
The reigning FCS champion solidified No. 1 in the STATS FCS Top 25 with a home win over No. 3 South Dakota State this past weekend. On Monday, the Bison collected 155 of the 158 first-place and 3,947 points in the national media poll.
But it’s a work week, and coach Chris Klieman’s 4-0 team is on to the next challenge as it travels to another rival, No. 22 Northern Iowa. The Bison have only four road games this season.
South Dakota State (2-1), No. 3 since the preseason, didn’t drop in the rankings following its 21-17 loss at NDSU. The Jackrabbits’ 83 straight appearances in the Top 25 is the second-longest active streak to NDSU’s 111.
Also from the Missouri Valley, Missouri State moved into the rankings at No. 24 – the Bears’ first appearance since the 1997 preseason – on the heels of a 24-21 upset of Illinois State, which dropped six spots to No. 15.
San Diego, CA, USA; UC Davis Aggies quarterback Jake Maier (15) throws a pass over San Diego State Aztecs cornerback Parie Dedeaux Jr. (14) during the first quarter at San Diego Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports
The only conference with more ranked teams than the Missouri Valley’s five is CAA Football with seven, led by No. 2 James Madison. The Dukes (4-1) thrashed Richmond 63-10 this past weekend and host No. 10 Elon this week.
The Big Sky Conference has four teams ranked in this week’s poll. Eastern Washington (4-1) held steady at No. 5 after a 34-17 win at Montana State on Saturday. Weber State stayed at No. 6 during its bye week. Montana moved up three spots to No. 14 after a 48-28 win at Cal Poly that helped the Griz join EWU and Idaho State as the three teams in the league that enter October 2-0 in conference play. UC Davis moved up three spots to No. 16, the highest ranking for the Aggies in their Division I history, while being idle last week.
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 STATS FCS Top 25 for Oct. 1:
- North Dakota State(4-0), 3,947 points – 155 first-place votes
Previous Ranking: 1; Last Week’s Result: 21-17 win over South Dakota State
- James Madison(4-1), 3,794 – 3 first-place votes
Previous Ranking: 2; Last Week’s Result: 63-10 win over Richmond
- South Dakota State(2-1), 3,433
Previous Ranking: 3; Last Week’s Result: 21-17 loss to North Dakota State
- Kennesaw State(4-1), 3,432
Previous Ranking: 4; Last Week’s Result: 24-10 win over Samford
- Eastern Washington(4-1), 3,351
Previous Ranking: 5; Last Week’s Result: 34-17 win over Montana State
- Weber State(3-1), 3,124
Previous Ranking: 6; Last Week’s Result: Bye
- Wofford(3-1), 3,002
Previous Ranking: 7; Last Week’s Result: 45-14 win over Gardner-Webb
- Jacksonville State(3-1), 2,692
Previous Ranking: 8; Last Week’s Result: 48-34 win over Austin Peay
- McNeese(4-1), 2,578
Previous Ranking: 10; Last Week’s Result: 17-10 win over Stephen F. Austin
- Elon(3-1), 2,483
Previous Ranking: 11; Last Week’s Result: 30-9 win over New Hampshire
- North Carolina A&T(4-1), 2,253
Previous Ranking: 12; Last Week’s Result: 31-16 win over South Carolina State
- Nicholls(3-2), 1,971
Previous Ranking: 15; Last Week’s Result: 50-27 win over Lamar
- Stony Brook(4-1), 1,969
Previous Ranking: 18; Last Week’s Result: 29-27 win over Villanova
- Montana(4-1), 1,731
Previous Ranking: 17; Last Week’s Result: 48-28 win over Cal Poly
- Illinois State(3-1), 1,700
Previous Ranking: 9; Last Week’s Result: 24-21 loss to Missouri State
- UC Davis(3-1), 1,420
Previous Ranking: 19; Last Week’s Result: Bye
- Sam Houston State(2-2), 1,291
Previous Ranking: 21; Last Week’s Result: 34-31 win over Central Arkansas
- Rhode Island(3-1), 1,012
Previous Ranking: 22; Last Week’s Result: 23-16 win over Harvard
- Villanova(3-2), 990
Previous Ranking: 13 (tie); Last Week’s Result: 29-27 loss to Stony Brook
- Central Arkansas(2-2), 972
Previous Ranking: 13 (tie); Last Week’s Result: 34-31 overtime loss to Sam Houston State
- Colgate(4-0), 723
Previous Ranking: 24; Last Week’s Result: 23-0 win over William & Mary
- Northern Iowa(2-2), 672
Previous Ranking: 23; Last Week’s Result: 33-0 win over Indiana State
- Towson(3-1), 586
Previous Ranking: 25; Last Week’s Result: 44-27 win over The Citadel
- Missouri State(3-1), 566
Previous Ranking: NR; Last Week’s Result: 24-21 win over Illinois State
- Maine(2-2), 409
Previous Ranking: 16; Last Week’s Result: 35-14 loss to Lamar
Dropped Out: Chattanooga
Others Receiving Votes: Chattanooga 254, East Tennessee State 224, Princeton 187, South Dakota 162, Western Illinois 80, Montana State 70, North Dakota 65, Idaho State 54, Yale 46, Dartmouth 27, Sacramento State 23, Tennessee State 21, Prairie View A&M 14, Delaware 9, Harvard 7, Mercer 4, Howard 2
