FARMINGTON, Utah (Sept. 6, 2021) – Following its historic victory at No. 20 Washington this past Saturday, Montana was named the Stats Perform FCS National Team of the Week and jumped to fourth overall in the latest FCS Top 25, with four other Big Sky football teams joining the Griz.
In addition to being ranked fourth overall, Montana also received the third-most first-place votes with five. Montana wasn’t the only big mover in this week’s poll, as fellow FBS slayers Eastern Washington (No. 7) and UC Davis (No. 14) also jumped up the rankings following their victories this past weekend.
The three FBS wins in one weekend were the most for any FCS conference since the CAA achieved the feat in 2009. The ranked FBS victory for Montana was the sixth overall for the FCS and second for the Big Sky as a league, with the last coming in 2013 after EWU upset No. 25 Oregon State.
Weber State and Montana State were also slotted at 10th and 11th overall, following their Week 1 performances. Sacramento State is still on the cusp of the Top 25, with the Hornets receiving votes following their win at Dixie State this past Saturday.
A national media panel selects the Stats Perform 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. For the full Stats Perform release, click here.
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| STATS FCS Top 25 | |
| 1. | Sam Houston (32) |
| 2. | South Dakota State (11) |
| 3. | James Madison (2) |
| 4. | Montana (5) |
| 5. | North Dakota State |
| 6. | Delaware |
| 7. | Eastern Washington |
| 8. | Southern Illinois |
| 9. | North Dakota |
| 10. | Weber State |
| 11. | Montana State |
| 12. | Villanova |
| 13. | Southeastern Louisiana |
| 14. | UC Davis |
| 15. | ETSU |
| 16. | Jacksonville State |
| 17. | Austin Peay |
| 18. | VMI |
| 19. | Central Arkansas |
| 20. | Monmouth |
| 21. | Northern Iowa |
| 22. | Kennesaw State |
| 23. | Missouri State |
| 24. | Holy Cross |
| 25. | Richmond |
Others Receiving Votes (schools listed on two or more ballots): Murray State 125, Chattanooga 72, Nicholls 61, Sacramento State 40, Samford 40, New Hampshire 36, Alabama A&M 34, Furman 20, Sacred Heart 17, Jackson State 14, Illinois State 10, Rhode Island 8, Stephen F. Austin 8, North Carolina Central 7
