It appears to be the right season for Tarleton State to be eligible for the FCS playoffs for the first time.
The Texans expect to have their strongest team on the Division I level, as evidenced by their rising to No. 16 in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll on Monday.
Tarleton State even has its deepest team, having used its third different starting quarterback (Daniel Greek) while winning at HCU 35-18 and improving to 2-1 Saturday night.
The Texans, under coach Todd Whitten, posted a winning record in each of four seasons during a reclassifying period from D-II. This season, their matchup with No. 7 Central Arkansas on Nov. 23 – the final Saturday of the regular season – could determine the United Athletic Conference title and automatic playoff bid. Both teams have potent offenses, with Tarleton State featuring running backs Kayvon Britten and Derrel Kelley III and wide receiver Darius Cooper.
While the Texans rose four spots in this week’s poll, North Dakota made the biggest move, up 13 spots to No. 10. South Dakota State, the two-time defending FCS champion, strengthened its hold on No. 1 while remaining on top for the 24th straight poll since 2022.
A national media panel selects the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll. 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.
Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll (Sept. 9)
1. South Dakota State (1-1, 0–0 MVFC), 1,386 points (44 of 56 first-place votes)
Previous Ranking:1;Week 2: 45-24 win over then-No. 12UIW; Week 3: Augustana
2. North Dakota State (1-1, 0-0 MVFC), 1,333 (6)
Previous Ranking:2; Week 2: 52-3 win over Tennessee State; Week 3: at ETSU
3. Montana State (3-0, 0-0 Big Sky), 1,301 (6)
Previous Ranking:3; Week 2: 41-24 win over Maine; Week 3: No game; Week 4: Mercyhurst
4. Idaho (1-1, 0-0 Big Sky), 1,195
Previous Ranking:7; Week 2: 17-13 win at Wyoming; Week 3: No. 17 UAlbany
5. Villanova (2-0, 0-0 CAA), 1,175
Previous Ranking:5; Week 2: 28-3 win at Colgate; Week 3: Towson
6. South Dakota (1-1, 0-0 MVFC), 1,127
Previous Ranking:6; Week 2: 27-13 loss at Wisconsin; Week 3: at Portland State
7. Central Arkansas (1-1, 0-0 UAC), 946
Previous Ranking:9; Week 2: 34-13 win at Lindenwood; Week 3: Austin Peay
8. Montana (1-1, 0-0 Big Sky), 927
Previous Ranking:4; Week 2: 27-24 loss at then-No. 23 North Dakota; Week 3: Morehead State
9. Southern Illinois (1-1, 0-0 MVFC), 919
Previous Ranking:10; Week 2: 31-17 win at Austin Peay; Week 3: No. 12 UIW
10. North Dakota (1-1, 0-0 MVFC), 853
Previous Ranking:23; Week 2: 27-24 win over then-No. 4 Montana; Week 3: Idaho State
11. Sacramento State (0-2, 0-0 Big Sky), 834
Previous Ranking:8; Week 2: 46-30 loss at Fresno State; Week 3: No. 24 Nicholls
12. UIW (1-1, 0-0 Southland), 646
Previous Ranking:12; Week 2: 45-24 loss at then-No. 1 South Dakota State; Week 3: at No. 9 Southern Illinois
13. William & Mary (1-1, 0-0 CAA), 632
Previous Ranking:13; Week 2: 40-21 loss at Coastal Carolina; Week 3: at Wofford
14. Chattanooga (0-2, 0-0 SoCon), 610
Previous Ranking:11; Week 2: 24-21 loss at Georgia State; Week 3: No. 23 Mercer
15. UC Davis (1-1, 0-0 Big Sky), 578
Previous Ranking:18; Week 2: 36-22 win over Texas A&M-Commerce; Week 3: at Southern Utah
16. Tarleton State (2-1, 0-0 UAC), 452
Previous Ranking:20; Week 2: 35-18 win at HCU; Week 3: No game; Week 4: at North Alabama
17. UAlbany (1-1, 0-0 CAA), 430
Previous Ranking:16; Week 2: 49-14 loss at West Virginia (6 p.m., ESPN+); Week 3: at No. 4 Idaho
18. Illinois State (1-1, 0-0 MVFC), 374
Previous Ranking:21; Week 2: 24-17 win at North Alabama; Week 3: Western Illinois
19. Lafayette (1-1, 0-0 Patriot), 347
Previous Ranking:19; Week 2: 40-35 win at Monmouth; Week 3: Marist
20. Weber State (1-1, 1-0 Big Sky), 333
Previous Ranking:24; Week 2: 43-16 win over Portland State; Week 3: at Lamar
21. Youngstown State (1-1, 0-0 MVFC), 252
Previous Ranking:25; Week 2: 59-25 win over Valparaiso; Week 3: Duquesne
22. Elon (1-1, 0-0 CAA), 216
Previous Ranking: NR; Week 2: 41-19 win at North Carolina Central; Week 3: Western Carolina
23. Mercer (2-0, 0-0 SoCon), 207
Previous Ranking:NR; Week 2: 31-2 win at Bethune-Cookman; Week 3: at No. 14 Chattanooga
24. Nicholls (0-2, 0-0 Southland), 200
Previous Ranking:22; Week 2: 44-21 loss at LSU; Week 3: at No. 11 Sacramento State
25. Abilene Christian (1-1, 1-0 UAC), 122
Previous Ranking:NR; Week 2: 38-24 win overWest Georgia; Week 3: at Northern Colorado
Dropped Out: Richmond (14), Furman (15), Western Carolina (17)
