STATS FCS Poll 11/18

[GrizRick]

Griz rise to #3:

Trio of conferences highlight STATS FCS Top 25

Georgia edges past Alabama to No. 4
Tua out for season with dislocated hip
Iowa ends Minnesota's unbeaten season
OU-Baylor rematch for Big 12 likely
Burrow goes for 489, 5 TDs, LSU now 10-0
No. 5 Georgia halts late Auburn rally
Lawrence's 4 TDs key No. 3 Clemson rout
Fields has 4 TDs as No. 2 Ohio St. rolls
Oregon secures spot in Pac-12 title game
No. 8 Utah rolls to 49-3 rout of UCLA

By CRAIG HALEY
STATS FCS Senior Editor

(STATS) - The three strongest conferences in FCS college football flexed their muscle on Monday.

The top 10 spots in the STATS FCS Top 25 were claimed by teams in the Missouri Valley, Big Sky and CAA. The Missouri Valley boasted North Dakota State (1), South Dakota State (5), Illinois State (7) and Northern Iowa (9), and the Big Sky also had four teams with Montana (3), Sacramento State (4), Weber State (6) and Montana State (8). James Madison (2) and Villanova (10) represented the CAA.

There were two matchups within the Top 10 this past Saturday. Montana beat Weber State 35-16 to replace the Wildcats at No. 3 - the Grizzlies' highest since the 2011 postseason poll. South Dakota State moved up three spots to No. 5 after defeating Northern Iowa 38-7.

This is the final full week of the regular season. The NCAA will announce pairings for the 24-team FCS playoff field on Sunday.

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.

STATS FCS Top 25 (Nov. 18)

1. North Dakota State (11-0), 3,900 points (156 first-place votes)

Previous Ranking: 1; Last Week's Result: 49-14 win over South Dakota

2. James Madison (10-1), 3,743

Previous Ranking: 2; Last Week's Result: 48-6 win over Richmond

3. Montana (9-2), 3,558

Previous Ranking: 5; Last Week's Result: 35-16 win over Weber State

4. Sacramento State (8-3), 3,220

Previous Ranking: 6; Last Week's Result: 31-7 win over Idaho

5. South Dakota State (8-3), 3,193

Previous Ranking: 8; Last Week's Result: 38-7 win over Northern Iowa

6. Weber State (8-3), 3,067

Previous Ranking: 3; Last Week's Result: 35-16 loss to Montana

7. Illinois State (8-3), 3,056

Previous Ranking: 7; Last Week's Result: 17-12 win over Missouri State

8. Montana State (8-3), 2,625

Previous Ranking: 10; Last Week's Result: 27-17 win over UC Davis

9. Northern Iowa (7-4), 2,619

Previous Ranking: 4; Last Week's Result: 38-7 loss to South Dakota State

10. Villanova (8-3), 2,144

Previous Ranking: 13; Last Week's Result: 35-7 win over Long Island

11. Central Arkansas (8-3), 1,945

Previous Ranking: 14; Last Week's Result: 30-7 win over Stephen F. Austin

12. Florida A&M (9-1), 1,923

Previous Ranking: 12; Last Week's Result: 39-7 win over Howard

13. Southeast Missouri (8-3), 1,799

Previous Ranking: 15; Last Week's Result: 26-12 win over Eastern Illinois

14. Wofford (7-3), 1,711

Previous Ranking: 21; Last Week's Result: 24-7 win over Furman

15. Monmouth (9-2), 1,656

Previous Ranking: 17; Last Week's Result: 47-10 win over Campbell

16. Kennesaw State (9-2), 1,529

Previous Ranking: 16; Last Week's Result: 50-7 win over Hampton

17. Furman (7-4), 1,456

Previous Ranking: 9; Last Week's Result: 24-7 loss to Wofford

18. Central Connecticut State (10-1), 1,306

Previous Ranking: 19; Last Week's Result: 49-28 win over Robert Morris

19. Towson (7-4), 1,165

Previous Ranking: 20; Last Week's Result: 31-10 win over William & Mary

20. Austin Peay (8-3), 1,025

Previous Ranking: 22; Last Week's Result: 42-7 win over Murray State

21. Southeastern Louisiana (7-3), 899

Previous Ranking: 23; Last Week's Result: 35-14 win over Abilene Christian

22. Dartmouth (8-1), 819

Previous Ranking: 11; Last Week's Result: 20-17 loss to Cornell

23. Nicholls (7-4), 626

Previous Ranking: 24; Last Week's Result: 34-20 win over McNeese

24. Yale (8-1), 315

Previous Ranking: N/R; Last Week's Result: 51-14 win over Princeton

25. North Carolina A&T (7-3), 305

Previous Ranking: 25; Last Week's Result: 47-17 win over Bethune-Cookman

Dropped Out: Princeton (18)

Others Receiving Votes: Southern Illinois 282, North Dakota 269, Albany 185, Princeton 92, San Diego 82, UT Martin 38, Alcorn State 37, Sam Houston State 25, Maine 22, Eastern Washington 20, The Citadel 14, New Hampshire 10, South Carolina State 8, UC Davis 8, Chattanooga 4

 

[Live4Griz]

Four Big Sky teams in the Top 8. Pretty impressive. I wonder if it has ever happened before.

 

[GrizRick]

They were kind to Weber, dropping them only three spots to #6. It being Weber's first FCS loss no doubt was a big consideration.

 

[PlayerRep]

They were kind to Weber, dropping them only three spots to #6. It being Weber's first FCS loss no doubt was a big consideration.

The Weber ranking also shows respect for UM.

 

[IdaGriz01]

With a couple of glaring exceptions, my guesses were pretty damn good. That includes putting Northern Iowa at #9 … behind MSU. And UNI gets a patsy next weekend (Western Illinois, 1-10), so at 8-4 the Panthers will certainly win an at-large bid … but hopefully not a seed.

Also, my new rule correctly moved Yale into the top-25. Yeeha! (For what that's worth.)

On the other hand, the pollsters pounded Furman more than I expected after their lost to ranked Wofford, dropping them eight spots. I guessed a drop of only five. They basically flop-flopped them with Wofford, which meant the Terriers moved up way more than I expected. Don’t see that too often. Wofford wins the auto-bid, and Furman may have put an at-large bid in jeopardy. Their final game is against an NAIA opponent, so 7-4 is what they have to depend upon. Shaky, at best, IMO.

 

[AZGrizFan]

With a couple of glaring exceptions, my guesses were pretty damn good. That includes putting Northern Iowa at #9 … behind MSU. And UNI gets a patsy next weekend (Western Illinois, 1-10), so at 8-4 the Panthers will certainly win an auto-bid … but hopefully not a seed.

I think you mean an at-large bid...NDSU has the autobid sewn up.

 

[IdaGriz01]

With a couple of glaring exceptions, my guesses were pretty damn good. That includes putting Northern Iowa at #9 … behind MSU. And UNI gets a patsy next weekend (Western Illinois, 1-10), so at 8-4 the Panthers will certainly win an at-large bid … but hopefully not a seed.

I think you mean an at-large bid...NDSU has the autobid sewn up.

Yep, my bad.

Fixed it.

 

[AZGrizFan]

With a couple of glaring exceptions, my guesses were pretty damn good. That includes putting Northern Iowa at #9 … behind MSU. And UNI gets a patsy next weekend (Western Illinois, 1-10), so at 8-4 the Panthers will certainly win an at-large bid … but hopefully not a seed.

I think you mean an at-large bid...NDSU has the autobid sewn up.

Yep, my bad.

Fixed it.

No worries. The committee loves them some MVFC football...wouldn't surprise me to see them award TWO autobids to that conference. :lol: :lol:

 

[AZDoc]

They were kind to Weber, dropping them only three spots to #6. It being Weber's first FCS loss no doubt was a big consideration.

The Weber ranking also shows respect for UM.

And, I'd wager, looking at the final score instead of the 35-3 lead and 2 garbage scores. Still good for the Big Sky!

 

[Yukon]

https://twitter.com/UmBarstool/status/1196512224207966208?s=20

 

[Fahque]

Northern Iowa should be like 14 or 15...down with Furman

 

[Grizzly Oredigger]

With a couple of glaring exceptions, my guesses were pretty damn good. That includes putting Northern Iowa at #9 … behind MSU. And UNI gets a patsy next weekend (Western Illinois, 1-10), so at 8-4 the Panthers will certainly win an at-large bid … but hopefully not a seed.

Also, my new rule correctly moved Yale into the top-25. Yeeha! (For what that's worth.)

On the other hand, the pollsters pounded Furman more than I expected after their lost to ranked Wofford, dropping them eight spots. I guessed a drop of only five. They basically flop-flopped them with Wofford, which meant the Terriers moved up way more than I expected. Don’t see that too often. Wofford wins the auto-bid, and Furman may have put an at-large bid in jeopardy. Their final game is against an NAIA opponent, so 7-4 is what they have to depend upon. Shaky, at best, IMO.

I’d be ok if UNI gets the 8-seed...it just means we beat the Bobcats on Saturday
However, based on how the playoff committee valued/ranked a CAA team at #8 a few weeks back, I’d venture to guess they’ll give it to Villanova (if they win) either way.

 

[Diesel]

So when MSU loses this week will Monmouth be ranked higher than them.

 

[IdaGriz01]

So when MSU loses this week will Monmouth be ranked higher than them.

Unlikely, but not out of the question. A loss to a highly ranked team generally costs the loser maybe five or six spots (sometimes less), even when it's an absolute beat-down. Would need at least a couple teams in the #9 to #14 range lose ... and most are playing fairly soft touches for their final games. But a few of those, and it could happen.