Tarleton State Wins Back-to-Back FBS Games
September 8, 2026
Tarleton State traveled to the state of Ohio for the first time since 1991 and faced FBS-member Bowling Green for the first time. The Texans walked away with a 20-13 victory, their second straight against an FBS opponent after upsetting Army in double overtime, 30-27, in 2025. Tarleton State remains No. 5 in this week’s AFCA FCS Coaches Poll.
Montana State still holds the top spot after beating Butler, 51-24, and moving to 2-0 on the season. In-state rival Montana moves back to the second spot after South Dakota State lost to FBS-member, Northwestern, 34-18, and dropped to No. 3. Illinois State stayed at No. 4 after handing Western Illinois a 34-18 loss.
Just two games into their first season as a member of the Football Championship Subdivision, West Florida makes its first appearance in the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll at No. 22. The Argonauts beat their second straight ranked opponent, this time taking down then-No. 24 Central Arkansas, 42-14. They get a week off before facing their third ranked opponent in No. 15 Austin Peay on September 19.
Idaho State follows West Florida as the second newcomer to this week’s poll. The Bengals stunned FBS-member Utah State, 29-17, in Logan and jump into the poll at No. 24.
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Week 1 Next Game
1 Montana St. (25) 2-0 648 1 D. Butler, 51-24 Sept. 12 at Nevada
2 Montana 2-0 591 3 D. Drake, 45-10 Sept. 12 vs. Utah Tech
3 South Dakota St. (1) 1-1 582 2 Lost to Northwestern, 34-18 Sept. 12 vs. New Haven
4 Illinois St. 2-0 575 4 D. Western Illinois, 41-10 Sept. 12 at Northern Illinois
5 Tarleton St. 2-0 551 5 D. Bowling Green, 20-13 Sept. 12 at McNeese
6 UC Davis 2-0 519 6 D. San Diego, 49-17 Sept. 12 at SMU
7 North Dakota 2-0 448 9 D. St. Thomas (Minn.), 62-26 Sept. 12 at Portland St.
8 Lehigh 2-0 425 10 D. Georgetown (D.C.), 45-14 Sept. 12 vs. No. 16 William & Mary
9 Stephen F. Austin 2-0 417 11 D. East Texas A&M, 44-7 Sept. 12 at No. 25 ACU
10 Youngstown St. 1-1 372 7 Lost to Kentucky, 45-13 Sept. 12 vs. Duquesne
11 Tennessee Tech 2-0 357 13 D. Chattanooga, 24-9 Sept. 12 vs. Samford
12 South Dakota 2-0 352 12 D. Northern Colorado, 38-23 Sept. 12 vs. Eastern Washington
13 Rhode Island 1-1 333 8 Lost to Temple, 38-14 Sept. 12 vs. Elon
14 Mercer 2-0 316 15 D. Presbyterian, 62-3 Sept. 12 vs. Furman
15 Austin Peay 1-1 237 14 Lost to Vanderbilt, 28-9 Sept. 12 vs. Morehead St.
16 William & Mary 2-0 216 19 D. Delaware St., 22-15 Sept. 12 at No. 8 Lehigh
17 Lamar 1-1 195 16 Lost to Louisiana, 38-7 Sept. 12 at Idaho
18 Villanova 1-1 163 17 D. Bucknell, 17-16 Sept. 11 at Louisville
19 Yale 0-0 142 18 Idle Sept. 19 at Holy Cross
20 South Carolina St. 2-0 132 22 D. Florida A&M, 31-13 Sept. 12 vs. Virginia St.
21 Richmond 2-0 130 23 D. Howard, 28-21 Sept. 11 at NC State
22 West Florida 2-0 102 NR D. No. 24 Central Arkansas, 42-14 Sept. 19 vs. No. 15 Austin Peay
23 Northern Arizona 1-1 101 20 Lost to Arizona, 35-7 Sept. 12 vs. UIW
24 Idaho St. 2-0 75 NR D. Utah St., 29-17 Sept. 12 vs. San Diego
25 ACU 0-2 71 21 Lost to Texas Tech, 33-10 Sept. 12 vs. No. 9 Stephen F. Austin
Dropped Out: Central Arkansas (24), Southern Illinois (25)
Others Receiving Votes: Wofford, 53; Cal Poly, 44; Southern Illinois, 41; Prairie View A&M, 32; Elon, 31; Colgate, 25; Campbell, 23; UT-Rio Grande Valley, 15; Alabama St., 13; Jackson St., 13; Robert Morris (Pa.), 13; UIW, 13; Harvard, 12; Furman, 10; Southern Utah, 10; UT Martin, 10; Southeast Missouri St., 8; Central Arkansas, 6; Chattanooga, 6; Portland St., 5; Western Carolina, 5; Dartmouth, 4; Monmouth (N.J.), 4; East Tennessee St., 1; Eastern Washington, 1; San Diego, 1; The Citadel, 1.
For more information about the AFCA, visit www.AFCA.com. For more interesting articles, check out The Insider and subscribe to our weekly email.
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Tarleton State traveled to the state of Ohio for the first time since 1991 and faced FBS-member Bowling Green for the first time. The Texans walked away with a 20-13 victory, their second straight against an FBS opponent after upsetting Army in double overtime, 30-27, in 2025. Tarleton State remains No. 5 in this week’s AFCA FCS Coaches Poll.
Montana State still holds the top spot after beating Butler, 51-24, and moving to 2-0 on the season. In-state rival Montana moves back to the second spot after South Dakota State lost to FBS-member, Northwestern, 34-18, and dropped to No. 3. Illinois State stayed at No. 4 after handing Western Illinois a 34-18 loss.
Just two games into their first season as a member of the Football Championship Subdivision, West Florida makes its first appearance in the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll at No. 22. The Argonauts beat their second straight ranked opponent, this time taking down then-No. 24 Central Arkansas, 42-14. They get a week off before facing their third ranked opponent in No. 15 Austin Peay on September 19.
Idaho State follows West Florida as the second newcomer to this week’s poll. The Bengals stunned FBS-member Utah State, 29-17, in Logan and jump into the poll at No. 24.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week 1 | Next Game | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Montana St. (25) | 2-0 | 648 | 1 | D. Butler, 51-24 | Sept. 12 at Nevada | |
| 2 | Montana | 2-0 | 591 | 3 | D. Drake, 45-10 | Sept. 12 vs. Utah Tech | |
| 3 | South Dakota St. (1) | 1-1 | 582 | 2 | Lost to Northwestern, 34-18 | Sept. 12 vs. New Haven | |
| 4 | Illinois St. | 2-0 | 575 | 4 | D. Western Illinois, 41-10 | Sept. 12 at Northern Illinois | |
| 5 | Tarleton St. | 2-0 | 551 | 5 | D. Bowling Green, 20-13 | Sept. 12 at McNeese | |
| 6 | UC Davis | 2-0 | 519 | 6 | D. San Diego, 49-17 | Sept. 12 at SMU | |
| 7 | North Dakota | 2-0 | 448 | 9 | D. St. Thomas (Minn.), 62-26 | Sept. 12 at Portland St. | |
| 8 | Lehigh | 2-0 | 425 | 10 | D. Georgetown (D.C.), 45-14 | Sept. 12 vs. No. 16 William & Mary | |
| 9 | Stephen F. Austin | 2-0 | 417 | 11 | D. East Texas A&M, 44-7 | Sept. 12 at No. 25 ACU | |
| 10 | Youngstown St. | 1-1 | 372 | 7 | Lost to Kentucky, 45-13 | Sept. 12 vs. Duquesne | |
| 11 | Tennessee Tech | 2-0 | 357 | 13 | D. Chattanooga, 24-9 | Sept. 12 vs. Samford | |
| 12 | South Dakota | 2-0 | 352 | 12 | D. Northern Colorado, 38-23 | Sept. 12 vs. Eastern Washington | |
| 13 | Rhode Island | 1-1 | 333 | 8 | Lost to Temple, 38-14 | Sept. 12 vs. Elon | |
| 14 | Mercer | 2-0 | 316 | 15 | D. Presbyterian, 62-3 | Sept. 12 vs. Furman | |
| 15 | Austin Peay | 1-1 | 237 | 14 | Lost to Vanderbilt, 28-9 | Sept. 12 vs. Morehead St. | |
| 16 | William & Mary | 2-0 | 216 | 19 | D. Delaware St., 22-15 | Sept. 12 at No. 8 Lehigh | |
| 17 | Lamar | 1-1 | 195 | 16 | Lost to Louisiana, 38-7 | Sept. 12 at Idaho | |
| 18 | Villanova | 1-1 | 163 | 17 | D. Bucknell, 17-16 | Sept. 11 at Louisville | |
| 19 | Yale | 0-0 | 142 | 18 | Idle | Sept. 19 at Holy Cross | |
| 20 | South Carolina St. | 2-0 | 132 | 22 | D. Florida A&M, 31-13 | Sept. 12 vs. Virginia St. | |
| 21 | Richmond | 2-0 | 130 | 23 | D. Howard, 28-21 | Sept. 11 at NC State | |
| 22 | West Florida | 2-0 | 102 | NR | D. No. 24 Central Arkansas, 42-14 | Sept. 19 vs. No. 15 Austin Peay | |
| 23 | Northern Arizona | 1-1 | 101 | 20 | Lost to Arizona, 35-7 | Sept. 12 vs. UIW | |
| 24 | Idaho St. | 2-0 | 75 | NR | D. Utah St., 29-17 | Sept. 12 vs. San Diego | |
| 25 | ACU | 0-2 | 71 | 21 | Lost to Texas Tech, 33-10 | Sept. 12 vs. No. 9 Stephen F. Austin |
Dropped Out: Central Arkansas (24), Southern Illinois (25)
Others Receiving Votes: Wofford, 53; Cal Poly, 44; Southern Illinois, 41; Prairie View A&M, 32; Elon, 31; Colgate, 25; Campbell, 23; UT-Rio Grande Valley, 15; Alabama St., 13; Jackson St., 13; Robert Morris (Pa.), 13; UIW, 13; Harvard, 12; Furman, 10; Southern Utah, 10; UT Martin, 10; Southeast Missouri St., 8; Central Arkansas, 6; Chattanooga, 6; Portland St., 5; Western Carolina, 5; Dartmouth, 4; Monmouth (N.J.), 4; East Tennessee St., 1; Eastern Washington, 1; San Diego, 1; The Citadel, 1.
For more information about the AFCA, visit www.AFCA.com. For more interesting articles, check out The Insider and subscribe to our weekly email.
If you are interested in more in-depth articles and videos, please become an AFCA member. You can find out more information about membership and specific member benefits on the AFCA Membership Overview page. If you are ready to join, please fill out the AFCA Membership Application.
