[FCS Poll] North Dakota State Moves to No. 2 in AFCA Top 25
North Dakota State used backup quarterback Cam Miller to come from behind and beat No. 18 Missouri State, 27-20. Miller connected on 7 of 9 pass attempts, including two touchdown passes of 29 yards and 24 yards, in the fourth quarter to bring the Bison back. Thanks to Eastern Washington’s upset loss to Weber State, North Dakota State moves to No. 2 in the AFCA FCS Coaches’ Top 25 Poll.
RELATED ARTICLE: [FCS POLL] Eastern Kentucky’s Comeback Win Earns the Colonels a Top 25 Rank
With EWU’s loss, the Top 10 looks completely different this week other than No. 1 Sam Houston. The Bearkats continued their winning ways, dominating then-No. 21 Jacksonville State, 42-7. Following NDSU is No. 3 Southern Illinois and No. 4 Villanova, who blanked then-No. 19 Rhode Island, 44-0. James Madison is at No. 5 after the Dukes knocked Delaware out of the Top 25 with a 22-10 victory.
Sacramento State enters the AFCA Top 25 for the first time this year tied at No. 23 with Weber State. The Hornets are 5-2 after shutting out Northern Arizona, 44-0. Weber State forced three turnovers and were successful on three fake punts to upset Eastern Washington, 35-34. The loss caused EWU to fall five places to No. 7.
American Football Coaches Association FCS Coaches’ Top 25 Poll – October 25, 2021
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week 8 | Next Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sam Houston (27) | 6-0 | 675 | 1 | D. No. 21 Jacksonville St., 42-7 | Oct. 30 at Tarleton |
| 2 | North Dakota St. | 7-0 | 642 | 3 | D. No. 18 Missouri St., 27-20 | Oct. 30 vs. Indiana St. |
| 3 | Southern Illinois | 6-1 | 603 | 4 | Idle | Oct. 30 at No. 17 Northern Iowa |
| 4 | Villanova | 6-1 | 599 | 5 | D. No. 19 Rhode Island, 44-0 | Oct. 30 vs. William & Mary |
| 5 | James Madison | 6-1 | 567 | 6 | D. No. 25 Delaware, 22-10 | Oct. 30 vs. Elon |
| 6 | Montana St. | 7-1 | 511 | 8 | D. Idaho St., 27-9 | Nov. 6 at No. 7 Eastern Washington |
| 7 | Eastern Washington | 7-1 | 493 | 2 | Lost to Weber St., 35-34 | Nov. 6 vs. No. 6 Montana St. |
| 8 | Southeastern Louisiana | 6-1 | 489 | 9 | D. Northwestern St., 51-14 | Oct. 30 vs. McNeese |
| 9 | UC Davis | 7-1 | 445 | 10 | D. Cal Poly, 24-13 | Nov. 6 at Northern Arizona |
| 10 | Kennesaw St. | 6-1 | 433 | 11 | D. Campbell, 30-7 | Oct. 30 vs. Gardner-Webb |
| 11 | Montana | 5-2 | 359 | 12 | D. Idaho, 34-14 | Oct. 30 vs. Southern Utah |
| 12 | UT Martin | 6-1 | 357 | 13 | D. Southeast Missouri, 38-30 | Oct. 30 vs. Austin Peay |
| 13 | South Dakota St. | 5-2 | 336 | 7 | Lost to No. 24 Northern Iowa, 26-17 | Oct. 30 at Youngstown St. |
| 14 | East Tennessee St. | 7-1 | 329 | 14 | D. Furman, 17-13 | Nov. 6 vs. No. 18 VMI |
| 15 | Princeton | 6-0 | 270 | 17 | D. No. 16 Harvard, 18-16 5OT | Oct. 29 at Cornell |
| 16 | Jackson St. | 6-1 | 234 | 20 | D. Bethune-Cookman, 42-12 | Oct. 30 at Mississippi Valley St. |
| 17 | Northern Iowa | 4-3 | 207 | 24 | D. No. 7 South Dakota St., 26-17 | Oct. 30 vs. No. 3 Southern Illinois |
| 18 | VMI | 5-2 | 183 | 23 | Idle | Oct. 30 vs. Samford |
| 19 | Eastern Kentucky | 5-2 | 175 | 22 | Idle | Oct. 30 vs. Lamar |
| 20 | Missouri St. | 4-3 | 148 | 18 | Lost to No. 3 North Dakota St., 27-20 | Oct. 30 vs. North Dakota |
| 21 | Harvard | 5-1 | 134 | 16 | Lost to No. 17 Princeton, 18-16 5OT | Oct. 30 vs. Dartmouth |
| 22 | South Dakota | 5-3 | 121 | 15 | Lost to Illinois St., 20-14 | Nov. 6 at Western Illinois |
| 23t. | Sacramento St. | 5-2 | 66 | NR | D. Northern Arizona, 44-0 | Oct. 30 at Northern Colorado |
| 23t. | Weber St. | 3-4 | 66 | NR | D. No. 2 Eastern Washington, 35-34 | Oct. 30 at Idaho St. |
| 25 | Rhode Island | 5-2 | 59 | 19 | Lost to No. 5 Villanova, 44-0 | Oct. 30 vs. Maine |
Dropped Out: Jacksonville St. (21), Delaware (25)
Others Receiving Votes: Chattanooga, 53; William & Mary, 27; Holy Cross, 21; Stephen F. Austin, 21; Monmouth (N.J.), 20; Prairie View A&M, 19; North Dakota, 18; Mercer, 16; Delaware, 15; Florida A&M, 14; Columbia, 10; Dartmouth, 9; Jacksonville St., 8; Yale, 8; UIW, 7; Nicholls, 3; Elon, 2; Furman, 2; Davidson, 1.
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