[FCS Poll] Southern Illinois Jumps to No. 4 After Comeback Win
October 11, 2021
Down 35-21 with 10 minutes left to play, Southern Illinois rallied to send their game against then-No. 3 South Dakota State into overtime. The Salukis scored first in the extra period, then the Jackrabbits answered, but decided to go for two. Southern Illinois linebacker Branson Combs broke up the attempted two-point conversion to clinch the win, 42-41. The win vaulted Southern Illinois to No. 4 in the AFCA FCS Coaches’ Top 25 Poll and dropped South Dakota State to No. 8.
RELATED ARTICLE: [FBS POLL] USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll – Week 6
With nine upsets in the Top 25 on Saturday, including four in the Top 10, the poll looks a lot different this week. Sam Houston is still No. 1, but Eastern Washington slots into the No. 2 spot thanks to then-No. 2 James Madison losing to new No. 5 Villanova, 28-27. North Dakota State is No. 3 after beating then-No. 12 Northern Iowa, 34-20.
Montana State and East Tennessee State enter the Top 10 for the first time this year at No. 9 and No. 10, respectively, while South Dakota and Jackson State enter the Top 25 for the first time. The Coyotes are No. 21 after handing then-No. 15 North Dakota a 20-13 loss. The Tigers come in at No. 25 with a 4-1 mark after a dominant 61-15 victory over Alabama A&M.
American Football Coaches Association FCS Coaches’ Top 25 Poll – October 11, 2021
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Week 6 Next Game
1 Sam Houston (27) 5-0 698 1 D. Lamar, 41-7 Oct. 23 vs. No. 22 Jacksonville St.
2 Eastern Washington (1) 6-0 664 4 D. Northern Colorado, 63-17 Oct. 16 vs. Idaho
3 North Dakota St. 5-0 639 5 D. No. 12 Northern Iowa, 34-20 Oct. 16 at Illinois St.
4 Southern Illinois 5-1 588 7 D. No. 3 South Dakota St., 42-41 OT Oct. 16 vs. No. 24 North Dakota
5 Villanova 4-1 566 9 D. No. 2 James Madison, 28-27 Oct. 16 at Albany
6 Montana 4-1 562 6 D. Dixie St., 31-14 Oct. 16 vs. Sacramento St.
7 James Madison 4-1 508 2 Lost to No. 9 Villanova, 28-27 Oct. 16 at Richmond
8 South Dakota St. 4-1 483 3 Lost to No. 7 Southern Illinois, 42-41 OT Oct. 16 at Western Illinois
9 Montana St. 5-1 475 11 D. Cal Poly, 45-7 Oct. 15 at No. 18 Weber St.
10 East Tennessee St. 6-0 467 13 D. The Citadel, 48-21 Oct. 16 at Chattanooga
11 Southeastern Louisiana 4-1 413 14 D. Nicholls, 58-48 Oct. 16 vs. Houston Baptist
12 UC Davis 5-1 346 8 Lost to Idaho St., 27-17 Oct. 16 vs. Northern Colorado
13 Kennesaw St. 4-1 336 17 D. Hampton, 34-15 Oct. 16 vs. North Carolina A&T
14 Rhode Island 5-0 334 20 D. No. 10 Delaware, 22-15 Oct. 16 at Towson
15 Delaware 3-2 261 10 Lost to No. 20 Rhode Island, 22-15 Oct. 16 at Stony Brook
16 UT Martin 4-1 253 21 D. Murray St., 48-24 Oct. 16 at Eastern Illinois
17 Northern Iowa 3-2 244 12 Lost to No. 5 North Dakota St., 34-20 Oct. 16 vs. No. 21 South Dakota
18 Weber St. 2-3 207 18 Idle Oct. 15 vs. No. 9 Montana St.
19 Harvard 4-0 142 22 D. Cornell, 24-10 Oct. 16 vs. Lafayette
20 Princeton 4-0 125 24 D. No. 25 Monmouth (N.J.), 31-28 Oct. 16 at Brown
21 South Dakota 4-2 104 NR D. No. 15 North Dakota, 20-13 Oct. 16 at No. 17 Northern Iowa
22 Jacksonville St. 3-3 102 23 D. Stephen F. Austin, 28-24 Oct. 23 at No. 1 Sam Houston
23 Missouri St. 3-2 95 16 Lost to Youngstown St., 41-34 Oct. 16 vs. Indiana St.
24 North Dakota 2-3 94 15 Lost to South Dakota, 20-13 Oct. 16 at No. 4 Southern Illinois
25 Jackson St. 4-1 73 NR D. Alabama A&M, 61-15 Oct. 16 vs. Alabama St.
Dropped Out: Chattanooga (19), Monmouth (N.J.) (25)
Others Receiving Votes: Mercer, 66; Eastern Kentucky, 50; New Hampshire, 44; VMI, 43; UIW, 26; Duquesne, 19; William & Mary, 19; Florida A&M, 10; Central Arkansas, 9; Yale, 8; North Carolina A&T, 7; Stephen F. Austin, 6; Chattanooga, 5; Holy Cross, 3; Dartmouth, 2; Elon, 2; Monmouth (N.J.), 1; Nicholls, 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.
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Down 35-21 with 10 minutes left to play, Southern Illinois rallied to send their game against then-No. 3 South Dakota State into overtime. The Salukis scored first in the extra period, then the Jackrabbits answered, but decided to go for two. Southern Illinois linebacker Branson Combs broke up the attempted two-point conversion to clinch the win, 42-41. The win vaulted Southern Illinois to No. 4 in the AFCA FCS Coaches’ Top 25 Poll and dropped South Dakota State to No. 8.
RELATED ARTICLE: [FBS POLL] USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll – Week 6
With nine upsets in the Top 25 on Saturday, including four in the Top 10, the poll looks a lot different this week. Sam Houston is still No. 1, but Eastern Washington slots into the No. 2 spot thanks to then-No. 2 James Madison losing to new No. 5 Villanova, 28-27. North Dakota State is No. 3 after beating then-No. 12 Northern Iowa, 34-20.
Montana State and East Tennessee State enter the Top 10 for the first time this year at No. 9 and No. 10, respectively, while South Dakota and Jackson State enter the Top 25 for the first time. The Coyotes are No. 21 after handing then-No. 15 North Dakota a 20-13 loss. The Tigers come in at No. 25 with a 4-1 mark after a dominant 61-15 victory over Alabama A&M.
American Football Coaches Association FCS Coaches’ Top 25 Poll – October 11, 2021
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week 6 | Next Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sam Houston (27) | 5-0 | 698 | 1 | D. Lamar, 41-7 | Oct. 23 vs. No. 22 Jacksonville St. |
| 2 | Eastern Washington (1) | 6-0 | 664 | 4 | D. Northern Colorado, 63-17 | Oct. 16 vs. Idaho |
| 3 | North Dakota St. | 5-0 | 639 | 5 | D. No. 12 Northern Iowa, 34-20 | Oct. 16 at Illinois St. |
| 4 | Southern Illinois | 5-1 | 588 | 7 | D. No. 3 South Dakota St., 42-41 OT | Oct. 16 vs. No. 24 North Dakota |
| 5 | Villanova | 4-1 | 566 | 9 | D. No. 2 James Madison, 28-27 | Oct. 16 at Albany |
| 6 | Montana | 4-1 | 562 | 6 | D. Dixie St., 31-14 | Oct. 16 vs. Sacramento St. |
| 7 | James Madison | 4-1 | 508 | 2 | Lost to No. 9 Villanova, 28-27 | Oct. 16 at Richmond |
| 8 | South Dakota St. | 4-1 | 483 | 3 | Lost to No. 7 Southern Illinois, 42-41 OT | Oct. 16 at Western Illinois |
| 9 | Montana St. | 5-1 | 475 | 11 | D. Cal Poly, 45-7 | Oct. 15 at No. 18 Weber St. |
| 10 | East Tennessee St. | 6-0 | 467 | 13 | D. The Citadel, 48-21 | Oct. 16 at Chattanooga |
| 11 | Southeastern Louisiana | 4-1 | 413 | 14 | D. Nicholls, 58-48 | Oct. 16 vs. Houston Baptist |
| 12 | UC Davis | 5-1 | 346 | 8 | Lost to Idaho St., 27-17 | Oct. 16 vs. Northern Colorado |
| 13 | Kennesaw St. | 4-1 | 336 | 17 | D. Hampton, 34-15 | Oct. 16 vs. North Carolina A&T |
| 14 | Rhode Island | 5-0 | 334 | 20 | D. No. 10 Delaware, 22-15 | Oct. 16 at Towson |
| 15 | Delaware | 3-2 | 261 | 10 | Lost to No. 20 Rhode Island, 22-15 | Oct. 16 at Stony Brook |
| 16 | UT Martin | 4-1 | 253 | 21 | D. Murray St., 48-24 | Oct. 16 at Eastern Illinois |
| 17 | Northern Iowa | 3-2 | 244 | 12 | Lost to No. 5 North Dakota St., 34-20 | Oct. 16 vs. No. 21 South Dakota |
| 18 | Weber St. | 2-3 | 207 | 18 | Idle | Oct. 15 vs. No. 9 Montana St. |
| 19 | Harvard | 4-0 | 142 | 22 | D. Cornell, 24-10 | Oct. 16 vs. Lafayette |
| 20 | Princeton | 4-0 | 125 | 24 | D. No. 25 Monmouth (N.J.), 31-28 | Oct. 16 at Brown |
| 21 | South Dakota | 4-2 | 104 | NR | D. No. 15 North Dakota, 20-13 | Oct. 16 at No. 17 Northern Iowa |
| 22 | Jacksonville St. | 3-3 | 102 | 23 | D. Stephen F. Austin, 28-24 | Oct. 23 at No. 1 Sam Houston |
| 23 | Missouri St. | 3-2 | 95 | 16 | Lost to Youngstown St., 41-34 | Oct. 16 vs. Indiana St. |
| 24 | North Dakota | 2-3 | 94 | 15 | Lost to South Dakota, 20-13 | Oct. 16 at No. 4 Southern Illinois |
| 25 | Jackson St. | 4-1 | 73 | NR | D. Alabama A&M, 61-15 | Oct. 16 vs. Alabama St. |
Dropped Out: Chattanooga (19), Monmouth (N.J.) (25)
Others Receiving Votes: Mercer, 66; Eastern Kentucky, 50; New Hampshire, 44; VMI, 43; UIW, 26; Duquesne, 19; William & Mary, 19; Florida A&M, 10; Central Arkansas, 9; Yale, 8; North Carolina A&T, 7; Stephen F. Austin, 6; Chattanooga, 5; Holy Cross, 3; Dartmouth, 2; Elon, 2; Monmouth (N.J.), 1; Nicholls, 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.
