[FCS Poll] William & Mary Jumps into the AFCA Top 25 for the First Time in 2021
November 1, 2021
The William & Mary defense recorded four interceptions and the offense controlled the time of possession as the Tribe clinched its first winning season in six years with a 31-18 win over then-No. 4 Villanova. The loss dropped the Wildcats to No. 13 and allowed William & Mary to enter at No. 23 in the 2021 AFCA FCS Coaches’ Top 25 Poll. This was the Tribe’s first win over a top-five team since 2010.
RELATED ARTICLE: [FCS Poll] North Dakota State Moves to No. 2 in AFCA Top 25
The top two spots remain the same with Sam Houston and North Dakota State, but James Madison, Montana State and Eastern Washington all enter the top-five thanks to losses by Villanova and Southern Illinois. The Salukis lost to No. 15 Northern Iowa, 23-16, and dropped to No. 9 this week.
There are four top-25 matchups this coming Saturday with two coming from the Missouri Valley Football Conference. The first one has No. 2 North Dakota State traveling to No. 12 South Dakota State, while No. 9 Southern Illinois hosts No. 20 Missouri State. All four teams have the top four spots in the conference standings. A third matchup is a top-five battle in the Big Sky Conference as No. 4 Montana State travels to No. 5 Eastern Washington.
American Football Coaches Association FCS Coaches’ Top 25 Poll – November 1, 2021
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Week 9 Next Game
1 Sam Houston (27) 7-0 675 1 D. Tarleton, 45-27 Nov. 6 vs. Dixie St.
2 North Dakota St. 8-0 644 2 D. Indiana St., 44-2 Nov. 6 at No. 12 South Dakota St.
3 James Madison 7-1 621 5 D. Elon, 45-21 Nov. 6 vs. Campbell
4 Montana St. 7-1 579 6 Idle Nov. 6 at No. 5 Eastern Washington
5 Eastern Washington 7-1 566 7 Idle Nov. 6 vs. No. 4 Montana St.
6 Southeastern Louisiana 7-1 537 8 D. McNeese, 23-20 Nov. 6 at UIW
7 UC Davis 7-1 479 9 Idle Nov. 6 at Northern Arizona
8 Kennesaw St. 7-1 464 10 D. Gardner-Webb, 34-30 Nov. 6 at Robert Morris (Pa.)
9 Southern Illinois 6-2 420 3 Lost to No. 17 Northern Iowa, 23-16 Nov. 6 vs. No. 20 Missouri St.
10 Montana 6-2 413 11 D. Southern Utah, 20-19 Nov. 6 at Northern Colorado
11 UT Martin 7-1 384 12 D. Austin Peay, 17-16 Nov. 6 vs. Tennessee St.
12 South Dakota St. 6-2 369 13 D. Youngstown St., 47-16 Nov. 6 vs. No. 2 North Dakota St.
13 Villanova 6-2 352 4 Lost to William & Mary, 31-18 Nov. 6 at Elon
14 East Tennessee St. 7-1 325 14 Idle Nov. 6 vs. No. 18 VMI
15 Northern Iowa 5-3 303 17 D. No. 3 Southern Illinois, 23-16 Nov. 6 at Illinois St.
16 Princeton 7-0 257 15 D. Cornell, 34-16 Nov. 5 at Dartmouth
17 Jackson St. 7-1 221 16 D. Mississippi Valley St., 28-19 Nov. 6 vs. Texas Southern
18 VMI 6-2 213 18 D. Samford, 46-45 Nov. 6 at No. 14 East Tennessee St.
19 Eastern Kentucky 6-2 193 19 D. Lamar, 42-10 Nov. 6 at Stephen F. Austin
20 Missouri St. 5-3 184 20 D. North Dakota, 32-28 Nov. 6 at No. 9 Southern Illinois
21 South Dakota 5-3 108 22 Idle Nov. 6 at Western Illinois
22 Sacramento St. 6-2 89 23t D. Northern Colorado, 27-24 Nov. 6 vs. Cal Poly
23 William & Mary 6-2 83 NR D. No. 4 Villanova, 31-18 Nov. 6 at Delaware
24 Weber St. 4-4 80 23t D. Idaho St., 40-17 Nov. 6 vs. Portland St.
25 Chattanooga 5-3 44 NR D. Furman, 13-3 Nov. 6 at Wofford
Dropped Out: Harvard (21), Rhode Island (25)
Others Receiving Votes: Harvard, 27; Monmouth (N.J.), 21; Mercer, 16; Dartmouth, 14; Prairie View A&M, 14; Central Arkansas, 13; Florida A&M, 13; Stephen F. Austin, 12; Holy Cross, 11; Delaware, 10; UIW, 8; Maine, 6; Nicholls, 5; Davidson, 2.
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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The William & Mary defense recorded four interceptions and the offense controlled the time of possession as the Tribe clinched its first winning season in six years with a 31-18 win over then-No. 4 Villanova. The loss dropped the Wildcats to No. 13 and allowed William & Mary to enter at No. 23 in the 2021 AFCA FCS Coaches’ Top 25 Poll. This was the Tribe’s first win over a top-five team since 2010.
RELATED ARTICLE: [FCS Poll] North Dakota State Moves to No. 2 in AFCA Top 25
The top two spots remain the same with Sam Houston and North Dakota State, but James Madison, Montana State and Eastern Washington all enter the top-five thanks to losses by Villanova and Southern Illinois. The Salukis lost to No. 15 Northern Iowa, 23-16, and dropped to No. 9 this week.
There are four top-25 matchups this coming Saturday with two coming from the Missouri Valley Football Conference. The first one has No. 2 North Dakota State traveling to No. 12 South Dakota State, while No. 9 Southern Illinois hosts No. 20 Missouri State. All four teams have the top four spots in the conference standings. A third matchup is a top-five battle in the Big Sky Conference as No. 4 Montana State travels to No. 5 Eastern Washington.
American Football Coaches Association FCS Coaches’ Top 25 Poll – November 1, 2021
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week 9 | Next Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sam Houston (27) | 7-0 | 675 | 1 | D. Tarleton, 45-27 | Nov. 6 vs. Dixie St. |
| 2 | North Dakota St. | 8-0 | 644 | 2 | D. Indiana St., 44-2 | Nov. 6 at No. 12 South Dakota St. |
| 3 | James Madison | 7-1 | 621 | 5 | D. Elon, 45-21 | Nov. 6 vs. Campbell |
| 4 | Montana St. | 7-1 | 579 | 6 | Idle | Nov. 6 at No. 5 Eastern Washington |
| 5 | Eastern Washington | 7-1 | 566 | 7 | Idle | Nov. 6 vs. No. 4 Montana St. |
| 6 | Southeastern Louisiana | 7-1 | 537 | 8 | D. McNeese, 23-20 | Nov. 6 at UIW |
| 7 | UC Davis | 7-1 | 479 | 9 | Idle | Nov. 6 at Northern Arizona |
| 8 | Kennesaw St. | 7-1 | 464 | 10 | D. Gardner-Webb, 34-30 | Nov. 6 at Robert Morris (Pa.) |
| 9 | Southern Illinois | 6-2 | 420 | 3 | Lost to No. 17 Northern Iowa, 23-16 | Nov. 6 vs. No. 20 Missouri St. |
| 10 | Montana | 6-2 | 413 | 11 | D. Southern Utah, 20-19 | Nov. 6 at Northern Colorado |
| 11 | UT Martin | 7-1 | 384 | 12 | D. Austin Peay, 17-16 | Nov. 6 vs. Tennessee St. |
| 12 | South Dakota St. | 6-2 | 369 | 13 | D. Youngstown St., 47-16 | Nov. 6 vs. No. 2 North Dakota St. |
| 13 | Villanova | 6-2 | 352 | 4 | Lost to William & Mary, 31-18 | Nov. 6 at Elon |
| 14 | East Tennessee St. | 7-1 | 325 | 14 | Idle | Nov. 6 vs. No. 18 VMI |
| 15 | Northern Iowa | 5-3 | 303 | 17 | D. No. 3 Southern Illinois, 23-16 | Nov. 6 at Illinois St. |
| 16 | Princeton | 7-0 | 257 | 15 | D. Cornell, 34-16 | Nov. 5 at Dartmouth |
| 17 | Jackson St. | 7-1 | 221 | 16 | D. Mississippi Valley St., 28-19 | Nov. 6 vs. Texas Southern |
| 18 | VMI | 6-2 | 213 | 18 | D. Samford, 46-45 | Nov. 6 at No. 14 East Tennessee St. |
| 19 | Eastern Kentucky | 6-2 | 193 | 19 | D. Lamar, 42-10 | Nov. 6 at Stephen F. Austin |
| 20 | Missouri St. | 5-3 | 184 | 20 | D. North Dakota, 32-28 | Nov. 6 at No. 9 Southern Illinois |
| 21 | South Dakota | 5-3 | 108 | 22 | Idle | Nov. 6 at Western Illinois |
| 22 | Sacramento St. | 6-2 | 89 | 23t | D. Northern Colorado, 27-24 | Nov. 6 vs. Cal Poly |
| 23 | William & Mary | 6-2 | 83 | NR | D. No. 4 Villanova, 31-18 | Nov. 6 at Delaware |
| 24 | Weber St. | 4-4 | 80 | 23t | D. Idaho St., 40-17 | Nov. 6 vs. Portland St. |
| 25 | Chattanooga | 5-3 | 44 | NR | D. Furman, 13-3 | Nov. 6 at Wofford |
Dropped Out: Harvard (21), Rhode Island (25)
Others Receiving Votes: Harvard, 27; Monmouth (N.J.), 21; Mercer, 16; Dartmouth, 14; Prairie View A&M, 14; Central Arkansas, 13; Florida A&M, 13; Stephen F. Austin, 12; Holy Cross, 11; Delaware, 10; UIW, 8; Maine, 6; Nicholls, 5; Davidson, 2.
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.
