North Carolina Central Keeps Moving Up The Rankings
November 6, 2023
As teams above them in the AFCA FCS Coaches’ Top 25 Poll keep losing, North Carolina Central keeps on winning and moving up the rankings. The Eagles latest victim was Norfolk State, who battled back from a 28-3 deficit in the second quarter to close within four points in the third, but North Carolina Central scored the game’s final 10 points to win, 38-24. The Eagles moved up to No. 7, their highest ranking in school history. With a victory over Howard this coming Saturday, NCCU will clinch their second straight Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference title.
No. 1 South Dakota State continued its 23-game winning streak with a decisive 33-16 win over archrival North Dakota State and retained the Dakota Marker. The loss dropped the Bison to No. 13 as they get ready to face No. 15 Southern Illinois, who dropped a close game with South Dakota, 14-7. With that win, the Coyotes made the biggest jump in the poll, moving up six spots to No. 6.
Furman remains No. 2 after beating then-No. 13t Chattanooga, 17-14, while the Mocs dropped four spots to No. 17. Montana also remained in the No. 3 spot after handing then-No. 7 Sacramento State a 34-7 loss. The Hornets fell to No. 11 with the defeat. Idaho moves into the fourth spot after beating Northern Colorado, 27-13, while Montana State re-enters the top-5 thanks to a 45-21 win over Northern Arizona.
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Week 10 Next Game
1 South Dakota St. (26) 9-0 650 1 D. No. 10 North Dakota St., 33-16 Nov. 11 at Youngstown St.
2 Furman 8-1 612 2 D. No. 13t Chattanooga, 17-14 Nov. 11 vs. VMI
3 Montana 8-1 603 3 D. No. 7 Sacramento St., 34-7 Nov. 11 at Portland St.
4 Idaho 7-2 575 5 D. Northern Colorado, 27-13 Nov. 11 at Weber St.
5 Montana St. 7-2 533 8 D. Northern Arizona, 45-21 Nov. 11 vs. Eastern Washington
6 South Dakota 7-2 492 12 D. No. 11 Southern Illinois, 14-7 Nov. 11 vs. No. 12 North Dakota
7 North Carolina Central 8-1 491 9 D. Norfolk St., 38-24 Nov. 11 at Howard
8 Delaware 7-2 386 6 Lost to Elon, 33-27 Nov. 11 at Campbell
9 Florida A&M 8-1 378 13t D. Alabama A&M, 42-28 Nov. 11 vs. Lincoln (Calif.)
10 UIW 7-2 368 4 Lost to Nicholls, 45-32 Nov. 11 vs. Northwestern St.
11 Sacramento St. 6-3 355 7 Lost to No. 3 Montana, 34-7 Nov. 11 vs. Cal Poly
12 North Dakota 6-3 346 15 D. Murray St., 45-31 Nov. 11 at No. 6 South Dakota
13 North Dakota St. 6-3 324 10 Lost to No. 1 South Dakota St., 33-16 Nov. 11 vs. No. 15 Southern Illinois
14 Austin Peay 7-2 304 17 D. Eastern Kentucky, 33-30 OT Nov. 11 vs. Utah Tech
15 Southern Illinois 6-3 285 11 Lost to No. 12 South Dakota, 14-7 Nov. 11 at No. 13 North Dakota St.
16 UT Martin 7-2 263 18 D. Tennessee Tech, 44-41 OT Nov. 11 vs. Southeast Missouri St.
17 Chattanooga 7-3 258 13t Lost to No. 2 Furman, 17-14 Nov. 18 at Alabama
18 Villanova 7-2 193 22 D. New Hampshire, 45-33 Nov. 11 vs. Towson
19 Harvard 7-1 191 19 D. Columbia, 38-24 Nov. 11 vs. Penn
20 Northern Iowa 6-3 161 23 D. Western Illinois, 50-6 Nov. 11 at Missouri St.
21 Western Carolina 6-3 158 20 D. Wofford, 28-25 Nov. 11 vs. East Tennessee St.
22 Holy Cross 6-3 129 21 D. Lehigh, 28-24 Nov. 11 at Army
23 Lafayette 7-2 91 16 Lost to Colgate, 37-34 Nov. 11 vs. Fordham
24 Central Arkansas 6-3 79 25 D. North Alabama, 27-14 Nov. 11 vs. Eastern Kentucky
25 Albany 7-3 67 NR D. No. 24 William & Mary, 24-8 Nov. 11 at Stony Brook
Dropped Out: William & Mary (24)
Others Receiving Votes: Youngstown St., 59; Mercer, 56; Illinois St., 16; Davidson, 9; Eastern Illinois, 5; Fordham, 3; Samford, 3; Tarleton, 3; William & Mary, 3; 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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As teams above them in the AFCA FCS Coaches’ Top 25 Poll keep losing, North Carolina Central keeps on winning and moving up the rankings. The Eagles latest victim was Norfolk State, who battled back from a 28-3 deficit in the second quarter to close within four points in the third, but North Carolina Central scored the game’s final 10 points to win, 38-24. The Eagles moved up to No. 7, their highest ranking in school history. With a victory over Howard this coming Saturday, NCCU will clinch their second straight Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference title.
No. 1 South Dakota State continued its 23-game winning streak with a decisive 33-16 win over archrival North Dakota State and retained the Dakota Marker. The loss dropped the Bison to No. 13 as they get ready to face No. 15 Southern Illinois, who dropped a close game with South Dakota, 14-7. With that win, the Coyotes made the biggest jump in the poll, moving up six spots to No. 6.
Furman remains No. 2 after beating then-No. 13t Chattanooga, 17-14, while the Mocs dropped four spots to No. 17. Montana also remained in the No. 3 spot after handing then-No. 7 Sacramento State a 34-7 loss. The Hornets fell to No. 11 with the defeat. Idaho moves into the fourth spot after beating Northern Colorado, 27-13, while Montana State re-enters the top-5 thanks to a 45-21 win over Northern Arizona.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week 10 | Next Game | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Dakota St. (26) | 9-0 | 650 | 1 | D. No. 10 North Dakota St., 33-16 | Nov. 11 at Youngstown St. | |
| 2 | Furman | 8-1 | 612 | 2 | D. No. 13t Chattanooga, 17-14 | Nov. 11 vs. VMI | |
| 3 | Montana | 8-1 | 603 | 3 | D. No. 7 Sacramento St., 34-7 | Nov. 11 at Portland St. | |
| 4 | Idaho | 7-2 | 575 | 5 | D. Northern Colorado, 27-13 | Nov. 11 at Weber St. | |
| 5 | Montana St. | 7-2 | 533 | 8 | D. Northern Arizona, 45-21 | Nov. 11 vs. Eastern Washington | |
| 6 | South Dakota | 7-2 | 492 | 12 | D. No. 11 Southern Illinois, 14-7 | Nov. 11 vs. No. 12 North Dakota | |
| 7 | North Carolina Central | 8-1 | 491 | 9 | D. Norfolk St., 38-24 | Nov. 11 at Howard | |
| 8 | Delaware | 7-2 | 386 | 6 | Lost to Elon, 33-27 | Nov. 11 at Campbell | |
| 9 | Florida A&M | 8-1 | 378 | 13t | D. Alabama A&M, 42-28 | Nov. 11 vs. Lincoln (Calif.) | |
| 10 | UIW | 7-2 | 368 | 4 | Lost to Nicholls, 45-32 | Nov. 11 vs. Northwestern St. | |
| 11 | Sacramento St. | 6-3 | 355 | 7 | Lost to No. 3 Montana, 34-7 | Nov. 11 vs. Cal Poly | |
| 12 | North Dakota | 6-3 | 346 | 15 | D. Murray St., 45-31 | Nov. 11 at No. 6 South Dakota | |
| 13 | North Dakota St. | 6-3 | 324 | 10 | Lost to No. 1 South Dakota St., 33-16 | Nov. 11 vs. No. 15 Southern Illinois | |
| 14 | Austin Peay | 7-2 | 304 | 17 | D. Eastern Kentucky, 33-30 OT | Nov. 11 vs. Utah Tech | |
| 15 | Southern Illinois | 6-3 | 285 | 11 | Lost to No. 12 South Dakota, 14-7 | Nov. 11 at No. 13 North Dakota St. | |
| 16 | UT Martin | 7-2 | 263 | 18 | D. Tennessee Tech, 44-41 OT | Nov. 11 vs. Southeast Missouri St. | |
| 17 | Chattanooga | 7-3 | 258 | 13t | Lost to No. 2 Furman, 17-14 | Nov. 18 at Alabama | |
| 18 | Villanova | 7-2 | 193 | 22 | D. New Hampshire, 45-33 | Nov. 11 vs. Towson | |
| 19 | Harvard | 7-1 | 191 | 19 | D. Columbia, 38-24 | Nov. 11 vs. Penn | |
| 20 | Northern Iowa | 6-3 | 161 | 23 | D. Western Illinois, 50-6 | Nov. 11 at Missouri St. | |
| 21 | Western Carolina | 6-3 | 158 | 20 | D. Wofford, 28-25 | Nov. 11 vs. East Tennessee St. | |
| 22 | Holy Cross | 6-3 | 129 | 21 | D. Lehigh, 28-24 | Nov. 11 at Army | |
| 23 | Lafayette | 7-2 | 91 | 16 | Lost to Colgate, 37-34 | Nov. 11 vs. Fordham | |
| 24 | Central Arkansas | 6-3 | 79 | 25 | D. North Alabama, 27-14 | Nov. 11 vs. Eastern Kentucky | |
| 25 | Albany | 7-3 | 67 | NR | D. No. 24 William & Mary, 24-8 | Nov. 11 at Stony Brook |
Dropped Out: William & Mary (24)
Others Receiving Votes: Youngstown St., 59; Mercer, 56; Illinois St., 16; Davidson, 9; Eastern Illinois, 5; Fordham, 3; Samford, 3; Tarleton, 3; William & Mary, 3; 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.
