North Dakota Beats Second Straight Ranked Opponent
October 20, 2025
Playing in the Missouri Valley Football Conference is like playing in the Big 10 or SEC, you are going to face tough competition every Saturday. So far in 2025, North Dakota has figured the tough competition out. Facing their second straight ranked opponent in then-No. 12 Southern Illinois, the Fighting Hawks rushed for 311 yards and built a 28-0 halftime lead, then cruised for a 38-19 win on the road. The win allowed North Dakota to move into the top 10 of the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl, at No. 10. Southern Illinois, however, dropped to No. 18 after suffering their second straight loss.
There wasn’t much movement in the top 10 other than Illinois State losing a shootout with Youngstown State. The loss dropped the Redbirds from 9 to 20 while the Penguins moved up four to No. 21. The top eight teams either won or were on a bye week, so every team held their same spot. That will change next week as the only top 25 matchup in week nine is a battle of 1 vs. 2. No. 1 North Dakota State will travel to No. 2 South Dakota State for the Dakota Marker Trophy. The Bison own the series record at 11-10, winning last year’s game in Fargo, 13-9. The four meetings previous went to the Jackrabbits.
Then-No. 23 West Georgia lost to No. 3 Tarleton State, 45-10, dropping the Wolves out of the top 25 and making room for Stephen F. Austin to rejoin at No. 24. The Lumberjacks are 5-2 and were last in the poll on September 2.
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Week 8 Next Game
1 North Dakota St. (25) 7-0 625 1 D. Indiana St., 38-7 Oct. 25 at No. 2 South Dakota St.
2 South Dakota St. 7-0 597 2 D. Murray St., 35-14 Oct. 25 vs. No. 1 North Dakota St.
3 Tarleton St. 8-0 578 3 D. No. 23 West Georgia, 45-10 Oct. 25 at Eastern Kentucky
4 Montana 7-0 547 4 D. Sacred Heart, 43-21 Oct. 24 at Sacramento St.
5 Montana St. 5-2 501 5 Idle Oct. 25 at Cal Poly
6 UC Davis 5-1 487 6 Idle Oct. 25 at Northern Colorado
7 Lehigh 7-0 465 7 Idle Oct. 25 at Fordham
8 Tennessee Tech 7-0 431 8 D. Lindenwood, 52-28 Oct. 25 vs. Southeast Missouri St.
9 Monmouth (N.J.) 6-1 417 10 D. Stony Brook, 49-21 Oct. 25 at Hampton
10 North Dakota 5-2 398 11 D. No. 12 Southern Illinois, 38-19 Oct. 25 vs. Indiana St.
11 Jackson St. 5-1 345 13 Idle Oct. 25 vs. Grambling St.
12 Villanova 5-2 322 14 D. Hampton, 56-14 Oct. 25 vs. UAlbany
13 Rhode Island 6-2 314 15 D. UAlbany, 58-17 Oct. 25 vs. Bryant
14 Mercer 5-1 277 16 Idle Oct. 25 vs. VMI
15 Lamar 6-1 268 18 D. UT Rio Grande Valley, 23-21 Oct. 25 at Northwestern St.
16 Presbyterian 7-0 241 19 D. Stetson, 42-7 Oct. 25 at Dayton
17 Harvard 5-0 198 20 D. Merrimack, 31-7 Oct. 25 at Princeton
18 Southern Illinois 4-3 165 12 Lost to No. 11 North Dakota, 38-19 Oct. 25 vs. Northern Iowa
19 Southeastern Louisiana 5-2 164 22 D. Northwestern St., 49-0 Oct. 25 at HCU
20 Illinois St. 4-3 163 9 Lost to No. 25 Youngstown St., 40-35 Oct. 25 at South Dakota
21 Youngstown St. 4-3 155 25 D. No. 9 Illinois St., 40-35 Oct. 25 vs. Murray St.
22 Northern Arizona 4-3 124 21 Idle Oct. 25 at Idaho St.
23 Austin Peay 4-3 73 24 Idle Oct. 25 vs. North Alabama
24 Stephen F. Austin 5-2 64 NR D. Nicholls, 34-7 Oct. 25 at East Texas A&M
25 ACU 4-4 48 17 Lost to Southern Utah, 31-24 Nov. 1 vs. No. 3 Tarleton St.
Dropped Out: West Georgia (25)
Others Receiving Votes: South Dakota, 32; West Georgia, 29; Western Carolina, 23; North Carolina Central, 17; Lafayette, 13; Penn, 11; Sacramento St., 11; UT Rio Grande Valley, 7; Central Arkansas, 6; Gardner-Webb, 4; Alabama St., 3; Dartmouth, 1; Duquesne, 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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Playing in the Missouri Valley Football Conference is like playing in the Big 10 or SEC, you are going to face tough competition every Saturday. So far in 2025, North Dakota has figured the tough competition out. Facing their second straight ranked opponent in then-No. 12 Southern Illinois, the Fighting Hawks rushed for 311 yards and built a 28-0 halftime lead, then cruised for a 38-19 win on the road. The win allowed North Dakota to move into the top 10 of the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl, at No. 10. Southern Illinois, however, dropped to No. 18 after suffering their second straight loss.
There wasn’t much movement in the top 10 other than Illinois State losing a shootout with Youngstown State. The loss dropped the Redbirds from 9 to 20 while the Penguins moved up four to No. 21. The top eight teams either won or were on a bye week, so every team held their same spot. That will change next week as the only top 25 matchup in week nine is a battle of 1 vs. 2. No. 1 North Dakota State will travel to No. 2 South Dakota State for the Dakota Marker Trophy. The Bison own the series record at 11-10, winning last year’s game in Fargo, 13-9. The four meetings previous went to the Jackrabbits.
Then-No. 23 West Georgia lost to No. 3 Tarleton State, 45-10, dropping the Wolves out of the top 25 and making room for Stephen F. Austin to rejoin at No. 24. The Lumberjacks are 5-2 and were last in the poll on September 2.
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Week 8 Next Game
1 North Dakota St. (25) 7-0 625 1 D. Indiana St., 38-7 Oct. 25 at No. 2 South Dakota St.
2 South Dakota St. 7-0 597 2 D. Murray St., 35-14 Oct. 25 vs. No. 1 North Dakota St.
3 Tarleton St. 8-0 578 3 D. No. 23 West Georgia, 45-10 Oct. 25 at Eastern Kentucky
4 Montana 7-0 547 4 D. Sacred Heart, 43-21 Oct. 24 at Sacramento St.
5 Montana St. 5-2 501 5 Idle Oct. 25 at Cal Poly
6 UC Davis 5-1 487 6 Idle Oct. 25 at Northern Colorado
7 Lehigh 7-0 465 7 Idle Oct. 25 at Fordham
8 Tennessee Tech 7-0 431 8 D. Lindenwood, 52-28 Oct. 25 vs. Southeast Missouri St.
9 Monmouth (N.J.) 6-1 417 10 D. Stony Brook, 49-21 Oct. 25 at Hampton
10 North Dakota 5-2 398 11 D. No. 12 Southern Illinois, 38-19 Oct. 25 vs. Indiana St.
11 Jackson St. 5-1 345 13 Idle Oct. 25 vs. Grambling St.
12 Villanova 5-2 322 14 D. Hampton, 56-14 Oct. 25 vs. UAlbany
13 Rhode Island 6-2 314 15 D. UAlbany, 58-17 Oct. 25 vs. Bryant
14 Mercer 5-1 277 16 Idle Oct. 25 vs. VMI
15 Lamar 6-1 268 18 D. UT Rio Grande Valley, 23-21 Oct. 25 at Northwestern St.
16 Presbyterian 7-0 241 19 D. Stetson, 42-7 Oct. 25 at Dayton
17 Harvard 5-0 198 20 D. Merrimack, 31-7 Oct. 25 at Princeton
18 Southern Illinois 4-3 165 12 Lost to No. 11 North Dakota, 38-19 Oct. 25 vs. Northern Iowa
19 Southeastern Louisiana 5-2 164 22 D. Northwestern St., 49-0 Oct. 25 at HCU
20 Illinois St. 4-3 163 9 Lost to No. 25 Youngstown St., 40-35 Oct. 25 at South Dakota
21 Youngstown St. 4-3 155 25 D. No. 9 Illinois St., 40-35 Oct. 25 vs. Murray St.
22 Northern Arizona 4-3 124 21 Idle Oct. 25 at Idaho St.
23 Austin Peay 4-3 73 24 Idle Oct. 25 vs. North Alabama
24 Stephen F. Austin 5-2 64 NR D. Nicholls, 34-7 Oct. 25 at East Texas A&M
25 ACU 4-4 48 17 Lost to Southern Utah, 31-24 Nov. 1 vs. No. 3 Tarleton St.
Dropped Out: West Georgia (25)
Others Receiving Votes: South Dakota, 32; West Georgia, 29; Western Carolina, 23; North Carolina Central, 17; Lafayette, 13; Penn, 11; Sacramento St., 11; UT Rio Grande Valley, 7; Central Arkansas, 6; Gardner-Webb, 4; Alabama St., 3; Dartmouth, 1; Duquesne, 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.
