North Dakota Takes Down No. 1 South Dakota State
October 19, 2026
North Dakota built a 21-3 halftime lead over South Dakota State, then used a dominant defensive effort to hold on for the win, 21-10. The Fighting Hawks held the Jackrabbits to just 157 yards rushing, nearly half of what they have been averaging this season, which was key in the victory. The win moved North Dakota up to No. 8 in this week’s AFCA FCS Coaches Poll while South Dakota State fell to No. 5. It was the Fighting Hawks first victory over a No. 1-ranked team since they moved to Division I in 2008.
With South Dakota State’s loss, Tarleton State moves to the No. 1 spot for the first time in program history as a member of Division I-FCS. The Texans are just one of three undefeated teams left in FCS this season at 7-0. One of the other two is new No. 2 Stephen F. Austin, who blanked Nicholls, 56-0, and moved its record to 7-0. The last undefeated team is Harvard at No. 17. The Crimson are 5-0 after beating Holy Cross, 30-7.
Nine top 25 teams lost this past weekend, causing a major shakeup in the poll. Then-No. 4 Lehigh lost to Cornell (N.Y.), 48-38, allowing Montana State and Youngstown State to move up to the third and fourth spots, respectively, while the Mountain Hawks dropped to No. 12. Montana lost to Idaho, 42-35, and fell seven spots to No. 14, as did Lamar, who lost to Southeastern Louisiana, 34-31, and dropped from No. 8 to No. 15. UC Davis had the biggest fall, going from No. 12 to No. 21 after losing to Southern Utah, 38-17.
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Week 7 Next Game
1 Tarleton St. (24) 7-0 648 2 D. Central Arkansas, 49-35 Oct. 24 at West Georgia
2 Stephen F. Austin (2) 7-0 623 3 D. Nicholls, 56-0 Oct. 24 vs. No. 24 Southeastern Louisiana
3 Montana St. 6-1 591 5 D. Eastern Washington, 56-20 Oct. 24 vs. Weber St.
4 Youngstown St. 6-2 567 6 D. No. 25 Northern Iowa, 35-22 Oct. 31 vs. No. 8 North Dakota
5 South Dakota St. 5-2 520 1 Lost to No. 15 North Dakota, 21-10 Oct. 24 vs. Murray St.
6 South Dakota 6-2 491 9 D. Murray St., 48-20 Oct. 24 vs. No. 8 North Dakota
7 Northern Arizona 6-2 482 10 D. Portland St., 38-25 Oct. 31 at Southern Utah
8 North Dakota 6-2 457 15 D. No. 1 South Dakota St., 21-10 Oct. 24 at No. 6 South Dakota
9 Austin Peay 6-2 452 11 D. West Georgia, 24-10 Oct. 24 at North Alabama
10 Illinois St. 5-2 396 13 D. Southern Illinois, 35-14 Oct. 24 vs. Indiana St.
11 Tennessee Tech 6-1 380 14 D. Eastern Kentucky, 49-20 Oct. 24 at The Citadel
12 Lehigh 6-1 375 4 Lost to Cornell (N.Y.), 48-38 Oct. 24 at Villanova
13 Mercer 6-2 305 16 D. Samford, 31-21 Oct. 31 vs. The Citadel
14 Montana 5-3 296 7 Lost to Idaho, 42-35 Oct. 31 at Eastern Washington
15 Lamar 5-2 288 8 Lost to Southeastern Louisiana, 34-31 Oct. 24 vs. Houston Christian
16 Campbell 6-1 265 18 D. Towson, 24-20 Oct. 24 at Maine
17 Harvard 5-0 264 17 D. Holy Cross, 30-7 Oct. 24 vs. Princeton
18 Monmouth (N.J.) 5-2 200 20 D, New Hampshire, 42-21 Oct. 24 at Hampton
19 Richmond 5-2 152 22 Idle Oct. 24 vs. Colgate
20 East Tennessee St. 5-2 144 24 Idle Oct. 24 at VMI
21 UC Davis 4-3 124 12 Lost to Southern Utah, 38-17 Oct. 24 vs. Northern Colorado
22 Jackson St. 6-1 108 NR D. Florida A&M, 27-17 Oct. 24 at Bethune-Cookman
23 West Florida 4-2 57 NR D. West Alabama, 37-3 Oct. 24 at Eastern Kentucky
24 Southeastern Louisiana 4-3 39 NR D. No. 8 Lamar, 34-31 Oct. 24 at No. 2 Stephen F. Austin
25 South Carolina St. 5-2 37 NR Idle Oct. 24 vs. Norfolk St.
Dropped Out: Colgate (19), Idaho St. (21), Yale (23), Northern Iowa (25)
Others Receiving Votes: ACU, 26; Northern Iowa, 24; Colgate, 18; Idaho St., 18; Princeton, 17; Bryant, 16; UAlbany, 15; Yale, 13; Weber St., 12; Cornell (N.Y.), 9; Wofford, 9; Morgan St., 5; Alabama A&M, 2; Southeast Missouri St., 2; Central Connecticut St., 1; Delaware St., 1; Marist, 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.
« « Previous PostNext Post » »
North Dakota built a 21-3 halftime lead over South Dakota State, then used a dominant defensive effort to hold on for the win, 21-10. The Fighting Hawks held the Jackrabbits to just 157 yards rushing, nearly half of what they have been averaging this season, which was key in the victory. The win moved North Dakota up to No. 8 in this week’s AFCA FCS Coaches Poll while South Dakota State fell to No. 5. It was the Fighting Hawks first victory over a No. 1-ranked team since they moved to Division I in 2008.
With South Dakota State’s loss, Tarleton State moves to the No. 1 spot for the first time in program history as a member of Division I-FCS. The Texans are just one of three undefeated teams left in FCS this season at 7-0. One of the other two is new No. 2 Stephen F. Austin, who blanked Nicholls, 56-0, and moved its record to 7-0. The last undefeated team is Harvard at No. 17. The Crimson are 5-0 after beating Holy Cross, 30-7.
Nine top 25 teams lost this past weekend, causing a major shakeup in the poll. Then-No. 4 Lehigh lost to Cornell (N.Y.), 48-38, allowing Montana State and Youngstown State to move up to the third and fourth spots, respectively, while the Mountain Hawks dropped to No. 12. Montana lost to Idaho, 42-35, and fell seven spots to No. 14, as did Lamar, who lost to Southeastern Louisiana, 34-31, and dropped from No. 8 to No. 15. UC Davis had the biggest fall, going from No. 12 to No. 21 after losing to Southern Utah, 38-17.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week 7 | Next Game | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tarleton St. (24) | 7-0 | 648 | 2 | D. Central Arkansas, 49-35 | Oct. 24 at West Georgia | |
| 2 | Stephen F. Austin (2) | 7-0 | 623 | 3 | D. Nicholls, 56-0 | Oct. 24 vs. No. 24 Southeastern Louisiana | |
| 3 | Montana St. | 6-1 | 591 | 5 | D. Eastern Washington, 56-20 | Oct. 24 vs. Weber St. | |
| 4 | Youngstown St. | 6-2 | 567 | 6 | D. No. 25 Northern Iowa, 35-22 | Oct. 31 vs. No. 8 North Dakota | |
| 5 | South Dakota St. | 5-2 | 520 | 1 | Lost to No. 15 North Dakota, 21-10 | Oct. 24 vs. Murray St. | |
| 6 | South Dakota | 6-2 | 491 | 9 | D. Murray St., 48-20 | Oct. 24 vs. No. 8 North Dakota | |
| 7 | Northern Arizona | 6-2 | 482 | 10 | D. Portland St., 38-25 | Oct. 31 at Southern Utah | |
| 8 | North Dakota | 6-2 | 457 | 15 | D. No. 1 South Dakota St., 21-10 | Oct. 24 at No. 6 South Dakota | |
| 9 | Austin Peay | 6-2 | 452 | 11 | D. West Georgia, 24-10 | Oct. 24 at North Alabama | |
| 10 | Illinois St. | 5-2 | 396 | 13 | D. Southern Illinois, 35-14 | Oct. 24 vs. Indiana St. | |
| 11 | Tennessee Tech | 6-1 | 380 | 14 | D. Eastern Kentucky, 49-20 | Oct. 24 at The Citadel | |
| 12 | Lehigh | 6-1 | 375 | 4 | Lost to Cornell (N.Y.), 48-38 | Oct. 24 at Villanova | |
| 13 | Mercer | 6-2 | 305 | 16 | D. Samford, 31-21 | Oct. 31 vs. The Citadel | |
| 14 | Montana | 5-3 | 296 | 7 | Lost to Idaho, 42-35 | Oct. 31 at Eastern Washington | |
| 15 | Lamar | 5-2 | 288 | 8 | Lost to Southeastern Louisiana, 34-31 | Oct. 24 vs. Houston Christian | |
| 16 | Campbell | 6-1 | 265 | 18 | D. Towson, 24-20 | Oct. 24 at Maine | |
| 17 | Harvard | 5-0 | 264 | 17 | D. Holy Cross, 30-7 | Oct. 24 vs. Princeton | |
| 18 | Monmouth (N.J.) | 5-2 | 200 | 20 | D, New Hampshire, 42-21 | Oct. 24 at Hampton | |
| 19 | Richmond | 5-2 | 152 | 22 | Idle | Oct. 24 vs. Colgate | |
| 20 | East Tennessee St. | 5-2 | 144 | 24 | Idle | Oct. 24 at VMI | |
| 21 | UC Davis | 4-3 | 124 | 12 | Lost to Southern Utah, 38-17 | Oct. 24 vs. Northern Colorado | |
| 22 | Jackson St. | 6-1 | 108 | NR | D. Florida A&M, 27-17 | Oct. 24 at Bethune-Cookman | |
| 23 | West Florida | 4-2 | 57 | NR | D. West Alabama, 37-3 | Oct. 24 at Eastern Kentucky | |
| 24 | Southeastern Louisiana | 4-3 | 39 | NR | D. No. 8 Lamar, 34-31 | Oct. 24 at No. 2 Stephen F. Austin | |
| 25 | South Carolina St. | 5-2 | 37 | NR | Idle | Oct. 24 vs. Norfolk St. |
Dropped Out: Colgate (19), Idaho St. (21), Yale (23), Northern Iowa (25)
Others Receiving Votes: ACU, 26; Northern Iowa, 24; Colgate, 18; Idaho St., 18; Princeton, 17; Bryant, 16; UAlbany, 15; Yale, 13; Weber St., 12; Cornell (N.Y.), 9; Wofford, 9; Morgan St., 5; Alabama A&M, 2; Southeast Missouri St., 2; Central Connecticut St., 1; Delaware St., 1; Marist, 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.
