SDSU Wins Eighth Straight Over Youngstown State
September 21, 2026
In a battle of top 10 programs, South Dakota State used a bruising run game to get the better of Youngstown State, 27-20. Jackrabbits’ running back Josiah Johnson ran for a career-high 238 yards and two touchdowns, the last of which came in the third quarter to give SDSU a 24-10 lead, allowing the Jackrabbits to cruise to victory. The win moved South Dakota State up to No. 2 in this week’s AFCA FCS Coaches Poll, while Youngstown State dropped four places to No. 13. The Penguins don’t have long to lick their wounds as they host No. 12 South Dakota this coming Saturday.
No. 1 Montana State also has a top 25 matchup this coming weekend when they host No. 17 Northern Arizona. The Bobcats remain undefeated but had to come from behind to beat Central Connecticut State, 35-30. Tarleton State jumped up to No. 3 spot by beating Merrimack, 45-20, while Illinois State and Montana are tied at No. 4. The Grizz will be in a top 10 battle this coming Saturday as they will travel to No. 9 UC Davis.
Colgate enters the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll for the first time since September 2, 2019. The Raiders are 3-1 on the season after beating Cornell, 20-7, and come in tied at 23. Colgate will get to test their new ranking quickly as they travel to No. 22 Villanova on Saturday.
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Week 3 Next Game
1 Montana St. (25) 4-0 649 1 D. Central Connecticut St., 35-30 Sept. 26 vs. No. 17 Northern Arizona
2 South Dakota St. 3-1 598 3 D. No. 9 Youngstown St., 27-20 Sept. 26 vs. Eastern Illinois
3 Tarleton St. 4-0 566 5 D. Merrimack, 45-20 Oct. 3 vs. Chicago St.
4t. Illinois St. (1) 4-0 561 4 D. Eastern Illinois, 49-13 Sept. 26 at Northern Iowa
4t. Montana 3-1 561 2 Lost to Oregon St., 52-17 Sept. 26 at No. 9 UC Davis
6 Stephen F. Austin 4-0 480 8 D. Prairie View A&M, 31-10 Sept. 26 vs. Northeastern St.
7 Lehigh 4-0 461 7 D. Dartmouth, 24-20 Sept. 26 at Penn
8 North Dakota 3-1 459 6 Lost to Nebraska, 34-7 Sept. 26 at Indiana St.
9 UC Davis 3-1 439 11 D. Stetson, 45-7 Sept. 26 vs. No. 4t Montana
10 Tennessee Tech 3-0 415 10 Idle Sept. 26 at Wofford
11 Austin Peay 3-1 378 14 D. No. 17 West Florida, 38-16 Sept. 26 vs. UT Martin
12 South Dakota 3-1 366 12 Lost to Boise St., 38-24 Sept. 26 at No. 13 Youngstown St.
13 Youngstown St. 2-2 363 9 Lost to No. 3 South Dakota St., 27-20 Sept. 26 vs. No. 12 South Dakota
14 South Carolina St. 4-0 303 16 D. No. 24 Furman, 20-17 Sept. 26 at Bethune-Cookman
15 Lamar 2-1 296 15 Idle Sept. 26 at Nicholls
16 Idaho St. 3-0 273 18 Idle Sept. 26 at Southern Utah
17 Northern Arizona 3-1 228 19 D. Utah Tech, 35-23 Sept. 26 at No. 1 Montana St.
18 Yale 1-0 188 20 D. Holy Cross, 38-28 Sept. 26 at Cornell
19 Richmond 3-1 104 NR D. Georgetown (D.C.), 24-21 Sept. 26 vs. Furman
20 West Florida 2-1 97 17 Lost to No. 14 Austin Peay, 38-16 Sept. 26 at Southeast Missouri St.
21 Rhode Island 2-2 93 13 Lost to Stony Brook, 56-24 Sept. 26 at North Carolina A&T
22 Villanova 2-2 85 23 D. LIU, 20-16 Sept. 26 vs. No. 23t Colgate
23t. Colgate 3-1 71 NR D. Cornell, 20-7 Sept. 26 at No. 22 Villanova
23t. Mercer 2-2 71 22 Lost to Georgia Tech, 44-11 Sept. 26 at ACU
25 Harvard 1-0 50 NR D. New Hampshire, 31-7 Sept. 25 at Brown
Dropped Out: William & Mary (21), Furman (24), Southern Illinois (25)
Others Receiving Votes: Southern Illinois, 45; Campbell, 41; Jackson St., 39; Elon, 38; Furman, 37; Alabama St., 14; Prairie View A&M, 12; Stony Brook, 12; Bryant, 7; Central Connecticut St., 6; Dartmouth, 6; UIW, 6; William & Mary, 6; ACU, 5; Monmouth (N.J.), 5; Southeastern Louisiana, 4; Southeast Missouri St., 3; UT Rio Grande Valley, 3; Robert Morris (Pa.), 2; San Diego, 2; Chattanooga, 1; St. Thomas (Minn.), 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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In a battle of top 10 programs, South Dakota State used a bruising run game to get the better of Youngstown State, 27-20. Jackrabbits’ running back Josiah Johnson ran for a career-high 238 yards and two touchdowns, the last of which came in the third quarter to give SDSU a 24-10 lead, allowing the Jackrabbits to cruise to victory. The win moved South Dakota State up to No. 2 in this week’s AFCA FCS Coaches Poll, while Youngstown State dropped four places to No. 13. The Penguins don’t have long to lick their wounds as they host No. 12 South Dakota this coming Saturday.
No. 1 Montana State also has a top 25 matchup this coming weekend when they host No. 17 Northern Arizona. The Bobcats remain undefeated but had to come from behind to beat Central Connecticut State, 35-30. Tarleton State jumped up to No. 3 spot by beating Merrimack, 45-20, while Illinois State and Montana are tied at No. 4. The Grizz will be in a top 10 battle this coming Saturday as they will travel to No. 9 UC Davis.
Colgate enters the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll for the first time since September 2, 2019. The Raiders are 3-1 on the season after beating Cornell, 20-7, and come in tied at 23. Colgate will get to test their new ranking quickly as they travel to No. 22 Villanova on Saturday.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week 3 | Next Game | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Montana St. (25) | 4-0 | 649 | 1 | D. Central Connecticut St., 35-30 | Sept. 26 vs. No. 17 Northern Arizona | |
| 2 | South Dakota St. | 3-1 | 598 | 3 | D. No. 9 Youngstown St., 27-20 | Sept. 26 vs. Eastern Illinois | |
| 3 | Tarleton St. | 4-0 | 566 | 5 | D. Merrimack, 45-20 | Oct. 3 vs. Chicago St. | |
| 4t. | Illinois St. (1) | 4-0 | 561 | 4 | D. Eastern Illinois, 49-13 | Sept. 26 at Northern Iowa | |
| 4t. | Montana | 3-1 | 561 | 2 | Lost to Oregon St., 52-17 | Sept. 26 at No. 9 UC Davis | |
| 6 | Stephen F. Austin | 4-0 | 480 | 8 | D. Prairie View A&M, 31-10 | Sept. 26 vs. Northeastern St. | |
| 7 | Lehigh | 4-0 | 461 | 7 | D. Dartmouth, 24-20 | Sept. 26 at Penn | |
| 8 | North Dakota | 3-1 | 459 | 6 | Lost to Nebraska, 34-7 | Sept. 26 at Indiana St. | |
| 9 | UC Davis | 3-1 | 439 | 11 | D. Stetson, 45-7 | Sept. 26 vs. No. 4t Montana | |
| 10 | Tennessee Tech | 3-0 | 415 | 10 | Idle | Sept. 26 at Wofford | |
| 11 | Austin Peay | 3-1 | 378 | 14 | D. No. 17 West Florida, 38-16 | Sept. 26 vs. UT Martin | |
| 12 | South Dakota | 3-1 | 366 | 12 | Lost to Boise St., 38-24 | Sept. 26 at No. 13 Youngstown St. | |
| 13 | Youngstown St. | 2-2 | 363 | 9 | Lost to No. 3 South Dakota St., 27-20 | Sept. 26 vs. No. 12 South Dakota | |
| 14 | South Carolina St. | 4-0 | 303 | 16 | D. No. 24 Furman, 20-17 | Sept. 26 at Bethune-Cookman | |
| 15 | Lamar | 2-1 | 296 | 15 | Idle | Sept. 26 at Nicholls | |
| 16 | Idaho St. | 3-0 | 273 | 18 | Idle | Sept. 26 at Southern Utah | |
| 17 | Northern Arizona | 3-1 | 228 | 19 | D. Utah Tech, 35-23 | Sept. 26 at No. 1 Montana St. | |
| 18 | Yale | 1-0 | 188 | 20 | D. Holy Cross, 38-28 | Sept. 26 at Cornell | |
| 19 | Richmond | 3-1 | 104 | NR | D. Georgetown (D.C.), 24-21 | Sept. 26 vs. Furman | |
| 20 | West Florida | 2-1 | 97 | 17 | Lost to No. 14 Austin Peay, 38-16 | Sept. 26 at Southeast Missouri St. | |
| 21 | Rhode Island | 2-2 | 93 | 13 | Lost to Stony Brook, 56-24 | Sept. 26 at North Carolina A&T | |
| 22 | Villanova | 2-2 | 85 | 23 | D. LIU, 20-16 | Sept. 26 vs. No. 23t Colgate | |
| 23t. | Colgate | 3-1 | 71 | NR | D. Cornell, 20-7 | Sept. 26 at No. 22 Villanova | |
| 23t. | Mercer | 2-2 | 71 | 22 | Lost to Georgia Tech, 44-11 | Sept. 26 at ACU | |
| 25 | Harvard | 1-0 | 50 | NR | D. New Hampshire, 31-7 | Sept. 25 at Brown |
Dropped Out: William & Mary (21), Furman (24), Southern Illinois (25)
Others Receiving Votes: Southern Illinois, 45; Campbell, 41; Jackson St., 39; Elon, 38; Furman, 37; Alabama St., 14; Prairie View A&M, 12; Stony Brook, 12; Bryant, 7; Central Connecticut St., 6; Dartmouth, 6; UIW, 6; William & Mary, 6; ACU, 5; Monmouth (N.J.), 5; Southeastern Louisiana, 4; Southeast Missouri St., 3; UT Rio Grande Valley, 3; Robert Morris (Pa.), 2; San Diego, 2; Chattanooga, 1; St. Thomas (Minn.), 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.
