South Dakota State Remains No. 1
September 5, 2023
Eight Top 25 teams lost in the opening weekend, mostly by FBS opponents, causing a shakeup in the first regular season AFCA FCS Coaches’ Top 25 poll of 2023. South Dakota State still sits No. 1 thanks to their 45-7 blowout win over Western Oregon. The Jackrabbits are followed by conference rival North Dakota State at No. 2, who handed Eastern Washington at 35-10 loss. Montana State, William & Mary and Holy Cross still sit third through fifth.
There are two Top 25 matchups in week two with the biggest being a Top 3 showdown as No. 1 South Dakota State hosts No. 3 Montana State in the annual Beef Bowl. This is a rematch from last year’s FCS semifinal game that saw the Jackrabbits win 39-18 enroute to their first national title. The second matchup has No. 9 Weber State traveling to No. 20 Northern Iowa. The series is tied 2-2 with their last meeting coming in 2019.
Southern Illinois and Youngstown State jump into the AFCA Top 25 this week. The Salukis are No. 23 thanks to a 49-23 win over Austin Peay while the Penguins are two spots below at 25 after a 52-10 beating of Valparaiso.
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Week 1 Next Game
1 South Dakota St. (25) 1-0 625 1 D. Western Oregon, 45-7 Sept. 9 vs. No. 3 Montana St.
2 North Dakota St. 1-0 599 2 D. Eastern Washington, 35-10 Sept. 9 vs. Maine
3 Montana St. 1-0 573 3 D. Utah Tech, 63-20 Sept. 9 at No. 1 South Dakota St.
4 William & Mary 1-0 524 4 D. Campbell, 34-24 Sept. 9 vs. Wofford
5 Holy Cross 1-0 503 5 D. Merrimack, 42-20 Sept. 9 at Boston College
6 Furman 1-0 500 6 D. Tennessee Tech, 45-10 Sept. 9 at South Carolina
7 Samford 1-0 449 9 D. Shorter, 69-14 Sept. 9 at Western Carolina
8 Sacramento St. 1-0 444 8 D. Nicholls, 38-24 Sept. 9 vs. Texas A&M-Commerce
9 Weber St. 1-0 388 10 D. Central Washington, 35-10 Sept. 9 at No. 20 Northern Iowa
10 UIW 0-1 376 7 Lost to UTEP, 28-14 Sept. 9 at Northern Colorado
11 New Hampshire 1-0 346 12 D. Stonehill, 51-17 Sept. 9 at Central Michigan
12 Idaho 1-0 334 13 D. Lamar, 42-17 Sept. 9 at Nevada
13 Montana 1-0 293 14 D. Butler, 35-20 Sept. 9 at Utah Tech
14 UC Davis 1-0 286 17 D. Texas A&M-Commerce, 48-10 Sept. 9 at Oregon St.
15 North Dakota 1-0 258 18 D. Drake, 55-7 Sept. 9 vs. Northern Arizona
16 Southeast Missouri St. 0-1 238 11 Lost to Kansas St., 45-0 Sept. 9 vs. Lindenwood
17 Southeastern Louisiana 0-1 224 15 Lost to Mississippi St., 48-7 Sept. 9 at South Alabama
18 North Carolina Central 1-0 191 19 D. Winston-Salem St., 47-21 Sept. 9 at North Carolina A&T
19 Delaware 1-0 181 21 D. Stony Brook, 37-13 Sept. 9 at Penn St.
20 Northern Iowa 0-1 127 20 Lost to Iowa St., 30-9 Sept. 9 vs. No. 9 Weber St.
21 Florida A&M 1-0 124 25 D. Jackson St., 28-10 Sept. 9 at South Florida
22 Rhode Island 0-1 65 23 Lost to Georgia St., 42-35 Sept. 8 vs. Stony Brook
23 Southern Illinois 1-0 64 NR D. Austin Peay, 49-23 Sept. 9 at Northern Illinois
24 Mercer 1-1 62 22 Lost to Mississippi, 73-7 Sept. 9 vs. Morehead St.
25 Youngstown St. 1-0 58 NR D. Valparaiso, 52-10 Sept. 9 at Ohio St.
Dropped Out: Richmond (16), Gardner-Webb (24)
Others Receiving Votes: Richmond, 50; Fordham, 41; Gardner-Webb, 32; Yale, 30; Illinois St., 21; St. Thomas (Minn.), 19; Central Arkansas, 16; North Carolina A&T, 14; Eastern Kentucky, 12; Morgan St., 12; Northern Arizona, 12; Princeton, 11; Harvard, 7; Jackson St., 5; Elon, 4; Hampton, 4; Campbell, 1; Southern Utah, 1; Stephen F. Austin, 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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Eight Top 25 teams lost in the opening weekend, mostly by FBS opponents, causing a shakeup in the first regular season AFCA FCS Coaches’ Top 25 poll of 2023. South Dakota State still sits No. 1 thanks to their 45-7 blowout win over Western Oregon. The Jackrabbits are followed by conference rival North Dakota State at No. 2, who handed Eastern Washington at 35-10 loss. Montana State, William & Mary and Holy Cross still sit third through fifth.
There are two Top 25 matchups in week two with the biggest being a Top 3 showdown as No. 1 South Dakota State hosts No. 3 Montana State in the annual Beef Bowl. This is a rematch from last year’s FCS semifinal game that saw the Jackrabbits win 39-18 enroute to their first national title. The second matchup has No. 9 Weber State traveling to No. 20 Northern Iowa. The series is tied 2-2 with their last meeting coming in 2019.
Southern Illinois and Youngstown State jump into the AFCA Top 25 this week. The Salukis are No. 23 thanks to a 49-23 win over Austin Peay while the Penguins are two spots below at 25 after a 52-10 beating of Valparaiso.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week 1 | Next Game | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Dakota St. (25) | 1-0 | 625 | 1 | D. Western Oregon, 45-7 | Sept. 9 vs. No. 3 Montana St. | |
| 2 | North Dakota St. | 1-0 | 599 | 2 | D. Eastern Washington, 35-10 | Sept. 9 vs. Maine | |
| 3 | Montana St. | 1-0 | 573 | 3 | D. Utah Tech, 63-20 | Sept. 9 at No. 1 South Dakota St. | |
| 4 | William & Mary | 1-0 | 524 | 4 | D. Campbell, 34-24 | Sept. 9 vs. Wofford | |
| 5 | Holy Cross | 1-0 | 503 | 5 | D. Merrimack, 42-20 | Sept. 9 at Boston College | |
| 6 | Furman | 1-0 | 500 | 6 | D. Tennessee Tech, 45-10 | Sept. 9 at South Carolina | |
| 7 | Samford | 1-0 | 449 | 9 | D. Shorter, 69-14 | Sept. 9 at Western Carolina | |
| 8 | Sacramento St. | 1-0 | 444 | 8 | D. Nicholls, 38-24 | Sept. 9 vs. Texas A&M-Commerce | |
| 9 | Weber St. | 1-0 | 388 | 10 | D. Central Washington, 35-10 | Sept. 9 at No. 20 Northern Iowa | |
| 10 | UIW | 0-1 | 376 | 7 | Lost to UTEP, 28-14 | Sept. 9 at Northern Colorado | |
| 11 | New Hampshire | 1-0 | 346 | 12 | D. Stonehill, 51-17 | Sept. 9 at Central Michigan | |
| 12 | Idaho | 1-0 | 334 | 13 | D. Lamar, 42-17 | Sept. 9 at Nevada | |
| 13 | Montana | 1-0 | 293 | 14 | D. Butler, 35-20 | Sept. 9 at Utah Tech | |
| 14 | UC Davis | 1-0 | 286 | 17 | D. Texas A&M-Commerce, 48-10 | Sept. 9 at Oregon St. | |
| 15 | North Dakota | 1-0 | 258 | 18 | D. Drake, 55-7 | Sept. 9 vs. Northern Arizona | |
| 16 | Southeast Missouri St. | 0-1 | 238 | 11 | Lost to Kansas St., 45-0 | Sept. 9 vs. Lindenwood | |
| 17 | Southeastern Louisiana | 0-1 | 224 | 15 | Lost to Mississippi St., 48-7 | Sept. 9 at South Alabama | |
| 18 | North Carolina Central | 1-0 | 191 | 19 | D. Winston-Salem St., 47-21 | Sept. 9 at North Carolina A&T | |
| 19 | Delaware | 1-0 | 181 | 21 | D. Stony Brook, 37-13 | Sept. 9 at Penn St. | |
| 20 | Northern Iowa | 0-1 | 127 | 20 | Lost to Iowa St., 30-9 | Sept. 9 vs. No. 9 Weber St. | |
| 21 | Florida A&M | 1-0 | 124 | 25 | D. Jackson St., 28-10 | Sept. 9 at South Florida | |
| 22 | Rhode Island | 0-1 | 65 | 23 | Lost to Georgia St., 42-35 | Sept. 8 vs. Stony Brook | |
| 23 | Southern Illinois | 1-0 | 64 | NR | D. Austin Peay, 49-23 | Sept. 9 at Northern Illinois | |
| 24 | Mercer | 1-1 | 62 | 22 | Lost to Mississippi, 73-7 | Sept. 9 vs. Morehead St. | |
| 25 | Youngstown St. | 1-0 | 58 | NR | D. Valparaiso, 52-10 | Sept. 9 at Ohio St. |
Dropped Out: Richmond (16), Gardner-Webb (24)
Others Receiving Votes: Richmond, 50; Fordham, 41; Gardner-Webb, 32; Yale, 30; Illinois St., 21; St. Thomas (Minn.), 19; Central Arkansas, 16; North Carolina A&T, 14; Eastern Kentucky, 12; Morgan St., 12; Northern Arizona, 12; Princeton, 11; Harvard, 7; Jackson St., 5; Elon, 4; Hampton, 4; Campbell, 1; Southern Utah, 1; Stephen F. Austin, 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.
