UAlbany Uses Turnovers To Upset No. 15 Campbell
November 2, 2026
UAlbany’s Dillon Dunathan returned a fumble 77 yards for a touchdown and Jamari Young intercepted a pass and returned it 25 yards for another score to help the Great Danes beat then-No. 15 Campbell, 45-35. UAlbany used a running attack that chewed up 170 yards on the ground and controlled the clock, which helped keep the Camels passing attack off the field. UAlbany rises five places to No. 20 in this week’s AFCA FCS Coaches Poll while Campbell drops only four spots to No. 19.
The top five remained unchanged this week with Tarleton State still on top. The top three teams will get tested this coming weekend as all three will face ranked opponents. The No. 1 Texans get to host No. 22t ACU, who is on a four-game win streak after starting the season 1-4. No. 2 Stephen F. Austin, who received three first-place votes this week, travels to No. 12 Lamar to try and keep their undefeated season going. Next is No. 3 Montana State, fresh off a complete domination of Cal Poly, 61-7, hitting the road against No. 18 Idaho State.
Richmond and UC Davis dropped out of the rankings this week, making room for two newcomers in No. 24 Alabama A&M and No. 25 Weber State. This is Alabama A&M’s first appearance in the AFCA top 25 since the 2021 spring football season when they finished No. 19 on May 17th. Weber State’s drought wasn’t as long. They last appeared on October 7, 2024, at No. 23.
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Week 9 Next Game
1 Tarleton St. (23) 9-0 645 1 D. Eastern Kentucky, 28-24 Nov. 7 vs. No. 22t ACU
2 Stephen F. Austin (3) 9-0 623 2 D. Houston Christian, 37-6 Nov. 7 at No. 12 Lamar
3 Montana St. 8-1 593 3 D. Cal Poly, 61-7 Nov. 7 at No. 18 Idaho St.
4 Youngstown St. 7-2 574 4 D. No. 11 North Dakota, 31-28 Nov. 7 at Murray St.
5 South Dakota St. 7-2 549 5 D. No. 6 South Dakota, 31-21 Nov. 7 at Northern Iowa
6 Northern Arizona 7-2 507 7 D. Southern Utah, 34-27 Nov. 7 at Cal Poly
7 Austin Peay 7-2 483 8 Idle Nov. 7 vs. Eastern Kentucky
8 Illinois St. 7-2 445 9 D. Murray St., 35-14 Nov. 7 at No. 15 North Dakota
9 Tennessee Tech 8-1 435 10 D. No. 18 East Tennessee St., 24-17 Nov. 7 vs. VMI
10 South Dakota 7-3 421 6 Lost to No. 5 South Dakota St., 31-21 Nov. 14 vs. Northern Iowa
11 Mercer 7-2 374 12 D. The Citadel, 28-19 Nov. 7 at Chattanooga
12 Lamar 7-2 364 13 D. UT Rio Grande Valley, 52-23 Nov. 7 vs. No. 2 Stephen F. Austin
13 Montana 6-3 338 14 D. Eastern Washington, 42-33 Nov. 7 vs. Portland St.
14 Monmouth (N.J.) 7-2 299 17 D. Bryant, 34-21 Nov. 7 vs. North Carolina A&T
15 North Dakota 6-4 281 11 Lost to No. 4 Youngstown St., 31-28 Nov. 7 vs. No. 8 Illinois St.
16 Lehigh 7-2 212 20 D. Bucknell, 31-30 Nov. 7 vs. Colgate
17 South Carolina St. 7-2 202 22 D. Morgan St., 51-10 Nov. 5 at Howard
18 Idaho St. 6-3 165 23 D. Utah Tech, 34-27 Nov. 7 vs. No. 3 Montana St.
19 Campbell 7-2 163 15 Lost to No. 25 UAlbany, 45-35 Nov. 7 vs. Stony Brook
20 UAlbany 6-3 157 25 D. No. 15 Campbell, 45-35 Nov. 7 at Bryant
21 East Tennessee St. 6-3 138 18 Lost to No. 10 Tennessee Tech, 24-17 Nov. 7 vs. Samford
22t. ACU 5-4 124 24 D. West Georgia, 59-0 Nov. 7 at No. 1 Tarleton St.
22t. Harvard 6-1 124 16 Lost to Dartmouth, 24-14 Nov. 7 vs. Columbia
24 Alabama A&M 7-2 52 NR D. Alabama St., 31-28 Nov. 7 at Prairie View A&M
25 Weber St. 6-4 50 NR D. No. 21 UC Davis, 38-14 Nov. 14 at No. 6 Northern Arizona
Dropped Out: Richmond (19), UC Davis (21)
Others Receiving Votes: Richmond, 36; Chattanooga, 35; Jackson St., 12; Princeton, 11; Dartmouth, 9; Morgan St., 6; Colgate, 4; Wofford, 4; Central Connecticut St., 3; UC Davis, 3; UIW, 3; Dayton, 2; Northern Iowa, 2; North Alabama, 1; Yale, 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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UAlbany’s Dillon Dunathan returned a fumble 77 yards for a touchdown and Jamari Young intercepted a pass and returned it 25 yards for another score to help the Great Danes beat then-No. 15 Campbell, 45-35. UAlbany used a running attack that chewed up 170 yards on the ground and controlled the clock, which helped keep the Camels passing attack off the field. UAlbany rises five places to No. 20 in this week’s AFCA FCS Coaches Poll while Campbell drops only four spots to No. 19.
The top five remained unchanged this week with Tarleton State still on top. The top three teams will get tested this coming weekend as all three will face ranked opponents. The No. 1 Texans get to host No. 22t ACU, who is on a four-game win streak after starting the season 1-4. No. 2 Stephen F. Austin, who received three first-place votes this week, travels to No. 12 Lamar to try and keep their undefeated season going. Next is No. 3 Montana State, fresh off a complete domination of Cal Poly, 61-7, hitting the road against No. 18 Idaho State.
Richmond and UC Davis dropped out of the rankings this week, making room for two newcomers in No. 24 Alabama A&M and No. 25 Weber State. This is Alabama A&M’s first appearance in the AFCA top 25 since the 2021 spring football season when they finished No. 19 on May 17th. Weber State’s drought wasn’t as long. They last appeared on October 7, 2024, at No. 23.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week 9 | Next Game | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tarleton St. (23) | 9-0 | 645 | 1 | D. Eastern Kentucky, 28-24 | Nov. 7 vs. No. 22t ACU | |
| 2 | Stephen F. Austin (3) | 9-0 | 623 | 2 | D. Houston Christian, 37-6 | Nov. 7 at No. 12 Lamar | |
| 3 | Montana St. | 8-1 | 593 | 3 | D. Cal Poly, 61-7 | Nov. 7 at No. 18 Idaho St. | |
| 4 | Youngstown St. | 7-2 | 574 | 4 | D. No. 11 North Dakota, 31-28 | Nov. 7 at Murray St. | |
| 5 | South Dakota St. | 7-2 | 549 | 5 | D. No. 6 South Dakota, 31-21 | Nov. 7 at Northern Iowa | |
| 6 | Northern Arizona | 7-2 | 507 | 7 | D. Southern Utah, 34-27 | Nov. 7 at Cal Poly | |
| 7 | Austin Peay | 7-2 | 483 | 8 | Idle | Nov. 7 vs. Eastern Kentucky | |
| 8 | Illinois St. | 7-2 | 445 | 9 | D. Murray St., 35-14 | Nov. 7 at No. 15 North Dakota | |
| 9 | Tennessee Tech | 8-1 | 435 | 10 | D. No. 18 East Tennessee St., 24-17 | Nov. 7 vs. VMI | |
| 10 | South Dakota | 7-3 | 421 | 6 | Lost to No. 5 South Dakota St., 31-21 | Nov. 14 vs. Northern Iowa | |
| 11 | Mercer | 7-2 | 374 | 12 | D. The Citadel, 28-19 | Nov. 7 at Chattanooga | |
| 12 | Lamar | 7-2 | 364 | 13 | D. UT Rio Grande Valley, 52-23 | Nov. 7 vs. No. 2 Stephen F. Austin | |
| 13 | Montana | 6-3 | 338 | 14 | D. Eastern Washington, 42-33 | Nov. 7 vs. Portland St. | |
| 14 | Monmouth (N.J.) | 7-2 | 299 | 17 | D. Bryant, 34-21 | Nov. 7 vs. North Carolina A&T | |
| 15 | North Dakota | 6-4 | 281 | 11 | Lost to No. 4 Youngstown St., 31-28 | Nov. 7 vs. No. 8 Illinois St. | |
| 16 | Lehigh | 7-2 | 212 | 20 | D. Bucknell, 31-30 | Nov. 7 vs. Colgate | |
| 17 | South Carolina St. | 7-2 | 202 | 22 | D. Morgan St., 51-10 | Nov. 5 at Howard | |
| 18 | Idaho St. | 6-3 | 165 | 23 | D. Utah Tech, 34-27 | Nov. 7 vs. No. 3 Montana St. | |
| 19 | Campbell | 7-2 | 163 | 15 | Lost to No. 25 UAlbany, 45-35 | Nov. 7 vs. Stony Brook | |
| 20 | UAlbany | 6-3 | 157 | 25 | D. No. 15 Campbell, 45-35 | Nov. 7 at Bryant | |
| 21 | East Tennessee St. | 6-3 | 138 | 18 | Lost to No. 10 Tennessee Tech, 24-17 | Nov. 7 vs. Samford | |
| 22t. | ACU | 5-4 | 124 | 24 | D. West Georgia, 59-0 | Nov. 7 at No. 1 Tarleton St. | |
| 22t. | Harvard | 6-1 | 124 | 16 | Lost to Dartmouth, 24-14 | Nov. 7 vs. Columbia | |
| 24 | Alabama A&M | 7-2 | 52 | NR | D. Alabama St., 31-28 | Nov. 7 at Prairie View A&M | |
| 25 | Weber St. | 6-4 | 50 | NR | D. No. 21 UC Davis, 38-14 | Nov. 14 at No. 6 Northern Arizona |
Dropped Out: Richmond (19), UC Davis (21)
Others Receiving Votes: Richmond, 36; Chattanooga, 35; Jackson St., 12; Princeton, 11; Dartmouth, 9; Morgan St., 6; Colgate, 4; Wofford, 4; Central Connecticut St., 3; UC Davis, 3; UIW, 3; Dayton, 2; Northern Iowa, 2; North Alabama, 1; Yale, 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.
