Idaho Moves Into Top 10 With Big Win
September 11, 2023
Idaho scored on the first play from scrimmage with a 75-yard touchdown pass and never looked back, beating FBS-member Nevada, 33-6. This was the Vandals first win over an FBS opponent since transitioning to FCS, and their first win over Nevada since 1999. The victory moved Idaho to No. 10 in this week’s AFCA FCS Coaches’ Top 25 Poll.
South Dakota State still sits No. 1 after surviving a hard-fought game against No. 3 Montana State, 20-16. North Dakota State dominated Maine, 44-7, and remains in the second spot. William & Mary and Holy Cross round out the Top 5.
Two new teams enter the Top 25 this week in Fordham and Illinois State. The Rams are tied at No. 22 thanks to a 40-37 victory over Buffalo, the program’s third win over an FBS opponent all-time. Illinois State comes in at No. 25 after a 34-18 win over Western Illinois. The Redbirds are 2-0 and will travel to Eastern Illinois next Saturday.
There is only one Top 25 matchup in the third week of the season as No. 15 Southeast Missouri State plays host to No. 18 Southern Illinois. This will be the 91st meeting between the two programs with SEMO holding a slim 43-39-8 all-time advantage.
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Week 2 Next Game
1 South Dakota St. (26) 2-0 650 1 D. No. 3 Montana St., 20-16 Sept. 16 vs. Drake
2 North Dakota St. 2-0 624 2 D. Maine, 44-7 Sept. 16 vs. Central Arkansas
3 Montana St. 1-1 555 3 Lost to No. 1 South Dakota St., 20-16 Sept. 16 vs. Stetson
4 William & Mary 2-0 545 4 D. Wofford, 23-6 Sept. 16 at Charleston Southern
5 Holy Cross 1-1 523 5 Lost to Boston College, 31-28 Sept. 16 at Yale
6 Sacramento St. 2-0 500 8 D. Texas A&M-Commerce, 34-6 Sept. 16 at Stanford
7 Weber St. 2-0 486 9 D. No. 20 Northern Iowa, 34-17 Sept. 16 at Utah
8 Furman 1-1 445 6 Lost to South Carolina, 47-21 Sept. 16 at Kennesaw St.
9 UIW 1-1 424 10 D. Northern Colorado, 42-7 Sept. 16 at Abilene Christian
10 Idaho 2-0 393 12 D. Nevada, 33-6 Sept. 16 at California
11t. Montana 2-0 343 13 D. Utah Tech, 43-13 Sept. 16 vs. Ferris St.
11t. New Hampshire 1-1 343 11 Lost to Central Michigan, 45-42 Sept. 16 vs. Dartmouth
13 North Dakota 2-0 329 15 D. Northern Arizona, 37-22 Sept. 16 at Boise State
14 Samford 1-1 289 7 Lost to Western Carolina, 30-7 Sept. 16 at Auburn
15 Southeast Missouri St. 1-1 287 16 D. Lindenwood, 45-7 Sept. 16 vs. No. 18 Southern Illinois
16 UC Davis 1-1 241 14 Lost to Oregon St., 55-7 Sept. 16 vs. Southern Utah
17 North Carolina Central 2-0 239 18 D. North Carolina A&T, 30-16 Sept. 16 at UCLA
18 Southern Illinois 2-0 214 23 D. Northern Illinois, 14-11 Sept. 16 at No. 15 Southeast Missouri St.
19 Delaware 1-1 161 19 Lost to Penn St., 63-7 Sept. 16 vs. St. Francis (Pa.)
20 Rhode Island 1-1 159 22 D. Stony Brook, 35-14 Sept. 16 at Maine
21 Mercer 2-1 114 24 D. Morehead St., 48-22 Sept. 23 at No. 8 Furman
22t. Fordham 2-1 97 NR D. Buffalo, 40-37 Sept. 23 vs. Stonehill
22t. Southeastern Louisiana 0-2 97 17 Lost to South Alabama, 35-17 Sept. 16 at Eastern Washington
24 Florida A&M 1-1 91 21 Lost to South Florida, 38-24 Sept. 16 vs. West Florida
25 Illinois St. 2-0 50 NR D. Western Illinois, 34-18 Sept. 16 at Eastern Illinois
Dropped Out: Northern Iowa (20), Youngstown St. (25)
Others Receiving Votes: Northern Iowa, 45; Youngstown St., 39; Yale, 29; Gardner-Webb, 25; Central Arkansas, 17; Richmond, 17; Jackson St., 15; Murray St., 14; Harvard, 10; Eastern Kentucky, 9; Princeton, 9; Villanova, 5; Western Carolina, 5; St. Thomas (Minn.), 4; Stephen F. Austin, 3; Austin Peay, 2; Chattanooga, 1; Morgan St., 1; Tarleton, 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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Idaho scored on the first play from scrimmage with a 75-yard touchdown pass and never looked back, beating FBS-member Nevada, 33-6. This was the Vandals first win over an FBS opponent since transitioning to FCS, and their first win over Nevada since 1999. The victory moved Idaho to No. 10 in this week’s AFCA FCS Coaches’ Top 25 Poll.
South Dakota State still sits No. 1 after surviving a hard-fought game against No. 3 Montana State, 20-16. North Dakota State dominated Maine, 44-7, and remains in the second spot. William & Mary and Holy Cross round out the Top 5.
Two new teams enter the Top 25 this week in Fordham and Illinois State. The Rams are tied at No. 22 thanks to a 40-37 victory over Buffalo, the program’s third win over an FBS opponent all-time. Illinois State comes in at No. 25 after a 34-18 win over Western Illinois. The Redbirds are 2-0 and will travel to Eastern Illinois next Saturday.
There is only one Top 25 matchup in the third week of the season as No. 15 Southeast Missouri State plays host to No. 18 Southern Illinois. This will be the 91st meeting between the two programs with SEMO holding a slim 43-39-8 all-time advantage.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week 2 | Next Game | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Dakota St. (26) | 2-0 | 650 | 1 | D. No. 3 Montana St., 20-16 | Sept. 16 vs. Drake | |
| 2 | North Dakota St. | 2-0 | 624 | 2 | D. Maine, 44-7 | Sept. 16 vs. Central Arkansas | |
| 3 | Montana St. | 1-1 | 555 | 3 | Lost to No. 1 South Dakota St., 20-16 | Sept. 16 vs. Stetson | |
| 4 | William & Mary | 2-0 | 545 | 4 | D. Wofford, 23-6 | Sept. 16 at Charleston Southern | |
| 5 | Holy Cross | 1-1 | 523 | 5 | Lost to Boston College, 31-28 | Sept. 16 at Yale | |
| 6 | Sacramento St. | 2-0 | 500 | 8 | D. Texas A&M-Commerce, 34-6 | Sept. 16 at Stanford | |
| 7 | Weber St. | 2-0 | 486 | 9 | D. No. 20 Northern Iowa, 34-17 | Sept. 16 at Utah | |
| 8 | Furman | 1-1 | 445 | 6 | Lost to South Carolina, 47-21 | Sept. 16 at Kennesaw St. | |
| 9 | UIW | 1-1 | 424 | 10 | D. Northern Colorado, 42-7 | Sept. 16 at Abilene Christian | |
| 10 | Idaho | 2-0 | 393 | 12 | D. Nevada, 33-6 | Sept. 16 at California | |
| 11t. | Montana | 2-0 | 343 | 13 | D. Utah Tech, 43-13 | Sept. 16 vs. Ferris St. | |
| 11t. | New Hampshire | 1-1 | 343 | 11 | Lost to Central Michigan, 45-42 | Sept. 16 vs. Dartmouth | |
| 13 | North Dakota | 2-0 | 329 | 15 | D. Northern Arizona, 37-22 | Sept. 16 at Boise State | |
| 14 | Samford | 1-1 | 289 | 7 | Lost to Western Carolina, 30-7 | Sept. 16 at Auburn | |
| 15 | Southeast Missouri St. | 1-1 | 287 | 16 | D. Lindenwood, 45-7 | Sept. 16 vs. No. 18 Southern Illinois | |
| 16 | UC Davis | 1-1 | 241 | 14 | Lost to Oregon St., 55-7 | Sept. 16 vs. Southern Utah | |
| 17 | North Carolina Central | 2-0 | 239 | 18 | D. North Carolina A&T, 30-16 | Sept. 16 at UCLA | |
| 18 | Southern Illinois | 2-0 | 214 | 23 | D. Northern Illinois, 14-11 | Sept. 16 at No. 15 Southeast Missouri St. | |
| 19 | Delaware | 1-1 | 161 | 19 | Lost to Penn St., 63-7 | Sept. 16 vs. St. Francis (Pa.) | |
| 20 | Rhode Island | 1-1 | 159 | 22 | D. Stony Brook, 35-14 | Sept. 16 at Maine | |
| 21 | Mercer | 2-1 | 114 | 24 | D. Morehead St., 48-22 | Sept. 23 at No. 8 Furman | |
| 22t. | Fordham | 2-1 | 97 | NR | D. Buffalo, 40-37 | Sept. 23 vs. Stonehill | |
| 22t. | Southeastern Louisiana | 0-2 | 97 | 17 | Lost to South Alabama, 35-17 | Sept. 16 at Eastern Washington | |
| 24 | Florida A&M | 1-1 | 91 | 21 | Lost to South Florida, 38-24 | Sept. 16 vs. West Florida | |
| 25 | Illinois St. | 2-0 | 50 | NR | D. Western Illinois, 34-18 | Sept. 16 at Eastern Illinois |
Dropped Out: Northern Iowa (20), Youngstown St. (25)
Others Receiving Votes: Northern Iowa, 45; Youngstown St., 39; Yale, 29; Gardner-Webb, 25; Central Arkansas, 17; Richmond, 17; Jackson St., 15; Murray St., 14; Harvard, 10; Eastern Kentucky, 9; Princeton, 9; Villanova, 5; Western Carolina, 5; St. Thomas (Minn.), 4; Stephen F. Austin, 3; Austin Peay, 2; Chattanooga, 1; Morgan St., 1; Tarleton, 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.
