William & Mary joins AFCA Top 25 after incredible comeback
August 31, 2026
The top six teams in the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll handled business during the opening weekend of the 2026 season, but two teams flip-flopped positions from the preseason poll. Montana State blanked Utah Tech, 54-0, and received all 26 first-place votes to remain at No. 1. Because of Montana’s close win against Southern Utah and South Dakota State’s blowout over Stetson, the Jackrabbits move into the No. 2 spot, followed by the Grizz at No. 3. Illinois State, Tarleton State and UC Davis keep their spots from No. 4 to No. 6.
The changes came from No. 7 on down, thanks to William & Mary’s incredible comeback upset over then-No. 7 Villanova. The Tribe scored 13 straight points in the final 53 seconds of the game to post a 35-32 road victory. The win vaulted William & Mary into the poll at No. 19 while the Wildcats dropped to No. 17.
Richmond and Central Arkansas also jumped into the top 25 this week. The Spiders come in at No. 23 after beating Bucknell, 35-14, while the Bears upset then-No. 22 UT Martin, 36-24, and jump in at No. 24.
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Season Opener Next Game
1 Montana St. (26) 1-0 650 1 D. Utah Tech, 54-0 Sept. 5 vs. Butler
2 South Dakota St. 1-0 604 3 D. Stetson, 70-7 Sept. 5 at Northwestern
3 Montana 1-0 599 2 D. Southern Utah, 28-21 Sept. 5 vs. Drake
4 Illinois St. 1-0 563 4 D. St. Francis (Ill.), 76-0 Sept. 5 at Western Illinois
5 Tarleton St. 1-0 554 5 D. Prairie View A&M, 49-30 Sept. 5 at Bowling Green
6 UC Davis 1-0 493 6 D. Portland St., 31-24 Sept. 5 at San Diego
7 Youngstown St. 1-0 466 9 D. Mercyhurst, 43-10 Sept. 5 at Kentucky
8 Rhode Island 1-0 463 8 D. Merrimack, 34-7 Sept. 5 at Temple
9 North Dakota 1-0 421 10 D. LIU, 42-21 Sept. 5 vs. St. Thomas (Minn.)
10 Lehigh 1-0 382 11 D. Holy Cross, 35-10 Sept. 5 at Georgetown (D.C.)
11 Stephen F. Austin 1-0 374 13 D. McNeese St., 38-27 Sept. 5 vs. East Texas A&M
12 South Dakota 1-0 354 12 D. Central Connecticut St., 59-20 Sept. 5 at Northern Colorado
13 Tennessee Tech 1-0 330 15 D. No. 23 Monmouth (N.J.), 38-14 Sept. 5 at Chattanooga
14 Austin Peay 1-0 284 18 D. Gardner-Webb, 35-17 Sept. 5 at Vanderbilt
15 Mercer 1-0 267 17 D. East Texas A&M, 23-15 Sept. 5 vs. Presbyterian
16 Lamar 1-0 230 21 D. No. 14 ACU, 21-14 Sept. 5 at Louisiana
17 Villanova 0-1 185 7 Lost to William & Mary, 35-32 Sept. 5 at Bucknell
18 Yale 0-0 158 19 Idle Sept. 19 at Holy Cross
19 William & Mary 1-0 137 NR D. No. 7 Villanova, 35-32 Sept. 5 vs. Delaware St.
20 Northern Arizona 1-0 120 24 D. Eastern Washington, 34-27 Sept. 5 at Arizona
21 ACU 0-1 118 14 Lost to No. 21 Lamar, 21-14 Sept. 5 at Texas Tech
22 South Carolina St. 1-0 87 25 D. Savannah St., 87-0 Sept. 6 vs. Florida A&M
23 Richmond 1-0 71 NR D. Bucknell, 35-14 Sept. 5 at Howard
24 Central Arkansas 1-0 63 NR D. No. 22 UT Martin, 36-24 Sept. 5 vs. West Florida
25 Southern Illinois 0-1 57 16 Lost to West Florida, 34-31 Sept. 3 at Samford
Dropped Out: Southeastern Louisiana (20), UT Martin (22), Monmouth (N.J.) (23)
Others Receiving Votes: Western Carolina, 47; UT Martin, 31; Idaho St., 29; Wofford, 29; Southeast Missouri St., 24; Alabama St., 22; Maine, 20; Southeastern Louisiana, 20; Monmouth (N.J.), 17; Furman, 16; Harvard, 16; Prairie View A&M, 14; Southern Utah, 14; Chattanooga, 13; UT-Rio Grande Valley, 13; West Florida, 13; Cal Poly, 11; Elon, 11; HCU, 10; UIW, 10; Delaware St., 9; Dartmouth, 8; Idaho, 7; Jackson St., 7; Campbell, 6; East Tennessee St., 3.
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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The top six teams in the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll handled business during the opening weekend of the 2026 season, but two teams flip-flopped positions from the preseason poll. Montana State blanked Utah Tech, 54-0, and received all 26 first-place votes to remain at No. 1. Because of Montana’s close win against Southern Utah and South Dakota State’s blowout over Stetson, the Jackrabbits move into the No. 2 spot, followed by the Grizz at No. 3. Illinois State, Tarleton State and UC Davis keep their spots from No. 4 to No. 6.
The changes came from No. 7 on down, thanks to William & Mary’s incredible comeback upset over then-No. 7 Villanova. The Tribe scored 13 straight points in the final 53 seconds of the game to post a 35-32 road victory. The win vaulted William & Mary into the poll at No. 19 while the Wildcats dropped to No. 17.
Richmond and Central Arkansas also jumped into the top 25 this week. The Spiders come in at No. 23 after beating Bucknell, 35-14, while the Bears upset then-No. 22 UT Martin, 36-24, and jump in at No. 24.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Season Opener | Next Game | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Montana St. (26) | 1-0 | 650 | 1 | D. Utah Tech, 54-0 | Sept. 5 vs. Butler | |
| 2 | South Dakota St. | 1-0 | 604 | 3 | D. Stetson, 70-7 | Sept. 5 at Northwestern | |
| 3 | Montana | 1-0 | 599 | 2 | D. Southern Utah, 28-21 | Sept. 5 vs. Drake | |
| 4 | Illinois St. | 1-0 | 563 | 4 | D. St. Francis (Ill.), 76-0 | Sept. 5 at Western Illinois | |
| 5 | Tarleton St. | 1-0 | 554 | 5 | D. Prairie View A&M, 49-30 | Sept. 5 at Bowling Green | |
| 6 | UC Davis | 1-0 | 493 | 6 | D. Portland St., 31-24 | Sept. 5 at San Diego | |
| 7 | Youngstown St. | 1-0 | 466 | 9 | D. Mercyhurst, 43-10 | Sept. 5 at Kentucky | |
| 8 | Rhode Island | 1-0 | 463 | 8 | D. Merrimack, 34-7 | Sept. 5 at Temple | |
| 9 | North Dakota | 1-0 | 421 | 10 | D. LIU, 42-21 | Sept. 5 vs. St. Thomas (Minn.) | |
| 10 | Lehigh | 1-0 | 382 | 11 | D. Holy Cross, 35-10 | Sept. 5 at Georgetown (D.C.) | |
| 11 | Stephen F. Austin | 1-0 | 374 | 13 | D. McNeese St., 38-27 | Sept. 5 vs. East Texas A&M | |
| 12 | South Dakota | 1-0 | 354 | 12 | D. Central Connecticut St., 59-20 | Sept. 5 at Northern Colorado | |
| 13 | Tennessee Tech | 1-0 | 330 | 15 | D. No. 23 Monmouth (N.J.), 38-14 | Sept. 5 at Chattanooga | |
| 14 | Austin Peay | 1-0 | 284 | 18 | D. Gardner-Webb, 35-17 | Sept. 5 at Vanderbilt | |
| 15 | Mercer | 1-0 | 267 | 17 | D. East Texas A&M, 23-15 | Sept. 5 vs. Presbyterian | |
| 16 | Lamar | 1-0 | 230 | 21 | D. No. 14 ACU, 21-14 | Sept. 5 at Louisiana | |
| 17 | Villanova | 0-1 | 185 | 7 | Lost to William & Mary, 35-32 | Sept. 5 at Bucknell | |
| 18 | Yale | 0-0 | 158 | 19 | Idle | Sept. 19 at Holy Cross | |
| 19 | William & Mary | 1-0 | 137 | NR | D. No. 7 Villanova, 35-32 | Sept. 5 vs. Delaware St. | |
| 20 | Northern Arizona | 1-0 | 120 | 24 | D. Eastern Washington, 34-27 | Sept. 5 at Arizona | |
| 21 | ACU | 0-1 | 118 | 14 | Lost to No. 21 Lamar, 21-14 | Sept. 5 at Texas Tech | |
| 22 | South Carolina St. | 1-0 | 87 | 25 | D. Savannah St., 87-0 | Sept. 6 vs. Florida A&M | |
| 23 | Richmond | 1-0 | 71 | NR | D. Bucknell, 35-14 | Sept. 5 at Howard | |
| 24 | Central Arkansas | 1-0 | 63 | NR | D. No. 22 UT Martin, 36-24 | Sept. 5 vs. West Florida | |
| 25 | Southern Illinois | 0-1 | 57 | 16 | Lost to West Florida, 34-31 | Sept. 3 at Samford |
Dropped Out: Southeastern Louisiana (20), UT Martin (22), Monmouth (N.J.) (23)
Others Receiving Votes: Western Carolina, 47; UT Martin, 31; Idaho St., 29; Wofford, 29; Southeast Missouri St., 24; Alabama St., 22; Maine, 20; Southeastern Louisiana, 20; Monmouth (N.J.), 17; Furman, 16; Harvard, 16; Prairie View A&M, 14; Southern Utah, 14; Chattanooga, 13; UT-Rio Grande Valley, 13; West Florida, 13; Cal Poly, 11; Elon, 11; HCU, 10; UIW, 10; Delaware St., 9; Dartmouth, 8; Idaho, 7; Jackson St., 7; Campbell, 6; East Tennessee St., 3.
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.
