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FCS Poll: Montana State remains on top

The “other” defending national champion in FCS football is racking up wins, too.

Montana State remains a unanimous No. 1 in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll – off to a 2-0 start as part of a 16-game winning streak that began last year in the Bobcats’ FCS national championship season.

South Carolina State (2-0), which captured MEAC, Celebration Bowl and HBCU national titles last season, owns the FCS’ second-longest active winning streak – 10 – after a 31-13 victory over Florida A&M in a weather-delayed Orange Blossom Classic. Combined with an 87-0 thrashing of Savannah State to open the season and coach Chennis Berry’s squad is ranked 22nd in the new national media poll.

The three FCS teams that posted wins over FBS programs in Week 1 received a boost in the voting. Tarleton State jumped to No. 4 and Idaho State moved up to No. 17 for its highest ranking since 2003, while The Citadel began to receive votes for the first time this season.

Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll (Sept. 7)

1. Montana State (2-0, 1-0 Big Sky)

Points: 1,425 (57 of 57 first-place votes); Previous Ranking: 1; Week 1: 51-24 win over Butler; Week 2: Sept. 12 at Nevada (10:30 p.m., CW Sports)

2. South Dakota State (1-1)

Points: 1,303; Previous Ranking: 2; Week 1: 34-18 loss at Northwestern; Week 2: Sept. 12 vs. New Haven (7 p.m., Midco/KELO/ESPN+)

3. Montana (2-0, 1-0 Big Sky)

Points: 1,292; Previous Ranking: 3; Week 1: 45-10 win over Drake; Week 2: Sept. 12 vs. Utah Tech (3 p.m., ESPN+/MTN)

4. Tarleton State (2-0)

Points: 1,272; Previous Ranking: 5; Week 1: 20-13 win at Bowling Green; Week 2: Sept. 12 at McNeese (7 p.m., ESPN+)

Points: 1,209; Previous Ranking: 4; Week 1: 41-10 win at Western Illinois; Week 2: Sept. 12 at Northern Illinois (7 p.m., MW+)

6. North Dakota (2-0)

Points: 1,037; Previous Ranking: 8; Week 1: 62-26 win over St. Thomas; Week 2: Sept. 12 at Portland State (10 p.m., ESPN+)

7. UC Davis (2-0, 1-0 Big Sky)

Points: 1,003; Previous Ranking: 7; Week 1: 49-17 win at San Diego; Week 2: Sept. 12 at SMU (4 p.m., ACCNX)

8. Rhode Island (1-1)

Points: 994; Previous Ranking: 6; Week 1: 38-14 loss at Temple; Week 2: Sept. 12 vs. Elon (noon, FloSports)

9. Lehigh (2-0, 2-0 Patriot)

Points: 941; Previous Ranking: 10; Week 1: 45-14 win at Georgetown; Week 2: Sept. 12 vs. No. 16 William & Mary (2 p.m., ESPN+)

10. Youngstown State (1-1)

Points: 939; Previous Ranking: 9; Week 1: 45-13 loss at Kentucky; Week 2: Sept. 12 vs. Duquesne (2 p.m., ESPN+)

11. South Dakota (2-0)

Points: 901; Previous Ranking: 11; Week 1: 38-23 win at Northern Colorado; Week 2: Sept. 12 vs. Eastern Washington (2 p.m., ESPN+/Midco)

12. Tennessee Tech (2-0)

Points: 836; Previous Ranking: 12; Week 1: 24-9 win at Chattanooga; Week 2: Sept. 12 vs. Samford (7 p.m., ESPN+)

13. Stephen F. Austin (2-0, 2-0 Southland)

Points: 806; Previous Ranking: 13; Week 1: 44-7 win over East Texas A&M; Week 2: Sept. 12 atNo. 23 Abilene Christian (8 p.m., ESPN+)

14. Lamar (1-1)

Points: 545; Previous Ranking: 14; Week 1: 38-7 loss at Louisiana; Week 2: Sept. 12 at Idaho (4 p.m., ESPN+/SWX)

15. Austin Peay (1-1)

Points: 540; Previous Ranking: 15; Week 1: 28-9 loss at Vanderbilt; Week 2: Sept. 12 vs. Morehead State (5 p.m., ESPN+)

16. William & Mary (2-0, 1-0 Patriot)

Points: 506; Previous Ranking: 17; Week 1: 22-15 win over Delaware State; Week 2: Sept. 12 at No. 9 Lehigh (2 p.m., ESPN+)

17. Idaho State (2-0)

Points: 478; Previous Ranking: 23; Week 1: 29-17 win at Utah State; Week 2: Sept. 12 vs. San Diego (6 p.m., ESPN+)

18. Mercer (2-0)

Points: 417; Previous Ranking: 19; Week 1: 62-3 win over Presbyterian; Week 2: Sept. 12 vs. Furman (6 p.m., ESPN+)

19. Yale (0-0)

Points: 383; Previous Ranking: 16; Week 1: No game; Week 2: No game

Points: 317; Previous Ranking: 25; Week 1: 42-14 win at Central Arkansas; Week 2: No game

21. Villanova (1-1, 1-1 Patriot)

Points: 275; Previous Ranking: 18; Week 1: 17-16 win at Bucknell; Week 2: Sept. 11 at Louisville (7 p.m., ACC Network)

22. South Carolina State (2-0)

Points: 270; Previous Ranking: 21; Week 1: 31-13 win over Florida A&M; Week 2: Sept. 12 vs. Virginia State (6 p.m., ESPN+)

23. Abilene Christian (0-2)

Points: 196; Previous Ranking: 20; Week 1: 33-10 loss at Texas Tech; Week 2: Sept. 12 vs. No. 13 Stephen F. Austin (8 p.m., ESPN+)

24. Northern Arizona (1-1, 1-0 Big Sky)

Points: 160; Previous Ranking: 22; Week 1: 35-7 loss at Arizona; Week 2: Sept. 12 vs. UIW (5 p.m., ESPN+)

Points: 64; Previous Ranking: NR; Week 1: No game; Week 2: No game

Dropped Out: Western Carolina (24)

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Others Receiving Points (schools listed on two or more ballots)

Alabama State (2-0), 55; Southern Utah (1-1, 0-1 Big Sky), 51; Campbell (2-0), 49; Cal Poly (2-0, 1-0 Big Sky), 46; Southern Illinois (1-1), 30; Richmond (2-0, 1-0 Patriot), 28; Houston Christian (1-1, 1-0 Southland), 24; Elon (2-0), 21; Jackson State (2-0), 21; Wofford (2-0), 19; Western Carolina (1-1), 15; Southeast Missouri (1-1), 14; UAlbany (1-1, 1-0 CAA), 13; UTRGV (1-1), 12; Prairie View A&M (1-1, 1-0 SWAC), 8; Monmouth (1-1, 1-0 CAA), 4; The Citadel (1-1, 0-1 Southern), 3

Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll Voting Panel

Stats Perform: Craig Haley. Big Sky Conference: Riley Corcoran, Tyson Rodgers, Larry Weir. CAA Football: Roger Brown, Matt Harmon, Rob Washburn. Ivy League: JJ Klein, Craig Larson. Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference: Isaiah Green, Kendrick Lewis. Missouri Valley Football Conference: Kyle Grooms, Tom Miller, Randy Reinhardt. Northeast Conference: Sarah Boissonneault, Brian Cleary. Ohio Valley Conference: Mike Bradd, Kyle Schwartz, Mark Simpson. Patriot League: Bob Black, Eric Malanoski, Ryan Sakamoto. Pioneer Football League: Cody Bush, Larry Hansgen. Southern Conference: Scott Keeler, Andrew Miller, Ralan Wardlaw. Southland Conference: Matthew Bonnette, James Dixon, Jasmine Washington. Southwestern Athletic Conference: Curtis Ford, Ronnie Johnson. United Athletic Conference: Claire Johnson, Benjamin Ray, Jake Withee. National Representatives: Sean Anderson, Stan Becton, Taylor Blue, Zack Carlton, Gene Clemons, Joe DeLeone, Matt Dixon, Steven J. Gaither, Sam Herder, Emory Hunt, Kyle Kensing, Brandon Lawrence, Zach McKinnell, Jon Passman, Omar Rashon Borja, Ryan Roberts, Timothy Rosario, Kent Schmidt, Phil Sokol, Reggie Thomas, Ralph Ventre, Jamie Williams.

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