There's nothing better than going back to preseason polls and comparing them to today.
Yes, we're only halfway through the FCS conference schedules for some teams. But some of the preseason coaches polls have already been shredded with surprise performances.
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How this season has played out is proof that what appears "on paper" during the summer months doesn't always reflect what happens on the gridiron. Here are teams who have soared past their predicted place in their conference standings:
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UC Davis
Conference: Big Sky
Picked: 9th out of 13 teams
In: 1st
Conference Record: 3-0 (5-1 overall)
The skinny: All-American wide receiver Keelan Doss was confident his team was about to take a huge step. The Aggies have done that and then some coming off a 5-6 overall season with a 3-5 Big Sky record. The offense has been explosive, scoring at least 44 points in every game except against Stanford.
Our UC Davis Preseason Preview
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Idaho State
Conference: Big Sky
Picked: 12th out of 13 teams
In: T-2nd
Conference Record: 3-1 (4-2 overall)
The skinny: The second surprise team in the Big Sky almost knocked off UC Davis last week, losing 44-37 in overtime. The Bengals have been just as impressive on offense. No one outside of this program saw this coming after a 2-6 conference record in 2017.
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Montana State
Conference: Big Sky
Picked: 8th out of 13 teams
In: T-4th
Conference Record: 2-1 (4-2 overall)
The skinny: The Bobcats haven't necessarily separated themselves as a Top 4 team in the Big Sky just yet. Two teams are tied at 3-1 and three more teams are tied at 2-1. But MSU is off to a better start than some predicted. It's only two losses are to two Top 5 teams at the time, South Dakota State and Eastern Washington.
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Rhode Island
Conference: CAA
Picked: 12th out of 12 teams
In: T-5th
Conference Record: 2-1 (4-2 overall)
The skinny: The Rams started this season with a bang, knocking off No. 15 Delaware, who was picked to finish third in the Colonial. A tough 38-36 loss to Maine has set them back, but the Rams are still one of the better stories in the CAA this year.
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Towson
Conference: CAA
Picked: 10th out of 12 teams
In: T-1st
Conference Record: 3-0 (5-1 overall)
The skinny: Towson finished below .500 overall and in the CAA last year, but its offense has come alive this season. The Tigers sit in first place, a long ways from their predicted spot.
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Maine
Conference: CAA
Picked: 8th out of 12 teams
In: T-1st
Conference Record: 3-0 (4-2 overall)
The skinny: The team Towson is tied with for first place is another surprise. Maine also had a season-opening shocker in the CAA by dominating then No. 7 New Hampshire 35-7. The Black Bears have already tied last season's conference win total.
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Dartmouth
Conference: Ivy League
Picked: 6th out of 8 teams
In: T-1st
Conference Record: 2-0 (5-0 overall)
The skinny: They're only two games in, but the Big Green have already made a statement as a team no one should have slept on. The two wins are blowouts against Penn (37-14) and Yale (41-18). Yale, by the way, was picked to win the Ivy League.
Our Dartmouth Preseason Preview
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Florida A&M
Conference: MEAC
Picked: 5th out of 10 teams
In: 1st
Conference Record: 4-0 (5-2 overall)
The skinny: FAMU got a huge win last weekend against North Carolina A&T, last year's HBCU national champion. The Rattlers now sit in prime position to run the table in the MEAC.
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Missouri State
Conference: MVFC
Picked: 9th out of 10 teams
In: T-2nd
Conference Record: 2-1 (4-2 overall)
The skinny: Granted there are five teams tied at 2-1 in the Valley and the Bears still have their toughest games ahead of them, but they still deserve a ton of credit for defeating two ranked teams, Northern Arizona and Illinois State. MSU has already passed last year's win total.
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Murray State
Conference: OVC
Picked: 8th out of 9 teams
In: 2nd
Conference Record: 3-0 (3-3 overall)
The skinny: The OVC has been looking a long time for a team to challenge Jacksonville State. Murray State is rising quickly after going just 3-8 overall and 2-5 in conference play.
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Southeast Missouri
Conference: OVC
Picked: 7th out of 9 teams
In: T-3rd
Conference Record: 2-1 (4-2 overall)
The skinny: Another team looking to challenge JSU is SEMO. And the two teams square off this weekend. The offense has been flying high lately and the Redhawks may be able to make things interesting at home against the Gamecocks.
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Georgetown
Conference: Patriot
Picked: 7th out of 7 teams
In: 2nd
Conference Record: 2-0 (3-4 overall)
The skinny: The conference slate strengthens from here on out, but the Hoyas have still been a pleasant surprise so far. This is a team that went 1-10 overall with a 0-6 record in the Patriot League in 2017.
Our Georgetown Preseason Preview
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Stetson
Conference: Pioneer
Picked: 9th out of 10 teams
In: T-2nd
Conference Record: 2-1 (4-1 overall)
The skinny: Three teams are tied for second in the PFL and the surprise program out of that bunch is Stetson. No one gave the Hatters much of a chance this season after going 1-7 in the league last year.
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East Tennessee State
Conference: SoCon
Picked: 8th out of 9 teams
In: 1st
Conference Record: 4-0 (6-1 overall)
The skinny: The Bucs are one of the better stories in the FCS this year. The SoCon is already beating up on each other, but it's ETSU standing tall and in sole possession of first place. Since restarting the program in 2015, this is the first senior class for the Bucs and it's showing.
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Incarnate Word
Conference: Southland
Picked: 9th out of 11 teams
In: T-2nd
Conference Record: 3-1 (3-3 overall)
The skinny: The Cardinals were on no one's radar after a 1-10 overall season in 2017. But there was room to move up the Southland standings and that's exactly what they've done. At 3-3 overall, two of the losses were against FBS teams and the third was a 27-21 ball game last weekend versus Lamar.
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NEXT: Predicting the Playoff Field After Week 7
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