I am grateful to have a vote in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 media poll for the 2024 season. I’ll publish my ballot every week and provide some reasoning for my order.
Notes at the bottom.
Delaware and Missouri State, FCS-to-FBS transitioning teams, are not eligible to be voted on in the Media Poll.
FCS Top 25
1. South Dakota State
2. North Dakota State
3. Montana State
4. South Dakota
5. Villanova
6. UC Davis
7. Mercer
8. Idaho
9. SEMO
10. UIW
11. Chattanooga
12. Abilene Christian
13. Central Arkansas
14. ETSU
15. North Dakota
16. Montana
17. William & Mary
18. Tarleton State
19. NC Central
20. Rhode Island
21. Western Carolina
22. Northern Arizona
23. Richmond
24. McNeese
25. Stephen F. Austin
Leaving: Sacramento State, Illinois State, Lamar, Weber State
Entering: NC Central, Rhode Island, Richmond, Stephen F. Austin
I kept my Top 3 the same as last week, even after No. 3 Montana State beat No. 7 Idaho 38-7 in a statement performance. You can make a strong argument for South Dakota State, North Dakota State, or MSU to be ranked No. 1, No. 2, etc.
SDSU might have the best defense in the FCS while its offense continues to get more explosive. MSU might have the best offense in the FCS while its defense looks stronger than last year’s. NDSU might have the most complete team in the FCS.
MSU has the best win of the three with its Idaho victory. NDSU has the most ranked wins of the three. SDSU is the two-time defending champs with several familiar names back, has mostly dominated its FCS opponents, and has the strongest Massey strength of schedule of the three — SDSU has the 5th-strongest SOS through games played, NDSU 11th, and MSU 58th.
So you can argue in circles why each team should be No. 1, who should be No. 2, and who should be No. 3.
It’ll get sorted out better this week, voting-wise, when SDSU visits NDSU. The winner will likely get the No. 1 spot and the loser goes to No. 3, while MSU (assuming it doesn’t lose at Portland State) moves to No. 2.
South Dakota has asserted itself as a strong No. 4, dominating its FCS opponents and sitting at 5-1 overall and 4-0 vs. the FCS with one ranked win. Villanova stays at No. 5 and UC Davis stays at No. 6. Both squads are undefeated vs. the FCS with one ranked win. Mercer rises to No. 7 at 6-0 vs. the FCS and two ranked wins.
Leaving my ballot are Sacramento State, Illinois State, Lamar, and Weber State.
Sac State lost 35-28 to unranked EWU and is now 2-4 overall and 2-2 vs. the FCS. It’s the second straight loss to an unranked opponent for the Hornets. Illinois State lost 41-7 to Missouri State, who is ranked in the Coaches Poll. ISU is now 4-3 overall and 4-2 vs. the FCS with two blowout home losses in the last three weeks.
Lamar lost 27-20 to unranked SFA, dropping to 3-3 overall and 3-2 vs. the FCS. Its then-ranked win over Weber State hasn’t aged as well … because Weber State lost 21-17 to Northern Colorado, which was UNC’s first win since November of 2022. Weber is now 3-4 overall and 3-3 vs. the FCS.
Moving into my ballot are NC Central, Rhode Island, Richmond, and Stephen F. Austin.
NC Central is 5-2 overall and 4-1 vs. the FCS. Its 41-19 loss to unranked Elon is questionable, but the Eagles have rolled since then, including beating opponents by much wider margins than other ranked teams did for comparative data points. Rhode Island is 5-1 overall and 5-0 vs. the FCS. It hasn’t played a strong schedule and hasn’t exactly dominated inferior opponents, but it keeps on winning.
I preseason ranked Richmond and moved the Spiders back in at 4-2 overall and 4-1 vs. the FCS. No great wins yet, and it does have a loss to Wofford, but Richmond has won four straight. Stephen F. Austin is 4-2 overall, 3-1 vs. the FCS, and just beat No. 22 Lamar. The Lumberjacks have won three straight.
In the 7-13 range, Mercer, SEMO, Chattanooga, and UIW rise as Idaho, Abilene Christian, and Central Arkansas fall back a few spots.
