FCS Top 25: Sam Herder’s Ballot For The Week Of 11-18-2024

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.

Week 12 Top 25 FCS Scoreboard

FCS Top 25

1. North Dakota State
2. Montana State
3. South Dakota State
4. South Dakota
5. UC Davis
6. Mercer
7. Idaho
8. UIW
9. Richmond
10. Montana
11. Rhode Island
12. Abilene Christian
13. SEMO
14. Tarleton State
15. Illinois State
16. Villanova
17. Harvard
18. New Hampshire
19. Stony Brook
20. Jackson State
21. Eastern Kentucky
22. Southeastern Louisiana
23. Northern Arizona
24. South Carolina State
25. UT Martin

Leaving: Chattanooga, ETSU

Entering: New Hampshire, Northern Arizona

No. 2 Montana State earned the best win of the weekend, going to No. 4 UC Davis and winning 30-28, a game the Bobcats led 30-8 midway through the fourth quarter before a spirited comeback by Davis. They are now 11-0 overall with two ranked wins and an FBS win. I kept MSU at No. 2 while NDSU stayed No. 1, although you could make the argument either way. Both pass the eye test. The Bison kept rolling this weekend and beat up on No. 14 Missouri State for a 59-21 win. The Bison are now 10-1 overall and 10-0 vs. the FCS with four ranked wins. NDSU’s current Massey strength of schedule is 7th in the FCS compared to Montana State’s 22nd.

Chattanooga and ETSU slid out of my ballot after suffering tough upset losses.

ETSU lost 24-21 vs. Furman, who is now 3-7. ETSU falls to 6-5 overall with only five D1 wins. Chattanooga lost 36-13 against Samford, who is now 4-6. Chattanooga falls to 6-5 overall and 6-3 vs. the FCS.

New Hampshire and Northern Arizona have entered my ballot.

New Hampshire defeated No. 16 Stony Brook 31-30. UNH has won three straight and is now 7-4 overall and 7-3 vs. the FCS. Its three FCS losses are all to ranked teams ahead of them (Harvard, Rhody, and Villanova). Northern Arizona has won four straight games and is now 7-4 overall and 6-3 vs. the FCS.