I am grateful to again have a vote in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 media poll for the 2022 season. I’ll publish my ballot every week and provide some reasoning for my order.
Notes at the bottom.
FCS Top 25
25. Northern Iowa
24. North Dakota
23. Kennesaw State
22. Holy Cross
21. Samford
20. Southern Illinois
19. Mercer
18. William & Mary
17. Weber State
16. Southeastern Louisiana University
15. Richmond
14. UT Martin
13. Eastern Washington
12. Jackson State
11. Chattanooga
10. Villanova
9. Delaware
8. Incarnate Word
7. Sacramento State
6. East Tennessee State
5. Missouri State
4. Montana State
3. Montana
2. South Dakota State
1. North Dakota State
Before you go back and compare this ballot to my preseason ballot, just know that I started this one from scratch. And actually, I basically start over every week when doing my ballot.
While there is something to be said about week-to-week consistency in voting, I also don’t like to slot teams based on where I had them the previous week. So if teams A, B, C, D are in that order and they all win three straight, I’m not afraid to move team D ahead of that pack based on what I see. The more games you watch, the better gauge you get on teams. And hey, sometimes it’s OK to admit you’re wrong. There have been times when I felt good about my ballot, and then I go back and look at it on a Friday and go, “Mmmmm maybe I should have had this team a little higher.”
Expect plenty of shuffling week-to-week. Maybe a team has answered a big QB question after a few games. Maybe there’s a key injury. Maybe a team is winning but is barely beating inferior opponents. I do believe it is OK to move/switch/reorder teams even if they share the same results from that weekend.
UIW and Villanova cracked my Top 10 this week. Kennesaw and SFA plummeted. In fact, SFA is all the way out of my Top 25. After getting shellacked in Week 0 vs. Jacksonville State and an uninspired 31-27 win against Alcorn this weekend, the Lumberjacks need to earn their way back into my rankings.
I’m a bit higher on EWU now after watching new QB Gunner Talkington play, but the schedule is brutal in the coming weeks (at Oregon, vs. Montana State, at Florida, at Weber State, vs. Sac State). Making it through at least 3-3 seems more realistic, though.
I’m also a bit higher on Jackson State after Week 1, moving them closer to the Top 10 after its dominating performance against FAMU. Strength of schedule will be questioned throughout this season. I predicted JSU to finish 11-0, but gauging an undefeated JSU team with an SOS that will probably be in the 80s or 90s will be a challenge.
Samford and W&M enter the Top 25 after big wins against Kennesaw State and FBS Charlotte.
UND competed well for three quarters at Nebraska, while UNI had a blowout loss at Air Force in a game expected to be much more competitive. I put them at 24 and 25 because I believe they are both playoff-fringe teams, plus UND hosts UNI this week, so the winner will stay in and the loser will drop.
