Bison Solidify Hold On Top Spot In CSJ Top-25 Poll
College Sports Journal
Press Release
PHILADELPHIA, PA. — It was no surprise after a 48-7 thrashing of No. 2-ranked Youngstown State that North Dakota State was the unanimous No. 1 pick again in the weekly College Sports Journal Football Championship Subdivision Top-25 poll for the fifth straight week.
For the second week in a row, the Bison (5-0 overall, 3-0 in conference) beat a Missouri Valley Football Conference team that was ranked in the Top 25. NDSU defeated No. 18 Northern Iowa 33-21 on the road in its previous game.
Youngstown State (4-1, 1-1) fell to eighth in the rankings after losing its first game of the season.
James Madison (4-1, 2-0) vaulted from No. 4 to No. 2 in the poll with a win over then-No. 10 Towson, 13-10, in the only other game matching ranked teams last week. Towson, with tough back-to-back losses to LSU and JMU on the road, fell to No. 14.
Wofford (5-0, 3-0) climbed to No. 3 after a hard-fought 20-17 victory over rival Furman in a key Southern Conference game. The Terriers had been fifth in the previous poll and are one of three SoCon teams in the top 10, joining No. 5 Georgia Southern and No. 10 Appalachian State.
Georgia Southern (4-1, 3-1) beat Western Carolina 45-13 and ASU (4-2, 2-1) stopped Elon 35-23 in a pair of SoCon games.
Georgia Southern hosts Wofford on Saturday night in the showdown game in FCS for the weekend.
Significant jumps in the poll were made by Sam Houston State, New Hampshire, South Dakota State. SHSU and SDSU leaped up four spots, while UNH rose eight places after wins.
Samford entered the poll for the first time after a 38-7 home victory over previously 15th-ranked The Citadel, which fell from the poll. Villanova also fell from a tie for 25th following a 28-17 loss at home to Richmond.
Position Team Record Previous Rank Result
1: North Dakota State Bison (5-0, 2-0) 1 W vs. Youngstown State 48-7
2: James Madison Dukes (4-1, 2-0) 4 W vs Towson 13-10
3: Wofford Terriers (5-0, 3-0) 5 W vs. Furman 20-17
4: Montana State Bobcats (6-0, 3-0) 3 W at UC Davis 48-41
5: Georgia Southern Eagles (4-1, 3-1) 7 W at Western Carolina 45-13
6: Old Dominion Monarchs (5-0, 2-0) 8 Did Not Play
7: Eastern Washington Eagles (4-1, 3-0) 7 W vs. North Dakota 55-17
8: Youngstown State Penguins (4-1, 1-1) 2 L at North Dakota State 48-7
9: Stony Brook Seawolves (5-1, 1-0) 11 W vs. Charleston Southern 49-7
10: Appalachian State Mountaineers (4-2, 2-1) 12 W vs Elon 35-23
11: Lehigh Mountain Hawks (6-0, 0-0) 14 W vs Columbia 35-14
12: Sam Houston State Bearkats (3-2, 1-1) 16 W vs Stephen F. Austin 51-43
13: Cal Poly Mustangs (5-0, 3-0) 13 W at Weber State 45-23
14: Towson Tigers (2-3, 1-1) 10 L at James Madison 13-10
15: Northern Arizona Lumberjacks (4-1, 2-0) 20 W Did Not Play
16: New Hampshire Wildcats (4-2, 2-1) 24 W at Georgia State 44-21
17: Central Arkansas Bears (4-2, 2-1) 16 W vs. Nicholls 34-14
18: Albany Great Danes (5-1, 3-0) 19 W vs Bryant 31-14
19: South Dakota State Jackrabbits 4-1 23 Did Not Play
20: Illinois State Redbirds (4-1, 2-1) 11 L vs. Southern Illinois 17-0
21: McNeese State Cowboys (4-1, 1-1) 24 Did Not Play
22: Tennessee State Tigers (6-0, 3-0) 25 W vs. Eastern Kentucky 23-20
23: Harvard Crimson (4-0, 2-0) 25 W vs Cornell 45-13
24: Samford Bulldogs (5-1, 3-1) NR W vs The Citadel 38-7
25: Eastern Kentucky (4-2, 2-1) 18 L at Tennessee State 23-20
Also Received Votes (In Order Of Points):
Alabama A&M, Delaware, Bethune-Cookman, The Citadel, Tennessee-Martin, Indiana State, Howard, Richmond.
Falling Out Of The Poll
The Citadel (15), Delaware (21) Villanova (tie, 25).
