A relative lack of movement in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 reflects the presence of many strong, veteran-laden teams this season.
Still, Monday’s new national media rankings especially stood out, with the top five teams, led by No. 1 Sam Houston, unchanged following the third full week of the college football season and no new additions, while still including 22 of the 25 teams that were part of the preseason poll.
The next-best thing to the 10 FCS wins over FBS programs, which are tied for the most since 2013, was No. 3 James Madison’s 37-24 win at then-No. 9 Weber State Saturday night. The Dukes (3-0) closed most of last week’s points gap on second-ranked South Dakota State, which had an open week. Meanwhile, Weber State dropped five spots to No. 14 and Richmond three to No. 24 after a Top 25 loss to Villanova, but they were the week’s only changes of more than two spots.
A national media panel selects the Stats Perform FCS Top 25. A first-place vote is worth 25 points, a second-place vote 24 points, all the way down to one point for a 25th-place vote.
Stats Perform FCS Top 25 (Sept. 20)
1. Sam Houston (2-0, 0-0 AQ7), 1,210 points (31 first-place votes)
Previous Ranking: 1; Week 3 Result: Open week
2. South Dakota State (2-0, 0-0 Missouri Valley), 1,184 (8)
Previous Ranking: 2; Week 3 Result: Open week
3. James Madison (3-0, 1-0 CAA), 1,179 (9)
Previous Ranking: 3; Week 3 Result: 37-24 win at then-No. 9 Weber State
4. Montana (2-0, 0-0 Big Sky), 1,100 (2)
Previous Ranking: 4; Week 3 Result: Open week
5. North Dakota State (3-0, 0-0 Missouri Valley), 1,071
Previous Ranking: 5; Week 3 Result: 35-7 win at Towson
6. Eastern Washington (3-0, 0-0 Big Sky), 942
Previous Ranking: 7; Week 3 Result: 62-56 win at Western Illinois
7. Southern Illinois (2-1, 0-0 Missouri Valley), 870
Previous Ranking: 8; Week 3 Result: 55-3 win over Dayton
8. Delaware (2-1, 1-0 CAA), 837
Previous Ranking: 6; Week 3 Result: 45-13 loss at Rutgers
9. Jacksonville State (2-1, 0-0 AQ7), 771
Previous Ranking: 10; Week 3 Result: 27-24 win over North Alabama
10. North Dakota (2-1, 0-0 Missouri Valley), 753
Previous Ranking: 11; Week 3 Result: 38-0 win over Drake
11. Villanova (3-0, 1-0 CAA), 747
Previous Ranking: 12; Week 3 Result: 34-27 win over then-No. 21 Richmond
12. UC Davis (3-0, 0-0 Big Sky), 718
Previous Ranking: 14; Week 3 Result: 60-27 win over Dixie State
13. Montana State (2-1, 0-0 Big Sky), 672
Previous Ranking: 13; Week 3 Result: 52-10 win over San Diego
14. Weber State (1-2, 0-0 Big Sky), 622
Previous Ranking: 9; Week 3 Result: 37-24 loss to then-No. 3 James Madison
15. ETSU (3-0, 0-0 Southern), 530
Previous Ranking: 16; Week 3 Result: 38-6 win over Delaware State
16. Southeastern Louisiana (2-1, 0-0 Southland), 517
Previous Ranking: 15; Week 3 Result: 56-10 win at Central Connecticut State
17. Northern Iowa (2-1, 0-0 Missouri Valley), 414
Previous Ranking: 18; Week 3 Result: 44-3 win over St. Thomas
18. Missouri State (1-1, 0-0 Missouri Valley), 412
Previous Ranking: 17; Week 3 Result: Open week
19. Austin Peay (2-1, 0-0 Ohio Valley), 357
Previous Ranking: 19; Week 3 Result: 59-35 win over Morehead State
20. Monmouth (2-1, 1-0 Big South), 319
Previous Ranking: 20; Week 3 Result: 41-14 win at Charleston Southern
21. New Hampshire (3-0, 2-0 CAA), 198
Previous Ranking: 23; Week 3 Result: 19-13 win at Lafayette
22. VMI (2-1, 0-0 Southern), 178
Previous Ranking: 22; Week 3 Result: 31-21 win at Cornell
23. Kennesaw State (2-1, 0-0 Big South), 135
Previous Ranking: 24; Week 3 Result: 31-10 win at Wofford
24. Richmond (2-1, 0-1 CAA), 115
Previous Ranking: 21; Week 3 Result: 34-27 loss at then-No. 12 Villanova
25. Central Arkansas (1-2, 0-0 AQ7), 110
Previous Ranking: 25; Week 3 Result: 45-23 win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff
Dropped Out: None
Others Receiving Votes (schools listed on two or more ballots): Rhode Island 77, Alabama A&M 36, Murray State 34, Chattanooga 25, Nicholls 24, Furman 23, Stephen F. Austin 17, Duquesne 15, UIW 14, Samford 10, South Dakota 9, Jackson State 3