Fear The FCS 2025 Week 10 Media Ballot

For the first time, I was invited to vote in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 for the 2025 season. I was beyond thrilled to accept the invitation, and like many others, I take the opportunity seriously. As part of the weekly process, I will provide some thoughts and reasoning for my top 25. Below is the Stats Perform Top 25 poll submitted after the week 10 games. The week 9 submission can be found here.

General Thoughts

There were plenty of upsets this week and that caused absolute carnage inside the top 25. Amazingly, this ballot only had 2 teams fall out of the top 25, and one of them might be somewhat controversial, considering who was put in. The top seven teams were relatively easy to rank, but after that, it became very difficult for a variety of factors, including head-to-head results, recent performances, and overall résumés. Here’s this week’s attempt at making sense of the chaos.

Week 10 Top 25

1. North Dakota State (9-0) – A week after dusting South Dakota State, NDSU needed to hold off Youngstown State to win 38-30. The majority of the fireworks came in the second quarter, which had 38 points scored between the teams. The Bison weren’t as dominant in this game, but forced three turnovers and returned a kickoff for a touchdown. This will sound odd, but the best way to describe the NDSU offense was just “average.” The rushing attack had 4 TDs, but averaged only 3.3 yards per carry (133 yards on 40 attempts). Cole Payton had 194 yards, no TDs, and 1 INT on 17 of 24 passing. I think this result says more about YSU than it does NDSU, as the Bison remain firmly in the top spot. North Dakota State will travel to Grand Forks next week to face North Dakota (6-3).

2. Montana State (7-2) – The Bobcats had a potentially tricky game at Northern Colorado and turned it into a rout. MSU’s defense didn’t allow a drive longer than 20 yards until midway through the third quarter, when the lead was already 27-0. The Bobcats went on to win 55-7, as Justin Lamson threw for 331 yards and 3 TDs on 16 of 22 passing. The Bobcats move up to second this week after Tarleton State’s loss, and probably would have moved up if the Texans had managed to win. Montana State will welcome Weber State (3-6) to Bozeman next week.

3. Montana (9-0) – The Grizzlies absolutely mauled Weber State in the first half en route to a 38-17 victory. Montana was up 31-10 at the break, after it scored on 5 of its 6 first half possessions. The one non-scoring possession was a missed field goal. Like I’ve said many times before, Montana’s offense disappeared in the second half with only 7 points. That may work against the Weber States of the FCS, and when the defense is good, but there have been times when the defense struggled this season. I’m not faulting Montana for being 9-0 with some good wins, but as the FCS playoffs loom, it’s fair to look at their deficiencies. The Grizzlies are up to third as the Brawl of the Wild matchup looms large and is currently slated to determine the #2 seed in the playoffs. Montana will take on Eastern Washington (4-5) at home next week.

4. Lehigh (9-0) – I thought the game against Georgetown might be tricky for Lehigh, but that turned out to be wrong. Lehigh scored on its opening possession and never looked back to win 41-0. Plus, it was a “typical” 2025 Lehigh victory: strong rushing offense and stifling rushing defense. Lehigh ran for 193 yards and 4 TDs on 32 carries (6.0 average), while the defense only surrendered 90 yards on the ground on 36 carries (2.5 average). If the Mountain Hawks play like this in the Playoffs, they’ll be very dangerous. Of course, they need to focus on the regular season first because the Patriot League race is far from over. Lehigh finally breaks into the top 5, jumping four spots this week. Next week will be the regular season home finale against Holy Cross (1-8).

5. Mercer (7-1) – It was another huge offensive output by Mercer in the 52-28 win against Furman, as they racked up 628 total yards. Braden Atkinson had another magnificent game, going 28 of 49 for 426 yards, 4 TDs, and no interceptions. The rushing attack added 202 yards and 3 TDs on 40 carries (5.1 average). The one big issue with Mercer in this game was that it surrendered three very long TDs: a 64-yard TD pass, a 67-yard TD run, and a 100-yard kickoff return. Not a big deal in a 24-point win, but I’ve been critical of other teams for deficiencies. The Bears are up five spots to fifth this week, as the offense looks incredibly potent right now. Mercer will have a road game at Western Carolina (6-3) next week, where a win will guarantee them the SoCon AQ bid and at least a share of the SoCon title.

6. Tennessee Tech (9-0) – The Golden Eagles were a bit lucky (and the defense made some big plays) to escape with a 27-21 win against Gardner-Webb this week. GWU led 14-10 at halftime, but had two big drives that could have put more pressure on TTU to start the second half. The first drive out of the break was a missed field goal, while the second was a lost fumble on a quarterback sack. Two plays later, Tennessee Tech punched it in for a 17-14 lead and held on. The defense deserves credit as well because GWU had only one drive in the fourth quarter that gained positive yards: the TD to make it 27-21.

The Golden Eagles move up one spot this week. I’ve been high on Tennessee Tech this entire season, having them as high as fifth, but their recent performances haven’t been as good as the teams that jumped them. I still think TTU can be a dark horse in the FCS playoffs, so I’m not writing them off by any means. The OVC-Big South title is within reach for TTU as they’ll be guaranteed at least a share if they defeat Eastern Illinois (3-6) on the road next week.

7. Harvard (7-0) – The Crimson had a big test at home against Dartmouth and passed it with a 31-10 win, but not as impressively on offense as the final score would indicate. Harvard took a 17-0 lead, but then the offense started to derail. Jaden Craig threw an interception, but Dartmouth couldn’t capitalize. On the first drive of the second half, Craig threw another INT, and Dartmouth cashed it in for a field goal to cut the margin to 17-10. The offense settled down after that to add two touchdowns, while the defense allowed only 29 yards in the fourth quarter. Overall, the defense did play well, especially in the run game, allowing only 61 yards on 32 carries (1.9 average). Harvard moves up 4 spots after the chaos and will face Columbia (1-6) on the road next week.

8. Tarleton State (9-1) – The Texans suffered their first loss of the season against Abilene Christian in crazy fashion. ACU led 28-10 at the start of the 4th quarter, but the Texans made it 28-21 on their next two drives. ACU had a chance to extend the lead to 31-21 with under three minutes to go, but the FG was no good. On the ensuing drive, Tarleton State drove deep into ACU territory when Trevon West was injured following a hit by his brother, Harold. Originally, it looked like a serious medical issue, but fortunately, he was able to get to the bench with medical assistance. The Texans finished the drive with a TD, but ACU answered back with a field goal as time expired to win 31-28. Tarleton State’s rushing attack was limited, while Victor Gabalis had a solid game passing (361 yards, 2 TDs, and 1 INT on 25 of 46 attempts). Defensively, ACU had too much success running the ball, averaging 7.3 yards per carry.

The loss to ACU drops Tarleton six spots and they no longer have the inside track on the UAC’s AQ bid. The fall probably would have been worse had three other top 10 teams not lost this week, so the Texans are “lucky” in that regard. Another factor that helped is when looking at the teams directly behind Tarleton, I asked, “Are these teams better to justify putting them ahead of the Texans?” The answer was no, further softening the fall. Tarleton State has a bye next week and will face North Alabama on Saturday, November 15.

9. Villanova (6-2) – The Wildcats had a bye week and still moved up three spots this week. Villanova will play its final regular season road game at Towson (4-5) next week.

10. Monmouth (8-1) – The Hawks were without Derek Robertson again this week, but Rodney Nelson’s rushing game was too much for Bryant to handle in the 35-7 win. Nelson totaled 244 yards and 2 TDs on the ground, while having another 62 yards receiving. Frankie Weaver looked better than last week, going 14 of 19 for 218 yards with 2 TDs and 2 INTs. Monmouth is up three spots this week and into the top 10. I know Monmouth fans may not like that I have them listed behind Villanova despite the H2H win, but these things tend to work themselves out. The other factor is when/if Robertson returns, which gives Monmouth a higher ceiling, but his uncertain status is why they’re not higher. Next week will be a home game against New Hampshire (5-4).

11. Southern Illinois (6-3) – The Salukis didn’t dominate Murray State on the scoreboard in the 27-7 win, but SIU never felt in danger of losing. DJ Williams had 258 total yards and 3 touchdowns in the effort, while Edward Robinson shouldered some of the load (109 yards on 18 carries). The defense forced three turnovers in the win, while holding Murray State under 300 yards of total offense, and 3 of 9 on third down. SIU moves up three spots this week, but the waters get much deeper next week with a road game at Youngstown State (5-4).

12. Abilene Christian (5-4) – There’s something about Abilene Christian at home this year, where they’ve defeated Stephen F. Austin, Austin Peay, North Alabama, and Tarleton State. Three of those were against ranked teams. Against Tarleton State, ACU led 28-10 early in the fourth quarter and saw that lead evaporate in the final minute. However, the Wildcats hit a game-winning field goal to pull the massive upset 31-28 and control its AQ destiny in the UAC. Unfortunately, ACU has two road games left to end the season, but next week is a home matchup against pesky Utah Tech (2-7). The Wildcats move up 8 spots this week after the huge upset of Tarleton State. We’ll see if ACU can keep the momentum going away from Abilene.

13. Rhode Island (7-2) – The Rams had a bye this week and moved up three spots thanks to some serious carnage ahead of them. Rhode Island will face Elon (4-5) next week on the road.

14. South Dakota (6-4) – South Dakota made the biggest leap this week, going from not being in the poll to 14th. The Coyotes used special teams and defense to pull the upset over North Dakota, which included a blocked punt for a safety and a fumble return for a TD. USD held a 26-7 lead late into the third quarter, but UND started chipping away. The Coyotes held on for the win, but the offense continues to struggle. They had only 270 total yards, 17 first downs, and 2 of 9 on third down. USD will only go as far as the offense can take them, which can be far at times… but the issue is consistency for South Dakota. Next week is a home game against a suddenly struggling South Dakota State (7-2).

15. North Dakota (6-3) – UND made a furious second half rally against South Dakota, but fell 26-21. Despite the three turnovers, the fumble returned for a touchdown, and the blocked punt, the Fighting Hawks still had a chance to win in the fourth quarter. Unfortunately, the last two drives ended with them turning it over on downs. This has been the theme for UND in its three losses to Kansas State, Montana, and South Dakota: they couldn’t close out the game. Don’t get me wrong, those are three quality losses, but close losses don’t count in the FCS playoffs. North Dakota falls 10 spots in my ballot this week and has a brutal home game next week against North Dakota State (9-0).

16. Youngstown State (5-4) – The Penguins played North Dakota State very close in the 38-30 loss and gave the Bison its sternest test of the season. Beau Brungard put up 253 total yards (203 passing, 50 rushing) and 3 total TDs in the losing effort, but he continues to make a strong case for the Walter Payton Award. YSU outgained NDSU 371-327 and had more first downs (21 to 18), but lost the turnover battle 3 to 1. YSU also allowed a kickoff return for a TD late in the second quarter. Despite the loss, YSU moves up two spots. The Penguins have an opportunity to make the FCS Playoffs with their remaining schedule, but they must defeat Southern Illinois (6-3) at home next week to bolster their résumé.

17. Lafayette (6-3) – The Leopards needed almost the entire game to put away Holy Cross, despite the Crusaders not scoring an offensive touchdown. The lone Holy Cross touchdown came via a punt return, while Lafayette forced four turnovers, but only turned them into 7 points. Kente Edwards led the offense with 146 yards and 2 TDs rushing, but the unit as a whole looked sluggish. Holy Cross has had seven games end within a score, but is 1-6 in those games, including the 21-13 loss against Lafayette. Still, Lafayette moves up two spots during this wild week and will face Colgate (4-5) at home next week.

18. UC Davis (6-2) – Caden Pinnick returned this week, but UC Davis still lost 38-36 at home to Idaho State. Pinnick went 23 of 32 for 325 yards, 1 TD, and 2 INTs. The second INT ended the game when UCD was closing in on field goal range. The run game was good, putting up 242 yards and 3 TDs on 47 carries (5.1 average). While the defense played poorly in the first half, the final 30 minutes were much better. Idaho State had only two scoring drives and UCD ended one of those drives with a pick. Despite all the struggles, this was a winnable game for the Aggies, which falls 9 spots this week. Next week is a road test at Idaho (4-5).

19. Jackson State (5-2) – The Tigers overcame a very slow start to crush Florida A&M 41-16. JSU held a slim 10-3 lead at the break, but the rushing attack took over. The Tigers finished with 392 yards and 4 TDs on 56 carries (7.0 average). The loss of JaCobian Morgan at QB is still noticeable to the passing game, as Jared Lockhart attempted only 10 passes (5 for 10 with 104 yards and a TD). In fairness, when the running game is that strong, the obvious strategy is to continue running the ball. The Tigers are up three spots this week and will face Mississippi Valley State (1-7) on the road next week.

20. Stephen F. Austin (7-2) – The Lumberjacks jump into the poll at 20 after defeating UTRGV handily 41-17. Stephen F. Austin has a similar résumé to Southeastern Louisiana, with a few more wins. SFA’s best win is UTRGV (6-3), but they have also defeated Cal Poly (3-6), East Texas A&M (2-7), Incarnate Word (3-6), McNeese (3-6), Nicholls (3-6), and NCAA Division II Sul Ross State (0-9). That comes out to a 20-40 record for the teams they defeated, which is why they jump ahead of SELA. The real shame this year is that Stephen F. Austin and Southeastern Louisiana won’t meet on the football field, so we’re left to determine the better team on paper. The Lumberjacks will go on the road to face Houston Christian (2-7) next week.

21. Southeastern Louisiana (7-2) – The battle of the Lions went to SELA and this game was over early. SELA led 14-0 after the first quarter and just cruised to a 59-14 win against East Texas A&M. SELA’s passing attack was led by Carson Camp, who went 11 of 18 for 226 yards and 2 TDs. The backups saw some action as well in the blowout win as SELA put up 340 passing yards. After a lot of thought, Southeastern Louisiana stays at 21 this week. I know some may disagree with the lack of movement, but the résumé for the Lions isn’t that great. The best win is UTRGV (6-3), but their other wins are East Texas A&M (2-7), Houston Christian (2-7), McNeese (3-6), Mississippi Valley State (1-7), Murray State (0-9), and Northwestern State (1-8). The combined record of the six teams they defeated is 15-47. Southeastern Louisiana has a chance to pick up a big win and continue its unbeaten Southland start next week against Lamar (7-2) on the road.

22. South Dakota State (7-2) – It’s one thing to lose to NDSU by 30+ points at home, but falling to Indiana State 24-12 at home? Yikes. I know Chase Mason was out again and Julius Loughridge didn’t play after the first quarter, but South Dakota State didn’t have trouble moving the ball. It had trouble keeping the ball and scoring points. The Jacks had 441 total yards (ISU had 228), put up 26 first downs (ISU had 9), went 10 for 19 on third down (ISU went 3 for 11), and held the ball for 41 minutes. The problem is SDSU lost the turnover battle 3-0 and didn’t convert a single fourth down (0 for 5). The inconsistent offensive display by SDSU this season caught up to them against a team they should have otherwise defeated. As a result, the Jackrabbits plummet from 6th to 22nd this week. The Jacks will face a resurgent South Dakota (6-4) team on the road next week in a critical game for SDSU’s 2025 season.

23. Western Carolina (6-3) – The Catamounts survived a rally from Chattanooga to win 35-28 on the road. Taron Dickens had a pedestrian game by his normal output, going 18 of 29 for 225 yards with 4 TDs and no interceptions. WCU’s defense had an average game, but it came up with two big interceptions, including the game sealing pick. While Western Carolina didn’t move from 23rd, they have a massive chance next week with the SoCon title on the line. WCU needs a win to keep its AQ hopes intact (plus winning one of the final two games), while a loss hands the AQ bid to Mercer. The Catamounts will welcome Mercer (7-1) to Cullowhee next week.

24. Illinois State (6-3) – ISU saw a strong defensive performance for the second straight game. The Redbirds won 31-16 at home against Northern Iowa after flying to a 21-3 halftime lead. The offense looked better this week as well, going 9 of 13 on third down. The team committed 7 penalties for 90 yards and allowed 6 of 12 third down conversions, which are some additional areas to work on. Illinois State didn’t move in this week’s poll, despite the havoc. This game was another step in the right direction, but don’t sleep on next week’s game at Indiana State (3-6).

25. Presbyterian (8-1) – A week after seeing its unbeaten streak end, Presbyterian made sure Valparaiso didn’t make it two losses in a row. The Blue Hose were up 30-0 late in the third quarter, with Collin Hurst playing much better (278 yards, 2 TDs, and 1 INT on 26 of 32 passing). The rushing attack wasn’t as good, totaling just 149 yards on 36 carries (4.1 average). The rush defense was incredible, holding Valpo to negative 2 yards on 27 carries thanks to sack yardage. I think the Blue Hose are a longshot for the FCS Playoffs as an at-large team at this point. Presbyterian will need to win out, plus have Drake (6-2) drop two PFL games to win the AQ bid. The Blue Hose remain in 25th for the second straight week and will play at Davidson (1-8) next week.

Teams That Dropped Out and Other Notables

Lamar (7-2) dropped from 15th to out of the poll this week. I’ve been harping for weeks that Lamar’s margin for error was small this season, especially after pulling the rabbit out of the hat against East Texas A&M and UTRGV in back-to-back games. There was no trick this week against Incarnate Word (3-6), who has quite an odd trio of wins: Eastern Washington, Abilene Christian, and Lamar. The latter two are ranked wins, but UIW hasn’t been able to get out of its own way this year. Some may point to Lamar’s key wins against South Dakota and UTRGV as reasons to be in the top 25, especially compared to Stephen F. Austin and Southeastern Louisiana. I counter with the fact that Lamar has struggled with the same common opponents and neither of those teams has a bad loss on the résumé like Lamar does with UIW. Lamar fans shouldn’t worry too much because a win against Southeastern Louisiana (7-2) next week could see them right back in the top 25.

Austin Peay (5-4) also fell out of the poll after being 17th last week. The Govs lost to Southern Utah (4-5) 33-17, which has proven to be a formidable team despite its losing record. The Govs have two good wins this year against Middle Tennessee and West Georgia, but this team has struggled the last month. Austin Peay will face Central Arkansas (3-6) at home next week as it looks to keep an FCS playoff at-large hopes alive.

Additional teams that were considered for the top 25 include Alabama State (6-2), Dartmouth (5-2), Grambling State (6-3), Penn (5-2), and Yale (5-2). As a reminder, the FCS Football Committee will unveil its second and final in-season top 10 rankings on Wednesday, November 5. The timing couldn’t be better after this week and I’ll have some thoughts on those in next week’s ballot write-up.

Photo Credit to Abilene Christian University Athletics