Fear The FCS 2026 Preseason Media Ballot

In 2025, I was invited to vote in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 for the first time. I was beyond thrilled to accept the invitation, and like many others, I take the opportunity seriously. I am a returning voter in 2026 and, 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 for the 2026 preseason.

General Thoughts

The preseason ballot is always a crapshoot. The directive given to the voters is that the preseason top 25 is considered a projection for the season ahead. No crystal ball can tell any voter how the season will unfold, and all the offseason analysis can be rendered incorrect by a few bad games. I personally don’t put much stock into my own preseason picks after the season starts because we have actual data points and on-field performances to help. Expect wholesale changes to this top 25 in the early portion of the season.

Nevertheless, I think there are some obvious teams to include at the top, starting with the defending champions. Montana State, South Dakota State, and Montana seem like the three to beat, and there’s no NDSU to climb over anymore. All three return experience at quarterback and the skill positions. I give Montana State the top spot because there are fewer question marks and the other two schools will also have new head coaches. I think the Bobcats are the best team in the FCS entering the season, and I’m not sure how many other teams can actually compete. I found these three easy to rank, while the remaining 22 (and the next 12 in particular) could have been placed in several spots.

Behind that trio, I have Illinois State after the brutal loss in the FCS National Championship game last year. They’ll need a new quarterback, but having most of the offensive line and Victor Dawson back will help tremendously. In fifth, I have Rhode Island. I know, I know, this may be too high given the CAA isn’t as strong anymore. However, URI has a lethal combination returning between quarterback Devin Farrell and Marquis Buchanan. The schedule is favorable, but the Rams will have three road tests to make a statement: at Temple on September 5, at Yale on October 17, and at New Hampshire on November 7.

For 6 through 15, you could make a case for many teams, all of whom have plenty of talent, but also some question marks. I went with UC Davis in sixth, despite quarterback Caden Pinnick transferring to Washington State. The Aggies return most of their skill positions on offense to help out in 2026. Villanova moves to the Patriot League and takes 7th, with Pat McQuaide ruled eligible after a court intervention. Ja’briel Mace and Isaiah Ragland return at running back, while we can expect another solid defense from the Wildcats.

I have Youngstown State ninth entering the preseason, and I think that’s probably higher than most people. Beau Brungard‘s return, along with an experienced offensive line, is the biggest reason. Sure, the defensive woes from last season can’t be overlooked, but they poached Mercyhurst head coach Ryan Riemedio to be defensive coordinator. Mercyhurst allowed 25 points and 350 yards per game in 2025, which was 6 points and 40 yards less than YSU. Even a modest improvement on defense makes the Penguins even more formidable.

North Dakota boasts a really strong defensive line with Kaden Vig and Lance Rucker. Jerry Kaminski returns at quarterback, but there are question marks about the wide receivers. Deng Deng is expected to be a (or the?) top target after recording 16 catches for 208 yards and 5 scores last year. The last half of the season also features a very difficult road: at Northern Iowa, home versus SDSU, at South Dakota, at Youngstown State, home versus Illinois State, and home against Southern Illinois. The last five are all ranked in this top 25, while UNI on the road isn’t easy.

The bottom half of the poll is really where opinions can differ across ballots. I’m higher on Alabama State than most at 22, largely due to Andrew Body returning on offense. He doesn’t have his top four wideouts from last season, but his presence alone will elevate the new crop. In 2024, ASU averaged just 144 yards passing per game, and increased to 249 yards per game in 2025 after the arrival of Body.

I’m not as high on Southern Illinois. I expect SIU’s offense to be rolling with DJ Williams, but I question the defense coming into the season. The unit struggled last year, and while a ton of starters aren’t returning from the porous squad, there isn’t a ton of experience or depth.

To reiterate the start of the thoughts: this top 25 is subject to change, and I expect the first few regular season polls to be volatile. I’m not the type to anchor my expectations when a team is playing above or below its previous spot. If you don’t like where your team is ranked, I recommend waiting a few weeks after we see the teams play.

Photo Credit to Montana State University Athletics