(KFGO/KNFL) NDSU and South Dakota State are ranked as the top two teams in FCS this week in the Stats Perform poll this week. The Bison and Jackrabbits are both 5-1 overall and 3-0 in the Missouri Valley Football Conference ahead of their showdown at the Fargodome on Saturday.
The Bison struggled at times on Saturday but held off Indiana State 31-26, while the Jacks started slow but shutdown archrival South Dakota in a 28-3 win.
Southern Illinois at #16 and UND at #20 are the other MVFC teams in the top twenty-five
NDSU is also #1 in the FCS Coaches Poll, with Montana #2 and SDSU #3. UND remains out of the top 25 in the coaches poll. The Fighting Hawks are off this week.
STATS PERFORM FCS TOP 25
1. North Dakota State (5-1, 3-0 Missouri Valley), 1,333 points (41 first-place votes)
2. South Dakota State (5-1, 3-0 Missouri Valley), 1,285 (7)
3. Montana (5-0, 2-0 Big Sky), 1,247 (7)
4. Montana State (5-1, 3-0 Big Sky), 1,166
5. Sacramento State (5-0, 2-0 Big Sky), 1,153
6. Weber State (5-0, 2-0 Big Sky), 1,069
7. Holy Cross (6-0, 2-0 Patriot), 935
8.(tie) Jackson State (5-0, 3-0 SWAC), 915
8.(tie) UIW (5-1, 2-1 Southland), 915
10. Chattanooga (4-1, 2-0 Southern), 812
11. William & Mary (5-1, 2-1 CAA), 758
12. Mercer (5-1, 3-0 Southern), 734
13. Delaware (5-1, 3-1 CAA), 716
14. Elon (5-1, 3-0 CAA), 627
15. Samford (5-1, 3-0 Southern), 613
16. Southern Illinois (4-2, 3-0 Missouri Valley), 557
17. Villanova (3-2, 1-1 CAA), 440
18. Southeast Missouri (5-1, 2-0 Ohio Valley), 414
19. UT Martin (4-2, 3-0 Ohio Valley), 413
20. North Dakota (4-2, 3-1 Missouri Valley), 363
21. Richmond (3-2, 1-1 CAA), 205
22. Fordham (5-1, 2-0 Patriot), 178
23. Eastern Kentucky (3-2, 3-1 ASUN-WAC), 171
24. Austin Peay (4-2, 4-1 ASUN-WAC), 75
25.(tie) Rhode Island (3-2, 1-1 CAA), 67
25.(tie) Southeastern Louisiana (3-3, 1-1 Southland), 67
FCS Coaches Poll
1. North Dakota State
2. Montana
3. South Dakota State
4. Montana St.
5. Sacramento St.
6. Weber St.
7. Jackson St.
8. Holy Cross
9. Chattanooga
10. UIW
11. Mercer
12. Delaware
13. William & Mary
14. UT Martin
15. Samford
16. Villanova
17. Fordham
18. Elon
19. Southern Illinois
20. Stephen F. Austin
21. Southeast Missouri St.
22. Rhode Island
23. Princeton
24. Austin Peay
25. Richmond
