FARGO, N.D. – North Dakota State was ranked No. 2 in the final NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision top 25 polls released Monday, Jan. 9, by Stats Perform and the American Football Coaches Association.
NDSU finished the season 12-3 overall with an appearance in the FCS national championship game, where the Bison lost 45-21 to unanimous No. 1 South Dakota State. SDSU won its 14th consecutive game to finish 14-1 overall and claim its first football national championship.
NCAA semifinalists Incarnate Word (12-2) and Montana State (12-2) were ranked third and fourth, respectively, in the Stats Perform media poll. Montana State fell to fifth in the AFCA coaches poll behind No. 4 Sacramento State (12-1), which lost to UIW in the quarterfinals. Sac State was fifth in the media poll.
The Missouri Valley Football Conference’s third NCAA playoff qualifier, North Dakota, checked in 20th in the media poll but fell out of the coaches poll. The Fighting Hawks finished 7-5 with a first-round playoff loss at Weber State.
Final 2022 Stats Perform FCS Top 25
Team (First-Place Votes W-L Pts Prev
1. South Dakota State (54) 14-1, 8-0 MVFC 1350 1
2. North Dakota State 12-3, 7-1 MVFC 1288 4
3. Incarnate Word 12-2, 5-1 Southland 1218 5
4. Montana State 12-2, 8-0 Big Sky 1208 3
5. Sacramento State 12-1, 8-0 Big Sky 1140 2
6. Holy Cross 12-1, 6-0 Patriot 1035 7
7. Samford 11-2, 8-0 SoCon 991 8
8. William & Mary 11-2, 7-1 CAA 982 6
9. Weber State 10-3, 6-2 Big Sky 936 9
10. Furman 10-3, 7-1 SoCon 865 11
11. Richmond 9-4, 6-2 CAA 746 13
12. Southeastern Louisiana 9-4, 5-1 Southland 645 17
13. New Hampshire 9-4, 7-1 CAA 632 15
14. Montana 8-5, 4-4 Big Sky 589 19
15. Southeast Missouri State 9-3, 5-0 OVC 490 14
16. Jackson State 12-1, 8-0 SWAC 485 10
17. Elon 8-4, 6-2 CAA 467 12
18. Idaho 7-5, 6-2 Big Sky 388 18
19. Delaware 8-5, 4-4 CAA 343 23
20. North Dakota 7-5, 5-3 MVFC 335 20
21. North Carolina Central 10-2, 4-1 MEAC 333 NR
22. Fordham 9-3, 5-1 Patriot 322 16
23. Chattanooga 7-4, 5-3 SoCon 171 21
24. Mercer 7-4, 5-3 SoCon 145 22
25. UC Davis 6-5, 5-3 Big Sky 115 24
Final 2022 AFCA FCS Coaches Poll
Team (First-Place Votes) W-L Pts Prev
1. South Dakota State (26) 14-1 650 1
2. North Dakota State 12-3 622 4
3. Incarnate Word 12-2 565 7
4. Sacramento State 12-1 558 2
5. Montana State 12-2 545 3
6. Holy Cross 12-1 512 6
7. Samford 11-2 472 9
8. William & Mary 11-2 445 8
9. Weber State 10-3 432 10
10. Furman 10-3 419 11
11. Jackson State 12-1 364 5
12. Richmond 9-4 325 14
13. Southeast Missouri State 9-3 294 12
14. Montana 8-5 284 17
15. New Hampshire 9-4 276 16
16. Fordham 9-3 262 13
17. North Carolina Central 10-2 247 21
18. Elon 8-4 210 15
19. Southeastern Louisiana 9-4 208 23
20. St. Thomas 10-1 120 19
21. Mercer 7-4 105 18
22. Idaho 7-5 100 T24
23. Florida A&M 9-2 84 20
T24. Delaware 8-5 69 NR
T24. Chattanooga 7-4 69 22
