Top five unchanged in STATS FCS Top 25

STATS FCS Senior Editor

(STATS) - High-profile wins and some close losses to FBS programs were rewarded Monday in the STATS FCS Top 25.

The top five teams went unchanged in the national media poll, although No. 1 North Dakota State was the only one to win its season-opening game, beating an FCS opponent while James Madison, South Dakota State, Eastern Washington and UC Davis fell to the bigger FBS programs.

Central Arkansas moved into the rankings at No. 20 after it posted the week's lone FCS win over an FBS opponent (Western Kentucky), and No. 23 Southeastern Louisiana and No. 24 Villanova also entered following key FCS wins.

Northern Iowa soared seven spots to No. 11 after losing in triple overtime to nationally ranked Iowa State and others rose slightly as losses to FBS programs were put into perspective.

North Dakota State, the two-time defending FCS national champion, made its 121st consecutive appearance in the Top 25 since 2010, including 114 in a row in the Top 10.

A national panel of sports information and media relations directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries select the STATS 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 FCS Top 25 (Sept. 2)

1. North Dakota State (1-0), 3,983 points (148 first-place votes)

Previous Ranking: 1; Last Week's Result: 57-10 win over Butler

2. James Madison (0-1), 3,719 (11)

Previous Ranking: 2; Last Week's Result: 20-13 loss to West Virginia

3. South Dakota State (0-1), 3,658

Previous Ranking: 3; Last Week's Result: 28-21 loss to Minnesota

4. Eastern Washington (0-1), 3,398 (1)

Previous Ranking: 4; Last Week's Result: 47-14 loss to Washington

5. UC Davis (0-1), 3,258

Previous Ranking: 5; Last Week's Result: 27-13 loss to California

6. Maine (1-0), 3,167

Previous Ranking: 7; Last Week's Result: 42-14 win over Sacred Heart

7. Weber State (0-1), 2,909

Previous Ranking: 8; Last Week's Result: 6-0 loss to San Diego State

8. Towson (1-0), 2,641

Previous Ranking: 11; Last Week's Result: 28-21 win over The Citadel

9. Kennesaw State (1-0), 2,612

Previous Ranking: 10; Last Week's Result: 59-0 win over Point

10. Nicholls (0-1), 2,031

Previous Ranking: 12; Last Week's Result: 49-14 loss to Kansas State

11. Northern Iowa (0-1), 1,884

Previous Ranking: 18; Last Week's Result: 29-26, three-OT loss to Iowa State

12. Southeast Missouri (1-0), 1,696

Previous Ranking: 17; Last Week's Result: 44-26 win over Southern Illinois

13. Montana State (0-1), 1,568

Previous Ranking: 14; Last Week's Result: 45-10 loss to Texas Tech

14. Indiana State (0-1), 1,531

Previous Ranking: 16; Last Week's Result: 24-17 loss to Kansas

15. North Carolina A&T (1-0), 1,512

Previous Ranking: 20; Last Week's Result: 24-21 win over then-No. 21 Elon

16. Illinois State (0-1), 1,473

Previous Ranking: 15; Last Week's Result: 24-10 loss to Northern Illinois

17. Furman (1-0), 1,434

Previous Ranking: 19; Last Week's Result: 46-13 win over Charleston Southern

18. Jacksonville State (0-1), 1,298

Previous Ranking: 6; Last Week's Result: 35-14 loss to Southeastern Louisiana

19. Wofford (0-1), 1,176

Previous Ranking: 9; Last Week's Result: 28-13 loss to South Carolina State

20. Central Arkansas (1-0), 1,055

Previous Ranking: NR; Last Week's Result: 35-28 win over Western Kentucky

21. Delaware (1-0), 1,022

Previous Ranking: 22; Last Week's Result: 31-13 win over Delaware State

22. Montana (1-0), 781

Previous Ranking: 25; Last Week's Result: 31-17 win over South Dakota

23. Southeastern Louisiana (1-0), 746

Previous Ranking: NR; Last Week's Result: 35-14 win over then-No. 6 Jacksonville State

24. Villanova (1-0), 535

Previous Ranking: NR; Last Week's Result: Bye (34-14 win over then-No. 13 Colgate in Week Zero)

25. Sam Houston State (0-1), 518

Previous Ranking: 23; Last Week's Result: 39-31 loss to New Mexico

Dropped Out: Colgate, Elon, Princeton

Others Receiving Votes: Princeton 401, Elon 325, Stony Brook 264, Colgate 247, Eastern Kentucky 203, South Carolina State 161, Duquesne 124, Dartmouth 106, ETSU 103, McNeese 70, Chattanooga 65, Alcorn State 48, Northern Arizona 41, New Hampshire 32, Monmouth 31, Richmond 29, Mercer 26, Yale 26, The Citadel 21, Lamar 21, Cal Poly 18, San Diego 15, Youngstown State 8, UIW 6, Wagner 1, Sacramento State 1, Idaho State 1, North Dakota 1