For seven straight weeks, Georgia Southern and Northern Iowa have been ranked No. 1 and 2, respectively, in The Sports Network/Fathead.com FCS Top 25.

This weekend's games will put their lofty status to the test.

Not only are Georgia Southern and Northern Iowa playing conference rivals on the road, but their opponents are Top 5 teams.

On Monday, Georgia Southern's hold on the nation's top ranking remained strong when the Eagles collected 131 of the 159 first-place votes and 3,930 points from the poll's national panel of sports information and media relations directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries.

On Saturday, No. 5 Appalachian State (5-2) hopes to change the script on Georgia Southern (7-0) when it hosts a Southern Conference showdown.

Northern Iowa, whose only loss was to FBS member Iowa State by one point, collected 17 first-place votes and 3,768 points to remain a strong No. 2. On Saturday, the Panthers (6-1) will visit No. 3 North Dakota State (7-0) in a meeting of the Missouri Valley Football Conference's top two teams.

Last year, Georgia Southern beat Appalachian State in overtime and Northern Iowa topped North Dakota State, with each game decided by a touchdown.

Montana State (7-1) could gain ground in the poll this weekend, although there isn't much room to move after the Big Sky Conference leader again checked in at No. 4.

The only FCS team to remain unbeaten besides Georgia Southern and North Dakota State is Sam Houston State (7-0), which held the No. 6 ranking for the second straight week.

The rest of the Top 10 consisted of No. 7 Lehigh (6-1) and three CAA Football squads, No. 8 Maine (6-1), No. 9 James Madison (5-2) and No. 10 New Hampshire (5-2).

After Montana (6-2) rallied to beat Portland State, 30-24, this past Saturday, the Grizzlies moved up one spot to No. 11. They are just ahead of Wofford (5-2), which lost at Furman, 26-21, then sunk seven spots to No. 12.

Up next were No. 13 Towson (6-1), No. 14 Jacksonville State (5-2), No. 15 Old Dominion (6-2), No. 16 Alabama State (6-1), No. 17 South Dakota (5-3), No. 18 William & Mary (4-4), No. 19 Jackson State (6-1) and No. 20 Indiana State (5-3).

Defending national runner-up Delaware (4-4) fell to No. 21 after it lost for the second straight weekend.

Illinois State (5-3), which slipped past Indiana State, 17-14, moved into the rankings for the first time this season at No. 22.

Rounding out the poll were No. 23 Liberty (5-3), which returned after a five- week absence; No. 24 Harvard (5-1), which entered for the first time this season; and No. 25 Tennessee Tech (4-2), which returned after falling out last week.

Richmond, North Dakota, Massachusetts and Norfolk State fell out of the rankings following losses.

During the regular season the Top 25 will be released every Monday afternoon, except for the final weekend of games, when it will be released Sunday morning, Nov. 20, due to its use as an official tool by the NCAA Division I Football Committee in selecting the 20-team playoff field later that day.

The Sports Network and Fathead.com will release a final Top 25 following the FCS championship game, which will be held Jan. 7 at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas.