College football top 25: New No. 1 team emerges in FCS Power Rankings after North Dakota State loses
Wed, Sep 21, 2022
NCAAF News (AP)
As we approach Week 4 in the college football season, there were some excellent observations and takeaways from Week 3 that deserve to be highlighted. Let's start at the top. A new No. 1 team has emerged in the rankings with Montana taking over the top spot following North Dakota State's narrow 31-28 loss to Arizona over the weekend. While losses to FBS teams are common, the Bison were favored over the Wildcats and had opportunities to win.'
Let's also give a nod to the the Ivy League, which finished with a NCAA-best 7-1 record against FCS opponents last weekend to open the 2022 season. While there are no Ivy League teams in this week's FCS Power Rankings, the strong start suggests we could seem some teams arrive in the rankings in due time.'
Here are some other odds and ends I've observed so far ...'
- Southeast Missouri State looks like a potential frontrunner in the Ohio Valley Conference.
- Until the clock hits quadruple zero, don't ever think Fordham is out of a game.
- New Morgan State coach Damon Wilson is building something special in Baltimore.
- Southern Illinois' 31-24 upset over Northwestern should be getting more attention.'
- Monmouth may have the next Warrick Dunn in sophomore tailback Jaden Shirden.
Here's how the entire FCS Power Rankings looks entering Week 4:'
Biggest Riser: North Carolina Central -- No. 19 (Last Week: 25)
New this Week: Elon, Mercer
Dropped Out: UT Martin, Youngstown State
Just Missed the Cut: North Dakota (2-1), Dartmouth (1-0)
| Team | Rank | Record | Breakdown |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Montana | 3-0 | Montana still looks like the Montana we saw last season. The Grizzlies are a great football team, and they hold the top spot this week. | |
| 2. North Dakota State | 2-1 | Is it weird to be shocked that North Dakota State didn't beat Arizona last week? The Bison were favored in that game after all. | |
| 3. Missouri State | 2-1 | Bobby Petrino's Bears nearly pulled off the shocker last weekend at Arkansas. The goal now is to not let last week's loss become this week's loss. | |
| 4. South Dakota State | 2-1 | You can definitely make the case that the Jackrabbits should be entering this game against Missouri State undefeated, but they are nevertheless riding a two-game winning streak. This will be a fantastic game. | |
| 5. Delaware | 3-0 | The Blue Hens look like the most complete team in the Colonial Athletic Association. A blg-play offense combined with a stifling defense equals what we've seen so far from them. | |
| 6. Holy Cross | 3-0 | The Crusaders took care of business last weekend vs. Yale and now turn their attention to Colgate as Patriot League play starts. | |
| 7. Sacramento State | 2-0 | It's hard to beat a team that is fundamentally sound and doesn't beat itself. That aptly describes Sacramento State. | |
| 8. Jackson State | 3-0 | I don't think many understand how dominant Jackson State looks. The offensive line, along with the run game, makes it the team to beat in the SWAC. | |
| 9. Incarnate Word | 3-0 | UIW gets to Southland Conference play with an unblemished record, and we should be ready for fireworks between the Cardinals and Southeastern Louisiana this weekend. | |
| 10. Chattanooga | 3-0 | This might be the most balanced Mocs team in quite some time. A game vs. Illinois on Thursday is a huge opportunity to see how far they've come. | |
| 11. Weber State | 3-0 | Armed with a two-headed monster in the backfield with Josh Davis and Damon Bankston, the Wildcats are running into Big Sky play next weekend with a full head of steam. | |
| 12. William & Mary | 3-0 | The Tribe are hitting the trifecta so far, playing excellent offense, defense and special teams. | |
| 13. Montana State | 2-1 | Montana State held court for the first quarter against Oregon State, but couldn't sustain it over the course of the ball game. | |
| 14. Villanova | 2-1 | The Wildcats are looking to rebound after taking their lumps up at West Point against Army last weekend. | |
| 15. Eastern Kentucky | 2-1 | Something's gotta give this weekend as EKU's high-flying offense meets up with the stingy Austin Peay defense. | |
| 16. Richmond | 2-1 | The Spiders have won two straight games since dropping their opener vs. Virginia. Now, they prepare for conference play this weekend as they host Stony Brook. | |
| 17. Fordham | 3-0 | Coach Joe Conlin has brought the boogie back to the Bronx with an offense that never leaves the Rams out of a game. | |
| 18. Austin Peay | 3-1 | What legislation have the Governors passed at Austin Peay that has caused their defense to only surrender three points in three FCS games? | |
| 19. North Carolina Central | 3-0 | What an impressive upset last week against New Hampshire. Coach Trei Oliver's team put the rest of the FCS and MEAC on notice. | |
| 20. Samford | 2-1 | While they tend to find a way to win, the Bulldogs still have yet to play a complete ball game. | |
| 21. Rhode Island | 2-1 | It was a rough day at the office for the Rams as they ran into a blue and yellow buzzsaw vs. Delaware last week. This week they face the Pitt Panthers, which also wear blue and yellow. They will be sick of those colors after next week. | |
| 22. Mercer | 2-1 | The Bears did a masterful job defending The Citadel's option attack in a 17-0 shutout. | |
| 23. Furman | 2-1 | The Paladins' defense has been strong. I loved the job they did last weekend against ETSU's Jacob Saylors, holding him to only 54 yards on the ground. | |
| 24. New Hampshire | 2-1 | UNH was dominated from start to finish last week against North Carolina Central. It'll have to regroup quickly as it faces a sneaky talented Towson team this weekend. | |
| 25. Elon | 2-1 | This Phoenix offense led by QB Matthew McKay can put the ball in the end zone against anyone. It'll continue to be a problem once it jumps into conference play. |
