GRAND FORKS, N.D. – Following the bye week, North Dakota slipped one spot to No. 15 in the Stats Perform Poll and moved up one spot to No. 14 in the AFCA Coaches' Top 25 Poll.
The MVFC still has seven teams represented in the Stats Perform Poll. North Dakota State (No. 1) and South Dakota State (No. 2) continue to hold the top two spots, trailed by Illinois State (No. 6) and Southern Illinois (No. 10). North Dakota (No. 15), South Dakota (No. 21) and Youngstown State (No. 24) round out the poll for the conference.
In the AFCA Coaches' Top 25, the league has six teams ranked. The Bison (No. 1), Jackrabbits (No. 2) and Redbirds (No. 6) all remain in the top six. The Salukis are just outside the top-10 at No. 11, followed by the Fighting Hawks at No. 14. The Penguins (No. 18) are the final team from the MVFC in the poll.
No. 15/14 North Dakota will visit Northern Iowa at 4 p.m. this Saturday. The game will air on ESPN+ and will be carried on the Fighting Hawks Radio Network.
STATS PERFORM FCS TOP 25 (Sept. 29)
1. North Dakota State (4-0), 1,395 points (51 of 56 first-place votes)
2. South Dakota State (4-0), 1,342 (4)
3. Tarleton State (5-0), 1,271 (1)
4. Montana (4-0), 1,217
5. Montana State (3-2), 1,203
6. Illinois State (3-1), 982
7. UC Davis (3-1), 979
8. Rhode Island (4-1), 974
9. Lehigh (5-0), 915
10. Southern Illinois (3-1), 874
11. Tennessee Tech (4-0), 826
12. Idaho (2-3), 765
13. Northern Arizona (4-1), 708
14. Monmouth (3-1), 680
15. North Dakota (2-2), 668
16. West Georgia (5-0), 566
17. Jackson State (3-1), 422
18. Villanova (2-2), 336
19. Abilene Christian (2-3), 298
20. Lamar (3-1), 285
21. South Dakota (2-3), 245
22. Austin Peay (3-2), 241
23. Presbyterian (5-0), 208
24. Youngstown State (3-1), 190
25. Harvard (2-0), 163
Others Receiving Votes: Mercer, 126; Incarnate Word, 121; Stephen F. Austin, 48; Sacramento State, 31; Richmond, 29; Dartmouth, 25; Gardner-Webb, 20; New Hampshire, 13; Yale 10; North Carolina Central, 7.
AFCA FCS Coaches TOP 25 (Sept. 29)
1. North Dakota State (25)
2. South Dakota State (1)
3. Tarleton State
4. Montana
5. Montana State
6. Illinois State
7. UC Davis
8. Lehigh
9. Tennessee Tech
10. Rhode Island
11. Southern Illinois
12. Monmouth
13. Northern Arizona
14. North Dakota
15. Idaho
16. West Georgia
17. Jackson State
18. Youngstown State
19. Villanova
20. Incarnate Word
21. Austin Peay
22. Mercer
23. Abilene Christian
24. Presbyterian
25. Lamar
Others Receiving Votes: South Dakota, 48; Southeastern Louisiana, 33; Harvard, 28; Furman, 27; Dartmouth, 20; Sacramento State, 17; Alabama State, 11; Gardner-Webb, 11; Stephen F. Austin, 11; Yale, 8; North Carolina Central, 6; Richmond, 6; Stony Brook, 6; Western Carolina, 4; Cal Poly, 3; New Hampshire, 3; San Diego, 2; East Tennessee Tech State, 1.
