FARGO, N.D. - North Dakota State ended a season-long run as the nation's No. 1 team in the Football Championship Subdivision according to the final polls issued Monday, Jan. 6, by The Sports Network and the FCS coaches.
North Dakota State also turned up with 17 points in the final Associated Press Top 25 poll on Tuesday, Jan. 7, and was the only FCS team mentioned. Â The Bison were the fourth-highest vote-getters among 14 teams receiving votes outside the Top 25.
In the final Sagarin computer ratings, NDSU checked in at No. 17 out of 252 teams. Â It was the highest finish for the Bison, who were 35th last year and 37th in 2011. Â The Bison were three spots away from the highest FCS rating ever set in 1996 when Marshall was 14th after a 15-0 national championship season.
North Dakota State (15-0) beat Towson 35-7 in the NCAA Division I championship game and became just the second FCS team to win three straight FCS titles. Â It was NDSU's 11th national championship in school history. Â The Bison have won an FCS- and school-record 24 games.
The Sports Network FCS Top 25
|
Team (First-place votes) |
Record |
Points |
Previous |
|
1. North Dakota State (142) |
15-0 |
3,550 |
1 |
|
2. Towson |
13-3 |
3,401 |
5 |
|
3. Eastern Washington |
12-3 |
3,233 |
3 |
|
4. Eastern Illinois |
12-2 |
3,015 |
2 |
|
5. New Hampshire |
10-5 |
2,880 |
15 |
|
6. Southeastern Louisiana |
11-3 |
2,716 |
7 |
|
7. Coastal Carolina |
12-3 |
2,707 |
11 |
|
8. Montana |
10-3 |
2,386 |
4 |
|
9. Fordham |
12-2 |
2,167 |
9 |
|
10. Jacksonville State |
11-4 |
2,135 |
20 |
|
11. McNeese State |
10-3 |
2,067 |
6 |
|
12. Maine |
10-3 |
1,962 |
10 |
|
13. South Dakota State |
9-5 |
1,921 |
13 |
|
14. Sam Houston State |
9-5 |
1,879 |
14 |
|
15. Northern Arizona |
9-3 |
1,672 |
8 |
|
16. Bethune-Cookman |
10-3 |
1,310 |
12 |
|
17. Tennessee State |
10-4 |
1,277 |
19 |
|
18. Youngstown State |
8-4 |
787 |
17 |
|
19. Samford |
8-5 |
783 |
18 |
|
20. Montana State |
7-5 |
758 |
16 |
|
21. Southern Utah |
8-5 |
591 |
22 |
|
22. Furman |
8-6 |
540 |
NR |
|
23. Chattanooga |
8-4 |
413 |
21 |
|
24. Charleston Southern |
10-3 |
353 |
23 |
|
25. South Carolina State |
9-4 |
347 |
25 |
Others receiving votes: Harvard 207, Lehigh 194, Sacred Heart 154, Liberty 96, Northern Iowa 89, William & Mary 72, Princeton 71, Delaware 53, Wofford 45, Central Arkansas 44, Villanova 40, Southern Illinois 39, Butler 35, Jackson State 31, Georgia Southern 26, Lafayette 26, James Madison 19, Richmond 12, Alcorn State 9, Gardner-Webb 9, Southern 8, Eastern Kentucky 8, The Citadel 5, Illinois State 3, Cal Poly 3, UT Martin 2.
FCS Coaches Top 25
|
Team (First-place votes) |
Record |
Points |
Previous |
|
1. North Dakota State (20) |
15-0 |
500 |
1 |
|
2. Towson |
13-3 |
478 |
4 |
|
3. Eastern Washington |
12-3 |
453 |
3 |
|
4. Eastern Illinois |
12-2 |
417 |
2 |
|
5. New Hampshire |
10-5 |
409 |
15 |
|
6. Southeastern Louisiana |
11-3 |
369 |
7 |
|
7. Coastal Carolina |
12-3 |
361 |
11 |
|
8. Montana |
10-3 |
309 |
5 |
|
9. McNeese State |
10-3 |
307 |
6 |
|
10. Fordham |
12-2 |
299 |
10 |
|
11. Maine |
10-3 |
297 |
8 |
|
12. Jacksonville State |
12-2 |
266 |
21 |
|
13. Sam Houston State |
9-5 |
258 |
14 |
|
14. South Dakota State |
9-5 |
252 |
13 |
|
15. Northern Arizona |
9-3 |
238 |
9 |
|
16. Bethune-Cookman |
10-3 |
183 |
12 |
|
17. Tennessee State |
10-4 |
181 |
17 |
|
18. Samford |
8-5 |
135 |
16 |
|
19. Youngstown State |
8-4 |
117 |
19 |
|
20. Montana State |
7-5 |
99 |
18 |
|
21. Furman |
8-6 |
82 |
NR |
|
22. Charleston Southern |
10-3 |
80 |
20 |
|
23. Harvard |
9-1 |
63 |
22 |
|
24. Southern Utah |
8-5 |
58 |
25 |
|
25. Chattanooga |
8-4 |
56 |
23 |
Others receiving votes:Â South Carolina State 51, Lehigh 31, Princeton 29, Sacred Heart 26, Northern Iowa 19, Central Arkansas 14, Butler 11, Southern Illinois 8, Liberty 7, Villanova 7, Cal Poly 6, Lafayette 6, William & Mary 3, Alcorn State 3, Illinois State 1.
