Massey et al ranks (10/30/22)

UIW leapfrogs us with a blowout of a 51st ranked team. Just looked at their resume. They have an FBS win at Nevada and a then-ranked win of a now abysmal So Illinois team who could finish with a losing record. I am surprised the computer didn't drop Weber more for only beating Montana by 3! Idaho moves up for almost beating Sac State but Montana drops 4 for almost beating Weber. Illogical to me haha!

Atholton Poll following week 9



Top-ranked South Dakota State continues to fend off a strong group at the top of the Power Poll while Princeton claims "Team of the Week" honors.

Princeton's Andrei Iosivas posted his second game of the season with at least 10 receptions and 150 receiving yards in a 35-9 win over Cornell. Sideline Photos, LLC
Princeton's Andrei Iosivas posted his second game of the season with at least 10 receptions and 150 receiving yards in a 35-9 win over Cornell. Sideline Photos, LLC
© Provided by Athlon Sports
Everybody wants to exalt, "We’re No. 1!" But heading into the FCS playoffs, a team will gladly settle for the No. 2 seed because the top two are guaranteed home-field advantage through the semifinals.

South Dakota State (8-1) has built a No. 1 resume with just two games remaining over the final three full weeks of the regular season. Unbeaten Sacramento State would probably grab the second seed if the playoffs began this week, but Montana State, Weber State and North Dakota State are in the picture as well.

November could change it a lot.

Here’s the Athlon FCS Top 25 Power Poll following Week 9 games:

1. South Dakota State Jackrabbits
(8-1, 6-0 Missouri Valley)Previous Ranking: 1

Week 9 Result: 49-7 win over Indiana State

Next Game: at Northern Iowa (Nov. 5)

2. North Dakota State Bison
(6-2, 4-1 Missouri Valley)Previous Ranking: 2

Week 9 Result: 24-7 win over Illinois State

Next Game: at Western Illinois (Nov. 5)

3. Montana State Bobcats
(7-1, 5-0 Big Sky)Previous Ranking: 3

Week 9 Result: No game

Next Game: at Northern Arizona (Nov. 5)

4. Sacramento State Hornets
(8-0, 5-0 Big Sky)Previous Ranking: 4

Week 8 Result: 31-28 win over Idaho

Next Game: at Weber State (Nov. 5)

5. Weber State Wildcats
(7-1, 4-1 Big Sky)Previous Ranking: 5

Week 9 Result: 24-21 win over Montana

Next Game: Sacramento State (Nov. 5)

6. UIW Cardinals
(8-1, 3-1 Southland)Previous Ranking: 6

Week 9 Result: 35-7 win at Texas A&M-Commerce

Next Game: Houston Christian (Nov. 5)

7. Holy Cross Crusaders
(8-0, 4-0 Patriot)Previous Ranking: 8

Week 9 Result: 53-52 OT win over Fordham

Next Game: Lehigh (Nov. 5)

8. William & Mary Tribe
(7-1, 4-1 CAA)Previous Ranking: 9

Week 9 Result: 31-30 win over Rhode Island

Next Game: at Hampton (Nov. 5)

9. Jackson State Tigers
(8-0, 5-0 SWAC)Previous Ranking: 14

Week 9 Result: 35-0 win over Southern

Next Game: at Texas Southern (Nov. 5)

10. Samford Bulldogs
(7-1, 5-0 Southern)Previous Ranking: 15

Week 9 Result: 38-3 win over The Citadel

Next Game: VMI (Nov. 5)

11. Idaho Vandals
(5-3, 4-1 Big Sky)Previous Ranking: 12

Week 9 Result: 31-28 loss at Sacramento State

Next Game: Eastern Washington (Nov. 5)

12. Furman Paladins
(7-2, 5-1 Southern)Previous Ranking: 22

Week 9 Result: 24-20 win over Chattanooga

Next Game: at Mercer (Nov. 12)

13. Chattanooga Mocs
(6-2, 4-1 Southern)Previous Ranking: 7

Week 9 Result: 24-20 loss at Furman

Next Game: at The Citadel (Nov. 5)

14. Mercer Bears
(7-2, 5-1 Southern)Previous Ranking: 16

Week 9 Result: 55-14 win at VMI

Next Game: Furman (Nov. 12)

15. Montana Grizzlies
(5-3, 2-3 Big Sky)Previous Ranking: 13

Week 9 Result: 24-21 loss at Weber State

Next Game: Cal Poly (Nov. 5)

16. North Dakota Fighting Hawks
(5-3, 3-2 Missouri Valley)Previous Ranking: 21

Week 9 Result: 34-31 win over Abilene Christian

Next Game: at Indiana State (Nov. 5)

17. New Hampshire Wildcats
(6-2, 5-0 CAA)Previous Ranking: 18

Week 9 Result: No game

Next Game: at Richmond (Nov. 5)

18. Richmond Spiders
(6-2, 4-1 CAA)Previous Ranking: 19

Week 9 Result: 31-21 win at Maine

Next Game: New Hampshire (Nov. 5)

19. Southeastern Louisiana Lions
(5-3, 2-1 Southland)Previous Ranking: 20

Week 9 Result: 28-27 win at McNeese

Next Game: at Lamar (Nov. 5)

20. Elon Phoenix
(6-3, 4-2 CAA)Previous Ranking: Not Ranked

Week 9 Result: 27-7 win over Delaware

Next Game: UAlbany (Nov. 5)

Team of the Week
21. Princeton Tigers
(7-0, 4-0 Ivy)Previous Ranking: 25 (tie)

Week 9 Result: 35-9 win over Cornell

NFL wide receiver prospect Andrei Iosivas caught 10 passes for 155 yards and two touchdowns, and the Tigers – one of four unbeaten FCS teams – forced five turnovers. They haven’t lost a game in September or October since 2017.

Next Game: Dartmouth (Nov. 5)

22. UC Davis Aggies
(4-4, 3-2 Big Sky)Previous Ranking: Not Ranked

Week 9 Result: 59-17 win over Cal Poly

Next Game: Idaho State (Nov. 5)

23. Delaware Blue Hens
(6-2, 3-2 CAA)Previous Ranking: 10

Week 9 Result: 27-7 loss at Elon

Next Game: Monmouth (Nov. 5)

24. UT Martin Skyhawks
(5-3, 3-0 Ohio Valley)Previous Ranking: Not Ranked

Week 9 Result: 52-28 win at Houston Christian

Next Game: Kennesaw State (Nov. 5)

25 (tie). Eastern Kentucky Colonels
(5-3, 5-1 ASUN-WAC)Previous Ranking: Not Ranked

Week 9 Result: 28-23 win over Southeast Missouri

Next Game: Central Arkansas (Nov. 5)

25 (tie). Southeast Missouri Redhawks
(6-2, 2-1 Ohio Valley)Previous Ranking: 11

Week 9 Result: 28-23 loss to Eastern Kentucky

Next Game: at Tennessee State (Nov. 5)

On the Cusp: Northern Iowa Panthers (5-4, 4-2 Missouri Valley) Fordham Rams (6-2, 2-1 Patriot); Rhode Island Rams (5-3, 3-2 CAA); Southern Illinois Salukis (5-4, 4-2 Missouri Valley)

— Written by Craig Haley, who is part of the Athlon Contributor Network. Haley has covered the FCS level since 1999 and is the national writer for www.TheAnalyst.com. He has a weekly guest segment on “FCS All-In” and appears frequently on radio, TV and podcasts to discuss everything FCS. Follow him on Twitter @craighaley.

Two big games this weekend that could cause some shake-up at the top --

South Dakota St at Northern Iowa

Sacramento St at Weber St

I think we are pulling for our friends in Sacramento in this one. A one-loss Sac St team is probably still seeded above HC, even if we win out. However, a two-loss Weber St team probably moves behind us.

Looking ahead, NDSU at Southern Illinois in two weekends is very interesting. Have to think that if the Bison trip up there, which would be their third loss, they'd no longer receive a seed.

Massey Combined (25 polls)
#4 Holy Cross (8-0)
#30 Harvard (5-2)
#33 Fordham (6-2)
#37 Yale (5-2)
#50 Merrimack (7-2)
#79 Colgate (3-5)
#90 Lafayette (2-6)
#97 Bryant (2-6)
#114 Georgetown (2-6)
#115 Lehigh (1-7)
#117 Bucknell (1-7)

out of 130 ranked FCS teams

FBS
#70 Buffalo (5-3)

Fordham at 15
Surprising, but deserved

STATS PERFORM FCS TOP 25
Through Games OCT. 30, 2022
1 South Dakota State (53) 8-1 1,349 1
2 Sacramento State (1) 8-0 1,281 2
3 Montana State 7-1 1,236 3
4 North Dakota State 6-2 1,196 4
5 Weber State 7-1 1,103 T-5
6 Holy Cross 8-0 1,052 T-5
7 UIW 8-1 1,012 8
8 William & Mary 7-1 949 10
9 Jackson State 8-0 940 9
10 Samford 7-1 855 13
11 Chattanooga 6-2 674 7
12 Mercer 7-2 665 16
13 Furman 7-2 631 24
14 Richmond 6-2 590 17
15 Idaho 5-3 559 14
16 Montana 5-3 537 11
17 New Hampshire 6-2 471 19
18 Delaware 6-2 457 12
19 Elon 6-3 322 NR
20 UT Martin 5-3 308 21
21 North Dakota 5-3 268 23
22 Southeast Missouri State 6-2 248 15
23 Rhode Island 5-3 223 18
24 Fordham 6-2 181 22
25 Princeton 7-0 154 NR
Dropped Out: Southern Illinois (20), Austin Peay (25)

Others Receiving Votes (schools listed on two or more ballots): Eastern Kentucky 87; Southeastern Louisiana 86; Villanova 34; Southern Illinois 28; Northern Iowa 15; UC Davis 13; Austin Peay 6; Saint Francis (PA) 6

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Wondering the same thing myself. Weber St nearly lost to Montana (maybe because Weber won by 3 over the then 11th ranked Griz, and we won by 1 over the then 22nd ranked Rams (in the Stats poll)? Now I just want to run the table and see where things shake out. As annoying as it is to drop a spot (just more outside noise or bulletin board material I guess), I am focused more on Lehigh and then Bryant, then Gtown, and then Sunday, Nov. 20th at 11:30 on the ESPN family of networks (selection show). 

Looks like an anti-Ivy bias in the Coaches' Poll. I saw some of Princeton's game. I am glad we don't have to play them in the postseason. They should probably be ranked higher and our "quality" wins over Harvard, Yale, and Fordham should count for more. It is interesting that we moved up in the Coaches' Poll. They had Fordham at 15, so I suppose they valued our 1 point win more than the STATS poll. 

Bassett has Weber as 4 point favorites 60-70%, Massey has Weber as 1 point favorites in a toss-up. I am not an expert on the Big Sky, but I have watched parts of 3 Sac State games (including all of the game vs. Idaho) and 2 Weber St. games. I'll give Weber the home field edge. They have a balanced attack whereas Sac State is far better at the run than the pass and the QB (although a dual threat) can attempt some dangerous passes. Weber has a good enough run D I think but is 7th in pass defense. I think defense and special teams and the home field gets the Wildcats the win. 

Rankings are great and I'd love to be at the top, but I'd trade even some regular season losses if it meant winning a bunch (all?) of the postseason games.