Coaches Poll

[smallcollegefbfan]

Dukes Jump to No. 1 After Victory Over Mountaineers

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – After overcoming a 21-0 halftime deficit to defeat previous No. 1 Appalachian State 35-32, the James Madison Dukes (3-1) have jumped from the No. 5 spot to No. 1 in the latest FCS Coaches Poll.

The Dukes received 672 points and 11 first-place votes to narrowly edge fellow Colonial Athletic Association foe and No. 2-ranked Richmond. The Spiders (3-1) received 665 total points and 11 first-place votes after defeating Maine 44-17 on Saturday.

Montana was the final team to receive first-place votes. The Grizzlies received 650 total points and six first-place votes after defeating UC Davis 29-24 to run their record to 3-0.

Rounding out the top 10 were Appalachian State (1-2), who fell from No. 1 after its loss to the Dukes, Northern Iowa (2-1), McNeese State (1-1), North Dakota State (2-2), New Hampshire (3-0), Cal Poly (2-1) and Massachusetts (2-2).

Making the biggest moves in the poll were a pair of Southern Conference schools. Current No. 17 Furman (3-1) defeated then-No. 6 Delaware (1-2) Saturday 23-21. The Paladins moved up six spots from No. 23. No. 22 Georgia Southern (2-2) lost on a last second field goal to current No. 14 Elon (3-1) Saturday and subsequently fell eight spots from No. 14.

Entering the poll for the first time this season is No. 25 Tennessee State. The Tigers are 4-0 after they defeated Eastern Kentucky 34-20 on Saturday.

There are now four teams ranked in the top 25 that are undefeated. These teams are No. 3 Montana, No. 8 New Hampshire, No. 15 Central Arkansas (4-0) and No. 25 Tennessee State.

The CAA, SoCon and Missouri Valley Football Conference still dominate the polls with six teams each although there was quite a bit of change in the positions of the teams. The CAA still boasts four in the top 10, including No. 1 and No. 2.

The FCS Coaches Poll is based exclusively on a voting panel of head coaches in the FCS under the cooperation of the Collegiate Commissioners Association (CCA) and the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) and is administered by the Southern Conference. Two head coaches from each of the 14 FCS conferences participate in the voting.

Team (1st Votes) Record Points Previous Ranking
1. James Madison (11) 3-1 672 5
2. Richmond (11) 3-1 665 3
3. Montana (6) 3-0 650 4
4. Appalachian State 1-2 585 1
5. Northern Iowa 2-1 575 7
6. McNeese State 1-1 504 8
7. North Dakota State 2-2 490 2
8. New Hampshire 3-0 471 10
9. Cal Poly 2-1 437 11
10. Massachusetts 2-2 374 9
11. Wofford 2-1 364 12
12. Delaware 1-2 348 6
13. Southern Illinois 1-1 343 T14
14. Elon 3-1 332 18
15. Central Arkansas 4-0 313 16
16. Eastern Washington 1-2 308 17
17. Furman 3-1 242 23
18. South Dakota State 2-2 215 13
19. Villanova 2-1 202 19
20. Eastern Illinois 2-2 183 20
21. Western Illinois 2-2 136 21
22. Georgia Southern 2-2 131 T14
23. Youngstown State 2-2 113 24
24. The Citadel 2-1 111 22
25. Tennessee State 4-0 78 NR

Other receiving votes (pts. in parentheses): Liberty (63), Jacksonville State (32), Northern Arizona (31), Harvard (19), Hampton (14), Prairie View A&M (14), Montana State (10), Delaware State (8), Weber State (7), Sam Houston State (7), William & Mary (6), North Dakota (4), San Diego (3), Yale (3), Holy Cross (1), UT Martin (1), South Carolina State (1), Texas State (1), Lafayette (1), Florida A&M (1).

[mcveyrl]

Cue danefan

(although it is ridiculous that Albany gets No votes...)

[danefan]

I quit.

[GSUhooligan]

UMASS still in the top 10?

[montanafan]

I quit.

Don't quit. Albany needs a fan like you to help get the word out. Not sure when anyone will hear you but we still need fans like you.

[Syntax Error]

PFL and NEC are banned by coaches. xnonox

[UNHWildCats]

Yale wins easily and loses a vote?

[smallcollegefbfan]

I quit.

These polls mean NOTHING anyway at this point. If Albany continues to play well and wins the next 2-3 weeks I'm sure they will have points. It is very early and as we all know, the only week that matter are the final regular season poll and post championship game polls. The only reason I say the final regular season poll matters is because it is used in determining the playoff field.

[danefan]

PFL and NEC are banned by coaches. xnonox

I can't tell if you are being serious or just pointing out that the poll is flawed?

[appfan2008]

It aint even right to consider these polls when they are so ridicules...

[Khan4Cats]

I can't tell if you are being serious or just pointing out that the poll is flawed?

I think he is referring to them as being blacklisted. Not sure its true, but they don't get a lot of respect in this poll.

Nice to see Tennessee State crack the top-25, they are the only team left that can still get to 12 D-I wins in FCS. I know, I know, Ohio Valley, but still...

[DetroitFlyer]

PFL and NEC are banned by coaches. xnonox

Well, USD picked up at least a few votes.... As I recall, my Flyers were getting votes up until this week as well.... I guess we have to lose a game or two to get back in the rankings.... 3-0 just will not do it anymore....

No love for the Rams either....

Let's just say, I'm not impressed....

[DetroitFlyer]

These polls mean NOTHING anyway at this point. If Albany continues to play well and wins the next 2-3 weeks I'm sure they will have points. It is very early and as we all know, the only week that matter are the final regular season poll and post championship game polls. The only reason I say the final regular season poll matters is because it is used in determining the playoff field.

Well, not entirely true.... This points out the COMPLETE, 100% BS of the so called earned access criteria to get to the playoffs.... If Albany were to be rated say 25 right now, AND they continued to win, it would be very difficult if not impossible to put them in the top 16 by the end of the season.... Now, if you do not even give them a vote now, even if they keep winning, it will be VERY easy to keep them out of the top 16.... Maybe they can climb to the high teens low 20's by winning the NEC, but even if they beat Delaware, they are still kept out of the playoffs....

No concern at all voting for Harvard or Yale. Heck, they could be #1 and it would not matter.... It will be a cold day in you know where before a NEC team is ranked in the top 16 in 2008 or 2009. 2010.... Maybe....

Just call it the San Diego factor. It is just too hard to explain how the team ranked #13 is not invited to the playoffs.... (See 2006).xmadx

[danefan]

Well, not entirely true.... This points out the COMPLETE, 100% BS of the so called earned access criteria to get to the playoffs.... If Albany were to be rated say 25 right now, AND they continued to win, it would be very difficult if not impossible to put them in the top 16 by the end of the season.... Now, if you do not even give them a vote now, even if they keep winning, it will be VERY easy to keep them out of the top 16.... Maybe they can climb to the high teens low 20's by winning the NEC, but even if they beat Delaware, they are still kept out of the playoffs....



Thank you DF, exactly my point. Every poll matters, unfortunately. Thank god we don't have to do this after next year. Too bad Patty V and the PFL presidents can't get it together.

[bostonspider]

I am sorry, but Albany is 1-2 versus all FCS opponents. That is not going to get you ranked, even if those opponents are pretty good. Maybe if Albany had gone 1-1 verus UMass and UNH and then lost to Syracuse or another Northeast FBS team I would be more understanding. Look at UMass, they are 1-2 with the loss coming to TxTech and #1/#2 JMU with a victory over Albany and in one poll they are ranked only #18. So how would Albany be ranked?? Now Dayton I think has a bit more of an argument. 3-0 with a win over the defending PL champ. One would think they might get a few votes for that.

[danefan]

I am sorry, but Albany is 1-2 versus all FCS opponents. That is not going to get you ranked, even if those opponents are pretty good. Maybe if Albany had gone 1-1 verus UMass and UNH and then lost to Syracuse or another Northeast FBS team I would be more understanding. Look at UMass, they are 1-2 with the loss coming to TxTech and #1/#2 JMU with a victory over Albany and in one poll they are ranked only #18. So how would Albany be ranked?? Now Dayton I think has a bit more of an argument. 3-0 with a win over the defending PL champ. One would think they might get a few votes for that.

Polls should have the 25 best teams in the country. EWU is a prime example. 1-2 with a close win over a DII team. I have them ranked high, because they are one of the best teams in the country.

Albany (IMO) is one of the best 25 teams in the country. Because of that, IMO they should be ranked in the top 25.

If you disagree that they are one of the top 25 teams in the country then fine. Don't rank them. But I think keeping them out because of their record is an incorrect way to rank teams. xpeacex

[dgreco]

I quit.

ridiculous. I agree. Except they did fall out of my top 25.

[hippy@GSU]

Dukes Jump to No. 1 After Victory Over Mountaineers

22. Georgia Southern 2-2 131 T14


I figured that. Well, we better put up a strong showing against Wofford and win (do or die).

[UNI Pike]

I think he is referring to them as being blacklisted. Not sure its true, but they don't get a lot of respect in this poll.

Nice to see Tennessee State crack the top-25, they are the only team left that can still get to 12 D-I wins in FCS. I know, I know, Ohio Valley, but still...

I said it here (http://www.anygivensaturday.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1116799&posted=1#post1116799), but no OVC team should be rated higher than 15 until the conference wins a playoff game again.

[youwouldno]

Polls should have the 25 best teams in the country. EWU is a prime example. 1-2 with a close win over a DII team. I have them ranked high, because they are one of the best teams in the country.

Albany (IMO) is one of the best 25 teams in the country. Because of that, IMO they should be ranked in the top 25.

If you disagree that they are one of the top 25 teams in the country then fine. Don't rank them. But I think keeping them out because of their record is an incorrect way to rank teams. xpeacex

I agree with your idea of how teams should be ranked (though not necessarily that Albany should be ranked even under that scheme), but it's just not how its generally done. Wins move teams up, losses move them down. Starting poll position is especially important early in the year.

The problem with the poll is intrinsic, not specific to Albany or NEC teams.

[YaleFootballFan]

Yale wins easily and loses a vote?

Yeah and Harvard loses 21 votes after beating a pretty good Holy Cross team. xconfusedx

[Syntax Error]

Ivies did good this week, pollsters should recognize that

[SuperJon]

I'm thinking if we can beat Youngstown this week, we'll move up to the 21-22 spot. Right now I fully believe we're deserving of the 23-25 range. We proved some stuff last year, return the parts this year, and haven't screwed up. I don't think we've done anything to garner any type of respect past that 23-25 range. If we can win the next two weekends, I think we will move up into the top 20.