Mocs Ranked 13th in AFCA Coaches Poll

(AFCA release) WACO, TEX.– North Dakota State will begin the 2022 football season in familiar territory, at No. 1 in the AFCA FCS Coaches’ Top 25 Poll. The Bison won their ninth FCS national championship in January and earned 24 first-place votes. North Dakota State begins defense of their title on September 3 vs. Drake. A quarterfinalist from last season, Montana comes in the second spot followed by South Dakota State at No. 3, who earned the final first-place vote. The runner-up from a year ago, Montana State, starts at No. 4 with Villanova rounding out the Top 5.

There is only one Top 25 matchup in the first full weekend of games as No. 9 Southern Illinois travels to No. 14 UIW on September 3. The Salukis and Cardinals both reached the second round of the playoffs in 2021. Two preseason Top 25 teams begin their season a week earlier than everybody else. No. 10 Stephen F. Austin hosts Jacksonville State and No. 23 Mercer hosts Morehead State on August 27.

American Football Coaches Association FCS Coaches’ Top 25 Poll – August 15, 2022

                                                              2021                 2021

Rank  School (1st votes)                Rec.     Pts.  *Rank      Season Opener                                                                              Head Coach

1. North Dakota St. (24)             14-1     624           1      Sept. 3 vs. Drake                                                                                    Matt Entz
2. Montana                                   10-3     567           6      Sept. 3 vs. Northwestern St.                                                         Bobby Hauck
3. South Dakota St. (1)               11-4     566           5      Sept. 3 at Iowa                                                                       John Stiegelmeier
4. Montana St.                             12-3     560           2      Sept. 3 vs. McNeese St.                                                                   Brent Vigen
5. Villanova                                  10-3     493           8      Sept. 2 vs. Lehigh                                                                         Mark Ferrante
6. Kennesaw St.                          11-2     453         10      Sept. 1 at Samford                                                                   Brian Bohannon
7. Sacramento St.                         9-3     452         11      Sept. 3 vs. Utah Tech                                                                        Troy Taylor
8. Missouri St.                                8-4     405         14      Sept. 1 at Central Arkansas                                                        Bobby Petrino
9. Southern Illinois                        8-5     379         17      Sept. 3 at No. 14 UIW                                                                             Nick Hill
10. Stephen F. Austin                     8-4     362         18      Aug. 27 vs. Jacksonville St.                                                         Colby Carthel
11. East Tennessee St.                11-2     352           7      Sept. 1 vs. Mars Hill                                                                  George Quarles
12. Eastern Washington              10-3     337           9      Sept. 3 vs. Tennessee St.                                                                 Aaron Best
13. Chattanooga                              6-5     294        NR      Sept. 3 vs. Wofford                                                                          Rusty Wright
14. UIW                                           10-3     277         13      Sept. 3 vs. No. 9 Southern Illinois                                                     G.J. Kinne
15. UT Martin                                 10-3     257         12      Sept. 1 vs. Western Illinois                                                       Jason Simpson
16. Southeastern Louisiana          9-4     254         15      Sept. 3 at Louisiana                                                                        Frank Scelfo
17. Jackson St.                              11-2     245         19      Sept. 4 vs. Florida A&M                                                              Deion Sanders
18. Holy Cross                               10-3     184         22      Sept. 2 at Merrimack                                                                     Bob Chesney
19. Delaware                                    5-6     172        NR      Sept. 3 at Navy                                                                                    Ryan Carty
20. Weber St.                                    6-5     141        NR      Sept. 1 vs. Western Oregon                                                                    Jay Hill
21. Northern Iowa                            6-6     119         25      Sept. 3 at Air Force                                                                           Mark Farley
22. UC Davis                                    8-4     101         16      Sept. 3 at California                                                                       Dan Hawkins
23. Mercer                                         7-3        78        NR      Aug. 27 vs. Morehead St.                                                               Drew Cronic

24t.    Rhode Island                             7-4        66        NR      Sept. 1 at Stony Brook                                                                    Jim Fleming

24t.    Richmond                                   6-5        66        NR      Sept. 3 at Virginia                                                                       Russ Huesman

*– Ranking in final AFCA FCS Coaches Spring Poll of 2021

Others Receiving Votes: South Dakota, 49; Florida A&M, 44; Harvard, 38; South Carolina St., 38; Princeton, 29; Central Arkansas, 23; Eastern Kentucky, 18; Dartmouth, 17; Nicholls, 8; Furman, 6; North Carolina A&T, 6; William & Mary, 6; Murray St., 5; Davidson, 3; Fordham, 3; Southeast Missouri St., 3; North Dakota, 2; Utah Tech, 2; Austin Peay, 1; Elon, 1.