/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/2260989/20121027_mjm_ad7_027.0.jpg)
There's a new No. 1 in the Sports Network FCS Top 25 Poll with the North Dakota State Bison edging the Georgia Southern Eagles by just 23 points. North Dakota State, the defending FCS champions, defeated Southern Illinois, 23-17, while Georgia Southern defeated Chattanooga, 39-31, in triple overtime. Georgia Southern actually received 76 first-place votes, 17 more than North Dakota.
Eastern Washington, the former No. 1 team, lost to Southern Utah, 30-27, to fall to 6-2 and the No. 7 spot. North Dakota State, Georgia Southern and No. 3 Montana State (up one spot) are all 7-1. Sam Houston State (6-2) and Old Dominion (7-1) round out the top five.
No. 8 Lehigh (8-0) is the lone remaining undefeated FCS team.
The Big Sky Conference had four teams ranked this week: No. 3 Montana State, No. 7 Eastern Washington, No. 12 Northern Arizona (7-1, two first-place votes) and No. 16 Cal Poly (7-1). Cal Poly lost its first game of the season on Saturday to Sacramento State, 35-29.
Here is the latest top 25 poll:
Rank | Team (First-place votes) | 2012 Record | Points | Prev. |
1. | North Dakota State Bison (59) | 7-1 | 3951 | 3 |
2. | Georgia Southern Eagles (76) | 7-1 | 3928 | 2 |
3. | Montana State Bobcats (9) | 7-1 | 3714 | 4 |
4. | Sam Houston State Bearkats (9) | 6-2 | 3365 | 5 |
5. | Old Dominion Monarchs (2) | 7-1 | 3344 | 6 |
6. | Wofford Terriers | 7-1 | 3210 | 7 |
7. | Eastern Washington Eagles | 6-2 | 3112 | 1 |
8. | Lehigh Mountain Hawks (4) | 8-0 | 2940 | 8 |
9. | Stony Brook Seawolves (4) | 8-1 | 2775 | 10 |
10. | James Madison Dukes | 6-2 | 2741 | 9 |
11. | New Hampshire Wildcats | 7-2 | 2529 | 12 |
12. | Northern Arizona Lumberjacks (2) | 7-1 | 2356 | 13 |
13. | Central Arkansas Bears | 7-2 | 1962 | 14 |
14. | Indiana State Sycamores | 7-2 | 1863 | 15 |
15. | Appalachian State Mountaineers | 6-3 | 1679 | 16 |
16. | Cal Poly Mustangs | 7-1 | 1626 | 11 |
17. | Illinois State Redbirds | 7-2 | 1546 | 17 |
18. | Tennessee State Tigers | 8-1 | 1098 | 21 |
19. | Towson Tigers | 4-4 | 843 | 23 |
20. | Albany Great Danes | 7-1 | 834 | 24 |
21. | South Dakota State Jackrabbits | 6-2 | 734 | NR |
22. | Richmond Spiders | 5-3 | 579 | 25 |
23. | Delaware Blue Hens | 5-3 | 453 | 20 |
23. | Villanova Wildcats | 6-3 | 453 | 19 |
25. | Eastern Kentucky Colonels | 6-3 | 376 | 18 |