SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO.com) — For just the third time in league history, and the first time since 2015, four MVFC teams represent the league in the Top 6 of the national polls.
League newcomer North Dakota headlines the list at No. 2, while five MVFC teams this week are in the Top 10 of the Stats Perform poll for the second-straight week, matching a league record (achieved three times prior to this season).
The MVFC also holds five of the Top 7 spots in the Massey Ratings, while the Big Sky (3) and CAA (2) comprise the rest of the Top 10.
Among conferences, the MVFC is the top-rated league in the FCS (Sagarin), and four MVFC schools are in the Top 8, which includes positions 1-4-6-8.
Massey Ratings, Team Leaders
1. North Dakota (MVFC)
2. North Dakota State (MVFC)
3. Weber State (Big Sky)
4. South Dakota State (MVFC)
5. Southern Illinois (MVFC)
6. James Madison (CAA)
7. UNI (MVFC)
8. UC Davis (Big Sky)
9. Eastern Washington (Big Sky)
10. Delaware (CAA)
Sagarin Rankings, Team Leaders (FCS)
1. North Dakota State
2. Weber State (Big Sky)
3. Sam Houston State (Southland)
4. South Dakota State
5. Montana (Big Sky)
6. UNI
7. James Madison (CAA)
8. North Dakota
Sagarin Rankings, Conference Leaders (FCS)
1. MISSOURI VALLEY
2. Big Sky
3. CAA Football
4. Southland
STATS PERFORM FCS TOP 25 (MARCH 15)
1. James Madison (3-0, 1-0 CAA), 975 points (28 first-place votes)
Previous Ranking: 1; Week 5 Result: Postponed vs. William & Mary
2. North Dakota (4-0 Missouri Valley), 944 (10)
Previous Ranking: 3; Week 5 Result: 38-21 win at Western Illinois
3. Weber State (2-0 Big Sky), 943 (2)
Previous Ranking: 2; Week 5 Result: 18-13 win over then-No. 23 UC Davis
4. North Dakota State (4-1, 3-1 Missouri Valley), 829
Previous Ranking: 5; Week 5 Result: 21-13 win over then-No. 22 Illinois State
5. Southern Illinois (4-1, 3-1 Missouri Valley), 815
Previous Ranking: T10; Week 5 Result: 17-16 win over then-No. 4 Northern Iowa
6. South Dakota State (3-1 Missouri Valley), 811
Previous Ranking: 8; Week 5 Result: 19-17 win over Youngstown State
7. Sam Houston (2-0 Southland), 743
Previous Ranking: 12; Week 5 Result: 71-17 win over then-No. 7 Nicholls
8. Jacksonville State (6-1, 3-0 Ohio Valley), 716
Previous Ranking: T10; Week 5 Result: 37-20 win at UT Martin
9. Kennesaw State (2-0, 1-0 Big South), 707
Previous Ranking: 9; Week 5 Result: 24-19 win over Charleston Southern
10. Northern Iowa (2-2 Missouri Valley), 639
Previous Ranking: 4; Week 5 Result: 17-16 loss at then-No. 10 at Southern Illinois
11. Chattanooga (2-1, 2-0 Southern), 483
Previous Ranking: 14; Week 5 Result: No game
12. Delaware (2-0 CAA), 464
Previous Ranking: 19; Week 5 Result: 31-3 win over Stony Brook
13. Furman (3-1 Southern), 443
Previous Ranking: 15; Week 5 Result: 17-13 win at ETSU
14. Villanova (1-1 CAA), 438
Previous Ranking: 6; Week 5 Result: 40-37 OT loss to Rhode Island
15. Eastern Washington (2-1 Big Sky), 425
Previous Ranking: 16; Week 5 Result: 46-42 win at Idaho State
16. Southeastern Louisiana (2-1 Southland), 394
Previous Ranking: 18; Week 5 Result: 27-24 win over Northwestern State
17. Nicholls (3-1, 2-1 Southland), 357
Previous Ranking: 7; Week 5 Result: 71-17 loss at then-No. 12 Sam Houston
18. Albany (1-1 CAA), 255
Previous Ranking: 13; Week 5 Result: 38-34 loss at Maine
19. VMI (3-0 Southern), 253
Previous Ranking: Unranked; Week 5 Result: 41-14 win over Mercer
20. New Hampshire (0-1 CAA), 228
Previous Ranking: 17; Week 5 Result: No game
21. UC Davis (1-1 Big Sky), 182
Previous Ranking: 23; Week 5 Result: 18-13 loss at then-No. 2 Weber State
22. UIW (2-0 Southland), 179
Previous Ranking: 25; West 5 Result: No game
23. Richmond (2-0 CAA), 150
Previous Ranking: Unranked; Week 5 Result: 38-14 win at Elon
24. Jackson State (3-0, 2-0 SWAC), 141
Previous Ranking: Unranked; Week 5 Result: 43-7 win over Mississippi Valley State
25. Murray State (3-0 Ohio Valley), 90
Previous Ranking: Unranked; Week 5 Result: 36-31 win at Tennessee Tech
Dropped Out: Wofford (20), South Dakota (21), Illinois State (22), Monmouth (24)
Others Receiving Votes (schools listed on two or more ballots): Monmouth 71, Idaho 60, Rhode Island 58, Gardner-Webb 38, Illinois State 31, Maine 26, South Dakota 20, Austin Peay 16, Tarleton 15, San Diego 14, Wofford 14, ETSU 5
(The Summit League contributed this report/news release.)
