POCATELLO, Idaho – For the first time since 2018, the Bengals are ranked nationally in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll, coming in at No. 23 with 184 points.
The Bengals, who previously were receiving votes, broke through into the top-25 with a 38-10 win over the VMI Keydets this past Saturday in Pocatello.
Defending FCS champion Montana State remains a unanimous No. 1 following a 54-0 thrashing of Utah Tech. South Dakota State jumps Montana into the No. 2 spot, while FCS newcomer West Florida also is a newcomer to the rankings at No. 25.
The Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll is released each Monday during the regular season and one day after the FCS championship game (scheduled for Jan. 11 in Nashville, Tennessee). A first-place vote is worth 25 points, a second-place vote 24 points, all the way down to one point for a 25th-place vote.
FCS Stats Article HERE
Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll (Aug. 31)
1. Montana State (1-0, 1-0 Big Sky)
Points: 1,425; Previous Ranking: 1; Week 0: 54-0 win at Utah Tech; Week 1: Sept. 5 vs. Butler (8:30 p.m., ESPN+)
2. South Dakota State (1-0)
Points: 1,333; Previous Ranking: 3; Week 0: 70-7 win over Stetson; Week 1: Sept. 5 at Northwestern (8 p.m., Big Ten Network)
3. Montana (1-0, 1-0 Big Sky)
Points: 1,303; Previous Ranking: 2; Week 0: 28-21 win over Southern Utah; Week 1: Sept. 5 vs. Drake (3 p.m., ESPN+/MTN)
4. Illinois State (1-0)
Points: 1,228; Previous Ranking: 4; Week 0: 76-0 win over St. Francis (IL); Week 1: Sept. 5 at Western Illinois (7 p.m., ESPN+)
5. Tarleton State (1-0)
Points: 1,163; Previous Ranking: 5; Week 0: 49-30 win over Prairie View A&M; Week 1: Sept. 5 at Bowling Green (noon, ESPN+)
6. Rhode Island (1-0)
Points: 1,070; Previous Ranking: 7; Week 0: 34-7 win over Merrimack; Week 1: Sept. 5 at Temple (2 p.m., ESPN+)
7. UC Davis (1-0, 1-0 Big Sky)
Points: 1,006; Previous Ranking: 6; Week 0: 31-24 win at Portland State; Week 1: Sept. 5 at San Diego (10 p.m., ESPN+)
8. North Dakota (1-0)
Points: 1,004; Previous Ranking: 10; Week 0: 42-21 win over LIU; Week 1: Sept. 5 vs. St. Thomas (4 p.m., Midco/ESPN+)
9. Youngstown State (1-0)
Points: 981; Previous Ranking: 9; Week 0: 43-10 win over Mercyhurst; Week 1: Sept. 5 at Kentucky (1 p.m., SECN+)
10. Lehigh (1-0, 1-0 Patriot)
Points: 927; Previous Ranking: 11; Week 0: 35-10 win at Holy Cross; Week 1: Sept. 5 at Georgetown (12:30 p.m., ESPN+)
11. South Dakota (1-0)
Points: 860; Previous Ranking: 12; Week 0: 59-20 win over Central Connecticut State; Week 1: Sept. 5 at Northern Colorado (8 p.m., ESPN+)
12. Tennessee Tech (1-0)
Points: 810; Previous Ranking: 14; Week 0: 38-14 win over then-No. 22 Monmouth; Week 1: Sept. 5 at Chattanooga (6 p.m., Nexstar/ESPN+)
13. Stephen F. Austin (1-0, 1-0 Southland)
Points: 806; Previous Ranking: 13; Week 0: 38-27 win at McNeese; Week 1: Sept. 5 vs. East Texas A&M (8 p.m., ESPN+)
14. Lamar (1-0)
Points: 626; Previous Ranking: 20; Week 0: 21-14 win over then-No. 15 Abilene Christian; Week 1: Sept. 5 at Louisiana (8 p.m., ESPN+)
15. Austin Peay (1-0)
Points: 574; Previous Ranking: 17; Week 0: 35-17 win over Gardner-Webb; Week 1: Sept. 5 at Vanderbilt (7 p.m., SECN+)
16. Yale (0-0)
Points: 415; Previous Ranking: 18; Week 0: No game; Week 1: No game
17. William & Mary (1-0, 1-0 Patriot)
Points: 408; Previous Ranking: NR; Week 0: 35-32 win at then-No. 8 Villanova; Week 1: Sept. 5 vs. Delaware State (6 p.m., ESPN+)
18. Villanova (0-1, 0-1 Patriot)
Points: 406; Previous Ranking: 8; Week 0: 35-32 loss to William & Mary; Week 1: Sept. 5 at Bucknell (6 p.m., ESPN+)
19. Mercer (1-0)
Points: 381; Previous Ranking: 21; Week 0: 23-15 win over East Texas A&M; Week 1: Sept. 5 vs. Presbyterian (6 p.m., ESPN+)
20. Abilene Christian (0-1)
Points: 282; Previous Ranking: 15; Week 0: 21-14 loss at then-No. 20 Lamar; Week 1: Sept. 5 at Texas Tech (7 p.m., FS1)
21. South Carolina State (1-0)
Points: 247; Previous Ranking: 24; Week 0: 87-0 win over Savannah State; Week 1: Sept. 6 vs. Florida A&M in Miami Gardens, Florida (3 p.m., ESPN)
22. Northern Arizona (1-0, 1-0 Big Sky)
Points: 217; Previous Ranking: 25; Week 0: 34-27 win over Eastern Washington; Week 1: Sept. 5 at Arizona (9:30 p.m., ESPN+)
23. Idaho State (1-0)
Points: 184; Previous Ranking: NR; Week 0: 38-10 win over VMI; Week 1: Sept. 5 at Utah State (7 p.m., CBSSN)
24. Western Carolina (1-0)
Points: 165; Previous Ranking: NR; Week 0: 45-21 win over Eastern Kentucky; Week 1: Sept. 5 at Campbell (3:30 p.m., FloSports)
25. West Florida (1-0)
Points: 110; Previous Ranking: NR; Week 0: 34-31 win over then-No. 16 Southern Illinois; Week 1: Sept. 5 at Central Arkansas (7 p.m., ESPN+)
Others Receiving Points (schools listed on two or more ballots): Southern Illinois (0-1): 99; Alabama State (1-0): 64; Harvard (0-0): 64; Central Arkansas (1-0): 60; Southern Utah (0-1): 46; UTRGV (1-0): 32; Houston Christian (1-0, 1-0 Southland): 28; Cal Poly (1-0, 1-0 Big Sky): 27; Delaware State (1-0): 24; Jackson State (1-0): 21; Elon (1-0): 19; Southeast Missouri (1-0): 19; Southeastern Louisiana (0-1, 0-1 Southland): 19; Richmond (1-0, 1-0 Patriot): 18; Monmouth (0-1): 16; Chattanooga (1-0): 8; UAlbany (1-0, 1-0 CAA): 6; Prairie View A&M (0-1): 4; UT Martin (0-1): 2
