LAKE CHARLES – Despite it's 30-3 loss at then No. 25-ranked BYU, the McNeese Cowboys slipped just one spot in both the STATS media and AFCA coaches top 25 polls which were released on Monday.
McNeese (3-1, 2-0 SLC) remained in the top 10 in the STATS poll, falling to No. 10, while it dropped from 10 to 11 in the coaches poll.
North Dakota State remained number one in both polls, followed by James Madison, South Dakota State, Kennesaw State and Eastern Washington as the top five teams.
The Cowboys are the highest-ranked team from the Southland Conference for the second straight week. In the STATS poll, Central Arkansas moved up to No. 13 while Nicholls jumped three spots to No. 15. Sam Houston State fell 10 spots to No. 21.
Southland Conference teams following the Cowboys in the coaches poll include Central Arkansas (12), Nicholls (15), and Sam Houston State (19).
FCS STATS Poll (September 24)
| Rank |
Team |
Record |
Points |
Previous Rank |
| 1 |
North Dakota State |
3-0 |
3872 (152) |
1 |
| 2 |
James Madison |
3-1 |
3708 (3) |
2 |
| 3 |
South Dakota State |
2-0 |
3516 |
3 |
| 4 |
Kennesaw State |
3-1 |
3261 |
5 |
| 5 |
Eastern Washington |
3-1 |
3187 |
6 |
| 6 |
Weber State |
3-1 |
3027 |
7 |
| 7 |
Wofford |
2-1 |
2836 |
8 |
| 8 |
Jacksonville State |
2-1 |
2471 |
10 |
| 9 |
Illinois State |
3-0 |
2447 |
16 |
| 10 |
McNeese |
3-1 |
2279 |
9 |
| 11 |
Elon |
2-1 |
2249 |
12 |
| 12 |
North Carolina A&T |
3-1 |
2091 |
4 |
| T13 |
Villanova |
3-1 |
1814 |
15 |
| T13 |
Central Arkansas |
2-1 |
1814 |
14 |
| 15 |
Nicholls |
2-2 |
1759 |
18 |
| 16 |
Maine |
2-1 |
1701 |
13 |
| 17 |
Montana |
3-1 |
1321 |
19 |
| 18 |
Stony Brook |
3-1 |
1214 |
20 |
| 19 |
UC Davis |
3-1 |
1154 |
21 |
| 20 |
Chattanooga |
4-0 |
913 |
NR |
| 21 |
Sam Houston State |
1-2 |
861 |
11 |
| 22 |
Rhode Island |
2-1 |
685 |
23 |
| 23 |
Northern Iowa |
1-2 |
413 |
25 |
| 24 |
Colgate |
3-0 |
403 |
NR |
| 25 |
Towson |
2-1 |
284 |
NR |
Others Receiving Votes: Montana State (229), South Dakota (203), Samford(171), Princeton (88), North Dakota (61), Missouri State (56),Western Illinois (49), Harvard (30), Idaho State (28), Sacramento State (26), Tennessee State (25), Northern Arizona (22), Dartmouth (22), Delaware (21), Austin Peay (14), Yale (13), Richmond (7), ETSU (6), Mercer (5), Southeastern Louisiana (5) , Prairie View A&M (4), Sacred Heart (4 ,Western Carolina (3), Howard (2), Eastern Kentucky (1)
AFCA FCS Coaches Poll (September 24)
| Rank |
Team |
Record |
Points |
Previous Rank |
| 1 |
North Dakota State |
3-0 |
650 (26) |
1 |
| 2 |
James Madison |
3-1 |
623 |
2 |
| 3 |
South Dakota State |
2-0 |
596 |
3 |
| 4 |
Kennesaw State |
3-1 |
563 |
5 |
| 5 |
Eastern Washington |
3-1 |
547 |
T6 |
| 6 |
Wofford |
2-1 |
519 |
T6 |
| 7 |
Weber State |
3-1 |
473 |
8 |
| 8 |
Jacksonville State |
2-1 |
454 |
9 |
| 9 |
Elon |
2-1 |
409 |
12 |
| 10 |
Illinois State |
3-0 |
390 |
15 |
| 11 |
McNeese |
3-1 |
376 |
10 |
| 12 |
Central Arkansas |
2-1 |
367 |
13 |
| 13 |
North Carolina A&T |
3-1 |
341 |
4 |
| 14 |
Villanova |
3-1 |
320 |
14 |
| 15 |
Nicholls |
2-2 |
293 |
18 |
| 16 |
Maine |
2-1 |
241 |
16 |
| 17 |
Stony Brook |
3-1 |
233 |
19 |
| 18 |
Montana |
3-1 |
194 |
20 |
| 19 |
Sam Houston State |
1-2 |
155 |
11 |
| 20 |
Rhode Island |
2-1 |
126 |
23 |
| 21 |
Northern Iowa |
1-2 |
125 |
22 |
| 22 |
UC Davis |
3-1 |
120 |
25 |
| 23 |
Colgate |
3-0 |
119 |
24 |
| 24 |
Chattanooga |
4-0 |
68 |
NR |
| 25 |
Princeton |
2-0 |
27 |
NR |
Others Receiving Votes: Towson, 26; Montana State, 22; Samford, 21; Western Carolina, 16; Harvard, 9; South Dakota, 8; Austin Peay, 7; Southeastern Louisiana, 5; Sacramento State, 3; Northern Arizona, 2; Delaware, 1
