UC Davis Records First Victory Over Top 5 Program
September 30, 2024
UC Davis has never beaten a top five program since they made the move to Football Championship Subdivision. That all changed on Saturday night as the Aggies scored 14 unanswered points in the third quarter and held on for a 28-26 victory against then-No. 4 Idaho. The win moved UC Davis to No. 8 in this week’s AFCA FCS Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl. Idaho dropped seven spots to No. 11.
South Dakota State was idle this weekend, but still holds down the No. 1 spot as they prepare to face No. 18 Northern Iowa in what will be one of four top 25 matchups in the first weekend of October. No. 2 North Dakota State dominated then-No. 15 Illinois State, 42-10 and will host No. 6 North Dakota while No. 7 Central Arkansas will travel to No. 17 ACU. The final matchup will be between two teams trying to rebound after tough losses as No. 19 Illinois State will travel to No. 23 Southern Illinois. The Salukis lost to new No. 4 South Dakota, 42-13.
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Week 5 Next Game
1 South Dakota St. (21) 3-1 620 1 Idle Oct. 5 at No. 18 Northern Iowa
2 North Dakota St. (3) 4-1 598 2 D. No. 15 Illinois St., 42-10 Oct. 5 vs. No. 6 North Dakota
3 Montana St. (1) 5-0 575 3 D. Idaho St., 37-17 Oct. 5 vs. Northern Colorado
4 South Dakota 3-1 546 5 D. No. 17 Southern Illinois, 42-13 Oct. 5 at Murray St.
5 Villanova 4-1 508 6 D. LIU, 24-10 Oct. 5 at Stony Brook
6 North Dakota 4-1 481 8 D. Murray St., 72-35 Oct. 5 at No. 2 North Dakota St.
7 Central Arkansas 4-1 475 7 D. No. 25 Lamar, 34-14 Oct. 5 at No. 17 ACU
8 UC Davis 4-1 434 11 D. No. 4 Idaho, 28-26 Oct. 5 at Portland St.
9 Montana 4-1 425 9 D. Eastern Washington, 52-49 Oct. 5 vs. Weber St.
10 William & Mary 4-1 388 12 D. Hampton, 49-7 Oct. 5 at Towson
11 Mercer 5-0 356 13 D. Wofford, 22-3 Oct. 12 vs. Princeton
12 Idaho 3-2 354 4 Lost to No. 11 UC Davis, 28-26 Oct. 5 vs. Northern Arizona
13 Southeast Missouri St. 4-1 320 14 D. Northwestern St., 19-0 Oct. 5 at Eastern Illinois
14 Tarleton St. 4-1 315 16 D. Southeastern Louisiana, 36-33 Oct. 5 at Southern Utah
15 UIW 2-2 229 18 Idle Oct. 5 vs. Prairie View A&M
16 New Hampshire 3-1 194 20 Idle Oct. 4 at Harvard
17 ACU 3-2 160 22 D. Utah Tech, 55-30 Oct. 5 vs. No. 7 Central Arkansas
18 Northern Iowa 2-2 150 19 Idle Oct. 5 vs. No. 1 South Dakota St.
19 Illinois St. 3-2 143 15 Lost to No. 2 North Dakota St., 42-10 Oct. 5 at No. 23 Southern Illinois
20 Sacramento St. 2-3 139 10 Lost to Northern Arizona, 34-16 Oct. 12 vs. Eastern Washington
21 Richmond 3-2 134 23t D. Elon, 27-17 Oct. 5 vs. North Carolina A&T
22 Florida A&M 2-2 109 21 Idle Oct. 5 at Alabama St.
23 Southern Illinois 2-3 102 17 Lost to No. 5 South Dakota, 42-13 Oct. 5 vs. No. 19 Illinois St.
24 McNeese 4-2 72 NR D. Weber St., 28-26 Oct. 5 at Houston Christian
25 Rhode Island 3-1 50 NR Idle Oct. 5 at Hampton
Dropped Out: UAlbany (23t), Lamar (25)
Others Receiving Votes: Stony Brook, 28; Missouri St., 27; Lafayette, 24; East Tennessee St., 22; Northern Arizona, 22; Chattanooga, 21; Monmouth (N.J.), 18; Lamar, 17; North Carolina Central, 13; Duquesne, 12; Butler, 9; Dartmouth, 5; Jackson St., 4; Western Carolina, 4; Brown, 3; Drake, 3; Murray St., 3; Nicholls, 3; Bucknell, 2; Dayton, 2; Weber St., 2; Wofford, 2; Alabama A&M, 1; UAlbany, 1.
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UC Davis has never beaten a top five program since they made the move to Football Championship Subdivision. That all changed on Saturday night as the Aggies scored 14 unanswered points in the third quarter and held on for a 28-26 victory against then-No. 4 Idaho. The win moved UC Davis to No. 8 in this week’s AFCA FCS Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl. Idaho dropped seven spots to No. 11.
South Dakota State was idle this weekend, but still holds down the No. 1 spot as they prepare to face No. 18 Northern Iowa in what will be one of four top 25 matchups in the first weekend of October. No. 2 North Dakota State dominated then-No. 15 Illinois State, 42-10 and will host No. 6 North Dakota while No. 7 Central Arkansas will travel to No. 17 ACU. The final matchup will be between two teams trying to rebound after tough losses as No. 19 Illinois State will travel to No. 23 Southern Illinois. The Salukis lost to new No. 4 South Dakota, 42-13.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week 5 | Next Game | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Dakota St. (21) | 3-1 | 620 | 1 | Idle | Oct. 5 at No. 18 Northern Iowa | |
| 2 | North Dakota St. (3) | 4-1 | 598 | 2 | D. No. 15 Illinois St., 42-10 | Oct. 5 vs. No. 6 North Dakota | |
| 3 | Montana St. (1) | 5-0 | 575 | 3 | D. Idaho St., 37-17 | Oct. 5 vs. Northern Colorado | |
| 4 | South Dakota | 3-1 | 546 | 5 | D. No. 17 Southern Illinois, 42-13 | Oct. 5 at Murray St. | |
| 5 | Villanova | 4-1 | 508 | 6 | D. LIU, 24-10 | Oct. 5 at Stony Brook | |
| 6 | North Dakota | 4-1 | 481 | 8 | D. Murray St., 72-35 | Oct. 5 at No. 2 North Dakota St. | |
| 7 | Central Arkansas | 4-1 | 475 | 7 | D. No. 25 Lamar, 34-14 | Oct. 5 at No. 17 ACU | |
| 8 | UC Davis | 4-1 | 434 | 11 | D. No. 4 Idaho, 28-26 | Oct. 5 at Portland St. | |
| 9 | Montana | 4-1 | 425 | 9 | D. Eastern Washington, 52-49 | Oct. 5 vs. Weber St. | |
| 10 | William & Mary | 4-1 | 388 | 12 | D. Hampton, 49-7 | Oct. 5 at Towson | |
| 11 | Mercer | 5-0 | 356 | 13 | D. Wofford, 22-3 | Oct. 12 vs. Princeton | |
| 12 | Idaho | 3-2 | 354 | 4 | Lost to No. 11 UC Davis, 28-26 | Oct. 5 vs. Northern Arizona | |
| 13 | Southeast Missouri St. | 4-1 | 320 | 14 | D. Northwestern St., 19-0 | Oct. 5 at Eastern Illinois | |
| 14 | Tarleton St. | 4-1 | 315 | 16 | D. Southeastern Louisiana, 36-33 | Oct. 5 at Southern Utah | |
| 15 | UIW | 2-2 | 229 | 18 | Idle | Oct. 5 vs. Prairie View A&M | |
| 16 | New Hampshire | 3-1 | 194 | 20 | Idle | Oct. 4 at Harvard | |
| 17 | ACU | 3-2 | 160 | 22 | D. Utah Tech, 55-30 | Oct. 5 vs. No. 7 Central Arkansas | |
| 18 | Northern Iowa | 2-2 | 150 | 19 | Idle | Oct. 5 vs. No. 1 South Dakota St. | |
| 19 | Illinois St. | 3-2 | 143 | 15 | Lost to No. 2 North Dakota St., 42-10 | Oct. 5 at No. 23 Southern Illinois | |
| 20 | Sacramento St. | 2-3 | 139 | 10 | Lost to Northern Arizona, 34-16 | Oct. 12 vs. Eastern Washington | |
| 21 | Richmond | 3-2 | 134 | 23t | D. Elon, 27-17 | Oct. 5 vs. North Carolina A&T | |
| 22 | Florida A&M | 2-2 | 109 | 21 | Idle | Oct. 5 at Alabama St. | |
| 23 | Southern Illinois | 2-3 | 102 | 17 | Lost to No. 5 South Dakota, 42-13 | Oct. 5 vs. No. 19 Illinois St. | |
| 24 | McNeese | 4-2 | 72 | NR | D. Weber St., 28-26 | Oct. 5 at Houston Christian | |
| 25 | Rhode Island | 3-1 | 50 | NR | Idle | Oct. 5 at Hampton |
Dropped Out: UAlbany (23t), Lamar (25)
Others Receiving Votes: Stony Brook, 28; Missouri St., 27; Lafayette, 24; East Tennessee St., 22; Northern Arizona, 22; Chattanooga, 21; Monmouth (N.J.), 18; Lamar, 17; North Carolina Central, 13; Duquesne, 12; Butler, 9; Dartmouth, 5; Jackson St., 4; Western Carolina, 4; Brown, 3; Drake, 3; Murray St., 3; Nicholls, 3; Bucknell, 2; Dayton, 2; Weber St., 2; Wofford, 2; Alabama A&M, 1; UAlbany, 1.
For more information about the AFCA, visit www.AFCA.com. For more interesting articles, check out The Insider and subscribe to our weekly email.
If you are interested in more in-depth articles and videos, please become an AFCA member. You can find out more information about membership and specific member benefits on the AFCA Membership Overview page. If you are ready to join, please fill out the AFCA Membership Application.
