[FCS Poll] North Dakota State Runs The Table In The FCS Coaches’ Poll
January 7, 2019
North Dakota State started the season at No. 1, and that’s where they will finish. Behind five touchdowns from quarterback Easton Stick, the Bison beat No. 2 Eastern Washington, 38-24, to claim the 2018 FCS national championship. This was North Dakota State’s seventh national title in eight years, which set the record for most national titles in FCS history and broke a tie they held with Georgia Southern.
RELATED ARTICLE: [FCS Poll] No. 2 Kennesaw State Survives Overtime Thriller In Top 10 Showdown
South Dakota State ends the season at No. 3 and a 10-3 record after their semifinal run in the playoffs. They are followed by Kennesaw State at No. 4, who lost to the Jackrabbits in the quarterfinals. Thanks to their appearance in the semifinals, Maine makes the biggest jump in the poll, moving up nine places from No. 14 to No. 5. The Black Bears ended the 2018 season at 10-4. Weber State, Colgate, UC Davis, Princeton and James Madison round out the Top 10.
Montana State had the second biggest jump in the poll, moving from No. 24 to No. 17 after their second round appearance in the playoffs.
Duquesne enters the AFCA FCS Coaches’ Top 25 Poll for the first time this season at No. 24. The Dukes finished 2018 with a 9-4 record and appeared in the second round of the playoffs.
2018 American Football Coaches Association FCS Coaches’ Poll – January 7, 2019
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. Post-season Head Coach
1. North Dakota St. (26) 15-0 650 1 D. No. 3 Eastern Washington, 38-24, in championship Chris Klieman
2. Eastern Washington 12-3 623 3 Lost to No. 1 North Dakota St., 38-24, in championship Aaron Best
3. South Dakota St. 10-3 590 5 Lost to No. 1 North Dakota St., 44-21, in semifinals John Stiegelmeier
4. Kennesaw St. 11-2 558 2 Lost to No. 5 South Dakota St., 27-17, in quarterfinals Brian Bohannon
5. Maine 10-4 521 14 Lost to No. 3 Eastern Washington, 50-19, in semifinals Joe Harasymiak
6. Weber St. 10-3 502 4 Lost to No. 14 Maine, 23-18, in quarterfinals Jay Hill
7. Colgate 10-2 492 7 Lost to No. 1 North Dakota St., 35-0, in quarterfinals Dan Hunt
8. UC Davis 10-3 468 10 Lost to No. 3 Eastern Washington, 34-29, in quarterfinals Dan Hawkins
9. Princeton 10-0 432 8 Nov. 17, D. Penn, 42-14 Bob Surace
10. James Madison 9-4 405 6 Lost to No. 7 Colgate, 23-20, in second round Mike Houston
11. North Carolina A&T 10-2 388 11 D. Alcorn St., 24-22, in Celebration Bowl Sam Washington
12. Wofford 9-4 364 12 Lost to No. 2 Kennesaw St., 13-10, in second round Josh Conklin
13. Jacksonville St. 9-4 347 9 Lost to No. 14 Maine, 55-27, in second round John Grass
14. Nicholls 9-4 328 13 Lost to No. 3 Eastern Washington, 42-21, in second round Tim Rebowe
15. Dartmouth 9-1 275 15 Nov. 17, D. Brown, 49-7 Buddy Teevens
16. Southeast Missouri St. 9-4 235 20 Lost to No. 4 Weber St., 48-23, in second round Tom Matukewicz
17. Montana St. 8-5 193 24 Lost to No. 1 North Dakota St., 52-10, in second round Jeff Choate
18. Stony Brook 7-5 161 16 Lost to No. 20 Southeast Missouri St., 28-14, in first round Chuck Priore
19. Elon 6-5 153 17 Lost to No. 12 Wofford, 19-7, in first round Curt Cignetti
20. San Diego 9-3 133 18 Lost to No. 13 Nicholls, 49-30, in first round Dale Lindsey
21. East Tennessee St. 8-4 128 21 Lost to No. 9 Jacksonville St., 34-27, in first round Randy Sanders
22. Towson 7-5 92 19 Lost to Duquesne, 31-10, in first round Rob Ambrose
23. Delaware 7-5 89 23 Lost to No. 6 James Madison, 20-6, in first round Danny Rocco
24. Duquesne 9-4 83 NR Lost to No. 5 South Dakota St., 51-6, in second round Jerry Schmitt
25. Indiana St. 7-4 77 22 DNQ Playoffs Curt Mallory
Dropped Out: UIW (25)
Others Receiving Votes: Northern Iowa, 73; Alcorn St., 30; UIW, 21; Monmouth (N.J.), 17; Illinois St., 9; Lamar, 9; Rhode Island, 3; Idaho St., 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.
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North Dakota State started the season at No. 1, and that’s where they will finish. Behind five touchdowns from quarterback Easton Stick, the Bison beat No. 2 Eastern Washington, 38-24, to claim the 2018 FCS national championship. This was North Dakota State’s seventh national title in eight years, which set the record for most national titles in FCS history and broke a tie they held with Georgia Southern.
RELATED ARTICLE: [FCS Poll] No. 2 Kennesaw State Survives Overtime Thriller In Top 10 Showdown
South Dakota State ends the season at No. 3 and a 10-3 record after their semifinal run in the playoffs. They are followed by Kennesaw State at No. 4, who lost to the Jackrabbits in the quarterfinals. Thanks to their appearance in the semifinals, Maine makes the biggest jump in the poll, moving up nine places from No. 14 to No. 5. The Black Bears ended the 2018 season at 10-4. Weber State, Colgate, UC Davis, Princeton and James Madison round out the Top 10.
Montana State had the second biggest jump in the poll, moving from No. 24 to No. 17 after their second round appearance in the playoffs.
Duquesne enters the AFCA FCS Coaches’ Top 25 Poll for the first time this season at No. 24. The Dukes finished 2018 with a 9-4 record and appeared in the second round of the playoffs.
2018 American Football Coaches Association FCS Coaches’ Poll – January 7, 2019
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Post-season | Head Coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | North Dakota St. (26) | 15-0 | 650 | 1 | D. No. 3 Eastern Washington, 38-24, in championship | Chris Klieman |
| 2. | Eastern Washington | 12-3 | 623 | 3 | Lost to No. 1 North Dakota St., 38-24, in championship | Aaron Best |
| 3. | South Dakota St. | 10-3 | 590 | 5 | Lost to No. 1 North Dakota St., 44-21, in semifinals | John Stiegelmeier |
| 4. | Kennesaw St. | 11-2 | 558 | 2 | Lost to No. 5 South Dakota St., 27-17, in quarterfinals | Brian Bohannon |
| 5. | Maine | 10-4 | 521 | 14 | Lost to No. 3 Eastern Washington, 50-19, in semifinals | Joe Harasymiak |
| 6. | Weber St. | 10-3 | 502 | 4 | Lost to No. 14 Maine, 23-18, in quarterfinals | Jay Hill |
| 7. | Colgate | 10-2 | 492 | 7 | Lost to No. 1 North Dakota St., 35-0, in quarterfinals | Dan Hunt |
| 8. | UC Davis | 10-3 | 468 | 10 | Lost to No. 3 Eastern Washington, 34-29, in quarterfinals | Dan Hawkins |
| 9. | Princeton | 10-0 | 432 | 8 | Nov. 17, D. Penn, 42-14 | Bob Surace |
| 10. | James Madison | 9-4 | 405 | 6 | Lost to No. 7 Colgate, 23-20, in second round | Mike Houston |
| 11. | North Carolina A&T | 10-2 | 388 | 11 | D. Alcorn St., 24-22, in Celebration Bowl | Sam Washington |
| 12. | Wofford | 9-4 | 364 | 12 | Lost to No. 2 Kennesaw St., 13-10, in second round | Josh Conklin |
| 13. | Jacksonville St. | 9-4 | 347 | 9 | Lost to No. 14 Maine, 55-27, in second round | John Grass |
| 14. | Nicholls | 9-4 | 328 | 13 | Lost to No. 3 Eastern Washington, 42-21, in second round | Tim Rebowe |
| 15. | Dartmouth | 9-1 | 275 | 15 | Nov. 17, D. Brown, 49-7 | Buddy Teevens |
| 16. | Southeast Missouri St. | 9-4 | 235 | 20 | Lost to No. 4 Weber St., 48-23, in second round | Tom Matukewicz |
| 17. | Montana St. | 8-5 | 193 | 24 | Lost to No. 1 North Dakota St., 52-10, in second round | Jeff Choate |
| 18. | Stony Brook | 7-5 | 161 | 16 | Lost to No. 20 Southeast Missouri St., 28-14, in first round | Chuck Priore |
| 19. | Elon | 6-5 | 153 | 17 | Lost to No. 12 Wofford, 19-7, in first round | Curt Cignetti |
| 20. | San Diego | 9-3 | 133 | 18 | Lost to No. 13 Nicholls, 49-30, in first round | Dale Lindsey |
| 21. | East Tennessee St. | 8-4 | 128 | 21 | Lost to No. 9 Jacksonville St., 34-27, in first round | Randy Sanders |
| 22. | Towson | 7-5 | 92 | 19 | Lost to Duquesne, 31-10, in first round | Rob Ambrose |
| 23. | Delaware | 7-5 | 89 | 23 | Lost to No. 6 James Madison, 20-6, in first round | Danny Rocco |
| 24. | Duquesne | 9-4 | 83 | NR | Lost to No. 5 South Dakota St., 51-6, in second round | Jerry Schmitt |
| 25. | Indiana St. | 7-4 | 77 | 22 | DNQ Playoffs | Curt Mallory |
Dropped Out: UIW (25)
Others Receiving Votes: Northern Iowa, 73; Alcorn St., 30; UIW, 21; Monmouth (N.J.), 17; Illinois St., 9; Lamar, 9; Rhode Island, 3; Idaho St., 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.
