FCS Football Top 25: Zach McKinnell's Week 3 Ballot

Zachary McKinnell | Sep 9, 2024

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I am honored to represent FCS Football Central as one of the 56 voters in the FCS Stats Perform Top 25 for the 2024 season. As I have over the past few seasons, I will release my official ballot each week and explain my reasoning behind the rankings throughout the season.

Below is my Week 3 ballot for the 2024 FCS football season.

25. Southern Utah (1-1)
24. Mercer (2-0)
23. Youngstown State (1-1)
22. Weber State (1-1)
21. Florida A&M (2-1)
20. Nicholls (0-2)
19. Tarleton State (2-1)
18. Illinois State (1-1)
17. SEMO (2-1)
16. Southern Illinois (1-1)
15. William & Mary (1-1)
14. UC Davis (1-1)
13. Elon (1-1)
12. Incarnate Word (1-1)
11. Sacramento State (0-2)
10. Chattanooga (0-2)
9. Montana (1-1)
8. North Dakota (1-1)
7. Central Arkansas (1-1)
6. South Dakota (1-1)
5. Villanova (2-0)
4. Idaho (1-1)
3. Montana State (3-0)
2. North Dakota State (1-1)
1. South Dakota State (1-1)

Honorable Mentions: Lafayette, Campbell, UAlbany, Wofford, Abilene Christian

Analysis:

Dropped: Lafayette, Western Carolina, Richmond, Furman

Added: Southern Utah, Mercer, North Dakota, Weber State

We only have 2-3 data points for each team this season, which makes ranking the best teams in the country reasonably difficult. I believe these rankings should be a snapshot of which teams are the best at this given point of the season rather than trying to project who the Top 25 teams will be at the end of November.

This approach leads to my ballot having massive shifts week-to-week as more information is available for each team in the nation. It is precisely why North Dakota jumped to No. 8 in my ballot after being unranked last week. Should I let my preseason expectations for the Hawks limit their movement after a win over the No. 4 team in the nation? I don't think so, which is why the Hawks jumped into the Top 10 in this week's ballot.

Montana dropped to No. 9 after a competitive loss to North Dakota on the road. The Grizzlies collapsed after leading the game 24-7 at halftime, but I still think this team is a Top 10 team in the nation.

Idaho jumps to No. 4 in my ballot after an impressive FBS upset over Wyoming. The Vandals keep finding ways to exceed expectations despite losing their starting quarterback to injury. Defensively, the Vandals continue to look dominant and may be the most complete defense in the nation.

SEMO was added to my ballot last week, but the Redhawks made another jump after an impressive win over UT Martin. The Redhawks defeated North Alabama without starting quarterback Paxton DeLaurent in Week 0 and now have a win over the preseason Big South-OVC favorites.

Mercer was one of my honorable mentions last week and entered the rankings after a dominant win over Bethune-Cookman. The Bears will have a chance to earn a statement win over Chattanooga this weekend, which could catapult this team into the Top 15. Southern Utah is also a new addition after the Thunderbirds pulled off the upset against UTEP this weekend. This program has a chance to validate its Top 25 ranking against UC Davis in Week 3.

Western Carolina dropped out of the Top 25 after a stunning loss to Campbell. The Catamounts showed promise against NC State in Week 1 but collapsed against the Camels. Quarterback Cole Gonzales threw four interceptions, and the offense struggled to find consistency. The Catamounts also face back-to-back Top 25 opponents, which could set this team up for a 0-4 start. The Camels are one of my honorable mentions. I still need to see more from this team, but a win over Rhode Island in Week 3 could push this team over the top.

Richmond and Furman dropped out of the Top 25 after disappointing losses to unranked opponents. I was skeptical about Furman's potential this season after the Paladins lost multiple key contributors this offseason. Wofford pulled off the upset against the Spiders, and if the Terriers find a way to upset William & Mary in Week 3, expect to see this team make a massive jump in the rankings.

There is an argument to be made for any of the top three teams to be ranked No. 1. However, after an impressive win over Incarnate Word, I still lean towards South Dakota State. Montana State is the only 3-0 team at the FCS level, but the Bobcats have faced two subpar FCS opponents since an FBS win in Week 0. There seems to be some skepticism surrounding North Dakota State at No. 2, but I continue to be impressed with the Bison. Despite missing multiple starters, the Bison were a few yards away from a Power 4 upset and dominated Tennessee State in Week 2. We will know more about this team when conference play begins, as the Bison will face Illinois State and North Dakota in the first two weeks.

More FCS Football News

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Week 2 FCS Football Top 25 Scoreboard
Week 2 FCS Football Preview & Predictions
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