FCS Football Top 25: Zach McKinnell's Week 6 Ballot

Zachary McKinnell | Sep 30, 2024

North Dakota State RB CharMar Brown / Tim Sanger (NDSU Athletics)

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 6 ballot for the 2024 FCS football season.

25. Richmond (3-2)
24. Wofford (2-2)
23. Rhode Island (3-1)
22. Illinois State (3-2)
21. McNeese State (4-2)
20. Southern Illinois (2-3)
19. Abilene Christian (3-2)
18. Sacramento State (2-3)
17. Northern Arizona (3-2)
16. Incarnate Word (2-2)
15. ETSU (3-2)
14. Tarleton State (4-1)
13. William & Mary (4-1)
12. SEMO (4-1)
11. Villanova (4-1)
10. Montana (4-1)
9. Mercer (5-0)
8. North Dakota (4-1)
7. Idaho (3-2)
6. UC Davis (4-1)
5. South Dakota (3-1)
4. Central Arkanasas (4-1)
3. Montana State (5-0)
2. North Dakota State (4-1)
1. South Dakota State (3-1)

Honorable Mentions: New Hampshire, Florida A&M, Stony Brook, Lamar, Chattanooga

Analysis:

Dropped: New Hampshire, Florida A&M, Lamar, Weber State

Added: Northern Arizona, Abilene Christian, McNeese State, Richmond

UC Davis jumps from No. 14 to No. 6 after an upset victory over Idaho. The Aggies are undefeated against FCS opponents, including wins over the Vandals and Southern Utah. This team has the pieces to be a real contender in the Big Sky this season. The Aggies will end the season with three consecutive ranked matchups, which will determine this program's ceiling.

Idaho has been the No. 1 on my ballot for the past two weeks, but I still think the Vandals are one of the best teams in the nation. The Vandals have two wins over ranked opponents and an FBS victory on their resume, which is still arguably the best resume in the country. Injuries have started to impact their potential as the Vandals were forced to play their third-string quarterback this weekend. Will depth become an issue for this team? The schedule does not get any easier as Idaho will host Northern Arizona this weekend and travel to Bozeman for a huge matchup against Montana State on Oct. 12.

Mercer makes another jump in my ballot, moving into the Top 10 for the first time this season. The Bears have defeated two ranked conference opponents on the road and looked dominant in their other three games. This defense continues to be the best in the nation, holding opponents to 7.8 points per game and 3.9 yards per play.

After Idaho's loss, I wanted to reevaluate the top three programs on my ballot. There's an argument for Montana State, North Dakota State, and South Dakota State to be ranked No. 1, and I will not fault any voter for their decision here. I lean toward South Dakota State due to its win over Incarnate Word, which is the best win for any of these three programs. Montana State has looked like the most dominant team in the nation but has faced the easiest schedule with zero ranked opponents. North Dakota State's win over Illinois State showed how dominant the Bison can be when things are clicking. Due to the ranked FCS victories for the Bison and Jacks, I gave them a slight edge over the Bobcats. Montana State does have an FBS victory but entered that game as almost two-touchdown favorites.

McNeese State has exceeded preseason expectations, winning four consecutive FCS games since a Week 0 loss to Tarleton State. The Cowboys added a Top 25 victory over Weber State to their resume while dismantling the preseason SWAC West favorites (Alcorn State) two weeks ago.

Northern Arizona jumps to No. 17 after an upset win over Sacramento State, where the Lumberjacks dominated a Top 10 opponent. It was a signature win for first-year head coach Brian Wright, who has led the Lumberjacks to a 2-1 record against FCS opponents. Their only FCS loss came against Incarnate Word, which boosted the Cardinals' resume after last week's 38-14 win.

I understand fans' frustration about their teams falling in the rankings after wins and bye weeks. Every result across the country impacts your team's position in these rankings. Florida A&M and New Hampshire dropped out of the rankings to make room for McNeese and Northern Arizona, who had massive ranked wins. Voters only get 25 spots weekly, so tough decisions must be made as resumes change after each game.

The perfect example is Villanova, which has dropped to No. 11 throughout the season. The Wildcats are 4-0 against FCS competition but have failed to impress against overmatched opponents this season. Their win over Youngstown State has aged poorly as the Penguins have struggled, while unimpressive performances against Towson and Long Island have helped other teams jump them in the rankings. The Wildcats may only have one or two opportunities for a signature win this season, leaving little room for error.

Central Arkansas continues to impress, recording a ranked victory over Lamar this past weekend. The Bears have dominated every FCS opponent this season, outscoring FCS opposition 169-61. This team will have another opportunity for a ranked win against Abilene Christian in Week 6, which could solidify their spot in the top five.

Richmond appears at No. 25 this week after three consecutive wins over FCS opponents. The Spiders had two quality wins over Charleston Southern and Elon, both of which were won by ten or more points. Their only FCS loss this season was to Wofford, which has emerged as a Top 25 program.

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