FCS Football Top 25: Zach McKinnell's Week 9 Ballot

Zachary McKinnell | Oct 21, 2024

North Dakota State running back Barika Kpeenu / 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 9 ballot for the 2024 FCS football season.

25. Western Carolina (4-3)
24. Illinois State (5-3)
23. UT Martin (4-3)
22. North Carolina Central (5-2)
21. Jackson State (5-2)
20. ETSU (4-3)
19. William & Mary (5-2)
18. Abilene Christian (5-3)
17. Richmond (5-2)
16. Villanova (5-2)
15. Montana (5-2)
14. Chattanooga (4-3)
13. Mercer (6-1)
12. Rhode Island (6-1)
11. Central Arkansas (5-2)
10. Incarnate Word (5-2)
9. North Dakota (5-2)
8. Tarleton State (6-1)
7. Idaho (5-3)
6. SEMO (7-1)
5. UC Davis (7-1)
4. South Dakota (6-1)
3. South Dakota State (5-2)
2. Montana State (8-0)
1. North Dakota State (7-1)

Honorable Mentions: Tennessee State, Dartmouth, Southeastern Louisiana, Stony Brook, Duquesne

Analysis:

Dropped: Dartmouth, Stephen F. Austin

Added: Jackson State, Illinois State

North Dakota State moves into the No. 1 in my ballot this week after an impressive win over South Dakota State. The Bison have three ranked wins and are undefeated (7-0) against FCS competition. They also have notable wins over ETSU and Tennessee State, both of which have moved into the Top 25. I believe North Dakota State has the best resume in the nation right now, which should secure the No. 1 spot unless someone upsets the Bison later this season.

Montana State moves to No. 2 after a win over Portland State, remaining undefeated this season with an FBS win. The biggest criticism for the Bobcats is the lack of quality wins. They only have one ranked win (Idaho) and the only notable win is Maine, who just upset Villanova this past weekend. I still give the Bobcats the edge over SDSU due to their undefeated record and ranked win over Idaho.

South Dakota State drops to No. 3 following this weekend's loss to North Dakota State. The Jackrabbits are 4-1 against FCS opponents, including a ranked win over Incarnate Word. It is still clear that these Top 3 teams have separated themselves from the rest of the country after the first eight weeks of the season. I think South Dakota has a chance to enter the conversation this weekend, but the Coyotes need to look competitive against the Jackrabbits.

SEMO continues to rise in my ballot, defeating Charleston Southern to remain undefeated against the FCS. The Redhawks have a ranked win over Southern Illinois and another notable win over UT Martin, which has elevated into the Top 25. They have a real shot to finish 11-0 against FCS competition but have a tough road matchup against Tennessee State to end the season.

Rhode Island jumps to No. 12 after an impressive win over New Hampshire, giving the Rams their first ranked win of the season. The Rams are 6-0 against FCS competition and have played a Top 50 SOS. Rhode Island has a chance to add some notable wins to their resume, including games against Delaware, Monmouth, and Maine.

Mercer drops to No. 13 after a shocking loss to Samford this past weekend. I kept the Bears inside the Top 15 due to their resume, which includes two ranked wins (Chattanooga/Wofford) and a notable win over Princeton. Villanova dropped to No. 16 after a blowout loss to Maine, which added even more chaos to the CAA race. The Wildcats are 5-1 against FCS competition, but their ranked win over Youngstown State has aged poorly. Wins over Stony Brook and Towson look solid now, but the resume is lacking after this weekend's loss.

Jackson State enters my ballot for the first time this season after a ranked win over Florida A&M. The Tigers are 4-1 against FCS competition and look like the most complete team in the SWAC right now. They also had a dominant win over Southern, which took complete control of the SWAC West this weekend. Illinois State also entered my ballot after dropping due to a loss to Missouri State, but the Redbirds still have a Top 25 resume. The Redbirds have a ranked win over Southern Illinois and have played a Top 20 SOS, which secures their spot for now. They have an excellent chance to win the rest of their games but face a difficult matchup against North Dakota on Nov. 23.

Western Carolina remains in my Top 25 after a dominant win over Furman. The Catamounts have turned a corner since their early-season struggles. They have a ranked win on their resume and wins over Wofford and Furman. The upset loss against Campbell keeps this team from being much higher, but the Catamounts look like a different team in October.

I have my eye on Richmond as a potential dark horse as the season approaches November. The Spiders started the season 0-2, including a loss to Wofford that dropped them from the Top 25. Since Week 3, the Spiders are 5-0 against FCS competition and dominated undefeated Delaware this past weekend. I moved them to No. 17 this week, but I would not be surprised if this team could end up in Top 10 conversations over the next few weeks.

There are a few teams I have just outside the Top 25 that have a chance to make a statement in the coming weeks. Tennessee State is 6-2 against the FCS and has won four consecutive games, including this weekend's win over Howard. The Tigers will have a massive Big South-OVC matchup against UT Martin in two weeks, which could catapult Tennessee State into the Top 20.

Another interesting evaluation is Stony Brook, who moved to 5-1 against the FCS with a win over Towson. The Seawolves lack a ranked win but have an opportunity to earn that win against William & Mary this weekend. Southeastern Louisiana is also an intriguing team after a ranked win over Stephen F. Austin. The Lions are 4-2 against the FCS but have only lost to South Dakota State and Tarleton State, both Top 10 programs nationally. They have another huge opportunity against Incarnate Word in Week 9, which could determine who wins the Southland this season.

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