FCS Top-25: Zach McKinnell's Week 8 Ballot

Zach McKinnell's Week 8 ballot for the FCS Stats Perform Top-25 after an exciting weekend of FCS football

I am honored to represent FCS Football Central as one of the 56 voters in the FCS Stats Perform Top-25 for the 2023 season. Each week I will release my official ballot and explain the biggest movers in our FCS Top 25 each week throughout the season.

Week 8 Top-25 Ballot

25. Harvard (5-1)

Week 8: 21-14 loss to Princeton

24. Austin Peay (5-2)

Week 8: 48-45 win against Southern Utah

23. Northern Iowa (4-3)

Week 8: 27-0 win against No. 11 North Dakota

22. Lafayette (6-1)

Week 8: 38-35 win against No. 15 Holy Cross

21. Villanova (5-2)

Week 8: Bye Week

20. UAlbany (5-3)

Week 8: 35-10 win against Rhode Island

19. Florida A&M (6-1)

Week 8: 31-21 win against Texas Southern

18. Youngstown State (4-3)

Week 8: 41-38 win against Illinois State

17. Chattanooga (6-2)

Week 8: 34-3 win against ETSU

16. Central Arkansas (5-2)

Week 8: Bye Week

15. Incarnate Word (6-1)

Week 8: 35-24 win against McNeese State

14. North Dakota State (5-2)

Week 8: 52-7 win against Western Illinois

13. North Dakota (4-3)

Week 8: 27-0 loss against Northern Iowa

12. Southern Illinois (5-2)

Week 8: 17-10 loss against No. 1 South Dakota State

11. UT Martin (6-1)

Week 8: 17-0 win against Charleston Southern

10. North Carolina Central (6-1)

Week 8: 16-10 win against Morgan State

9. Sacramento State (5-2)

Week 8: 42-30 loss against No. 2 Montana State

8. Delaware (6-1)

Week 8: 47-3 win against Hampton

7. Western Carolina (5-2)

Week 8: 29-17 loss to No. 4 Furman

6. Idaho (5-2)

Week 8: Bye Week

5. Montana (6-1)

Week 8: Bye Week

4. South Dakota (6-1)

Week 8: 17-3 win against Indiana State

3. Furman (6-1)

Week 8: 29-17 win against No. 8 Western Carolina

2. Montana State (6-1)

Week 8: 42-30 win against No. 3 Sacramento State

1. South Dakota State (7-0)

Week 8: 17-10 win against No. 12 Southern Illinois

Honorable Mentions: Tennessee State (5-2), Holy Cross (4-3), New Hampshire (4-3), William & Mary (4-3), UC Davis (4-3), Mercer (5-3)

Analysis On Week 8 Ballot

Dropped: Holy Cross, William & Mary
Added: Lafayette, Northern Iowa

Lafayette enters the rankings for the first time this season after a huge win over Holy Cross. The Leopards are 6-0 against FCS competition and now have a Top-25 win on the resume. Lafayette also has solid out-of-conference wins over Princeton and Monmouth. The Leopards are in control of their destiny and could be primed to earn an at-large bid for the first time since 2013.

William & Mary and Holy Cross both entered the season with high expectations, but have fallen short over the first eight weeks. The Tribe is now 4-3 after a disappointing loss to Towson and has lost three consecutive games. The Crusaders are still elite offensively behind quarterback Matthew Sluka, but the defense has been the Achilles Heel for this team. The Crusaders have now lost two of the last three games with a huge matchup against Fordham approaching this weekend, which could eliminate this team from playoff contention. 

Northern Iowa is one of the most difficult teams to rank as the Panthers continue to be inconsistent from week to week. The Panthers have impressive wins over Youngstown State and North Dakota on their resume but also have a loss to a 3-5 Weber State team at home. This team has faced the toughest schedule in the entire country with a 4-2 record against FCS competition with two ranked wins, which is enough to earn a spot in the Top 25 at this point of the season.

Delaware moved into the Top 10 as the Blue Hens are now 6-0 vs. FCS competition after a 47-3 win against Hampton. The Blue Hens are in a position to earn a seed in the FCS playoffs behind an impressive defense and balanced offense. UT Martin is another team that many people are overlooking as the Skyhawks are undefeated against FCS opponents, including an impressive road win against Eastern Illinois two weeks ago.

Furman and Montana State both picked up impressive road victories this weekend and solidified their place as Top-3 teams in the country. The Paladins are undefeated against FCS teams and have two ranked wins on the resume. Furman's offensive line and offensive identity make the Paladins a dangerous matchup for most teams in the FCS playoffs. The Bobcats have two Top-10 wins on the resume and the only loss is against No. 1 South Dakota State on the road. Montana State has the most dominant rushing attack in the country and could be a collision course for a rematch with the Jackrabbits.

FCS Football Recap: Week 8 Takeaways