News/Commentary

AFCA Coaches' Poll for FCS: Jackrabbits Take 22 of 26 1st-place Votes, Idaho Up To No. 4

September 16, 2024 by CollegeFootballPoll.com Staff and AFCA.com

No. 1 South Dakota State took care of old state rival Augustana (D2) 24-3 on Saturday, while then-No. 5 Idaho handled its business with then-No. 15 Albany 41-13. As a result, the Jackrabbits keep their hold on first-place in the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl, and the Vandals move up a notch to No. 4, dropping Villanova to No. 5 after the Wildcats escaped with a 14-13 win over Towson.

Then-No. 8 Southern Illinois scored 35 points in the first half as then-No. 14 UIW couldn't keep pace and had a 35-14 hole to dig out of at the break. But the score stayed that way until UIW finally answered with 14 points in the fourth while holding Salukis scoreless the entire second half. Still, it wasn't enough and Southern Illinois rises one spot to No. 7 this week while UIW falls four places to No. 18. The Salukis have no time to rest as they host newly-ranked (21) Southeast Missouri State this Saturday in the annual War For The Wheel game. 

South Dakota State once again receives 22 of the 26 first-place votes. North Dakota State had two voters onboard last week, but just one this week, and Montana State picks up an extra first-place vote for a total of three.

Learn more at AFCA.com.

Rank School (1st votes) W-L Points LW Last Game Next Game (all on 9/7)
1 South Dakota St. (22) 2-1 644 1 W 24-3 vs Augustana (SD) 9/21 at SE Louisiana
2 North Dakota St. (1) 2-1 605 2 D. ETSU, 38-35 9/21 Towson
3 Montana St. (3) 3-0 602 3 Idle 9/21 Mercyhurst
4 Idaho 2-1 573 5 D. (15) UAlbany, 41-13 9/21 at (23) ACU
5 Villanova 3-0 515 4 D. Towson, 14-13 9/21 at Maryland
6 South Dakota 1-1 514 6 at Portland St., cancelled 9/21 Drake
7 Southern Illinois 2-1 470 8 D. (14) UIW, 35-28 9/21 (21) Southeast Missouri St.
8 Central Arkansas 2-1 462 7 D Austin Peay, 45-17 9/21 at APBU
9 North Dakota 2-1 439 10 D. Idaho St., 52-28 9/21 San Diego
10 Montana 2-1 436 9 D. Morehead St., 59-2 9/21 Western Carolina
11 Sacramento St. 1-2 379 11 D. (23) Nicholls, 34-7 9/21 at Texas A&M-Commerce
12 UC Davis 2-1 349 12 D. Southern Utah, 24-21 9/21 Utah Tech
13 William & Mary 2-1 334 13 D. Wofford, 28-21 9/21 Furman
14 Lafayette 2-1 263 18 D. Marist, 56-14 9/21 at Columbia
15 Illinois St. 2-1 258 19 D. Western Illinois, 51-34 9/21 Eastern Illinois
16 Mercer 3-0 236 24 D. (16) Chattanooga, 10-3 9/21 The Citadel
17 Tarleton St. 2-1 235 17 Idle 9/21 at North Alabama
18 UIW 1-2 158 14 L. (8) Southern Illinois, 35-28 9/21 Northern Arizona
19 Northern Iowa 2-1 114 21 L. to Nebraska, 34-3 9/21 at Hawaii
20 Florida A&M 2-1 107 22 Idle 9/21 at Troy
21 Southeast Missouri St. 2-1 97 NR Idle 9/21 at (7) Southern Illinois
22 UAlbany 1-2 94 15 L. (5) Idaho, 41-13 9/28 Maine
23 ACU 2-1 72 NR D. Northern Colorado, 24-22 9/21 (4) Idaho
24 Chattanooga 0-3 59 16 L. (24) Mercer, 10-3 9/28 Portland St.
25 Youngstown St. 1-2 41 20 L. Duquesne, 28-25 9/21 at Pittsburgh

Dropped Out: Nicholls (23), Weber St. (25)

Others Receiving Votes: Richmond, 37; New Hampshire, 33; Northern Arizona, 33; Furman, 28; Weber St., 23; Lamar, 22; Wofford, 22; Western Carolina, 20; McNeese, 18; Rhode Island, 18; Delaware St., 13; Elon, 13; Nicholls, 12; Eastern Illinois, 11; Eastern Kentucky, 9; Jackson St., 9; Alabama A&M, 7; Central Connecticut St., 7; The Citadel, 7; Yale, 7; Duquesne, 6; Lehigh, 6; Monmouth (N.J.), 6; Wagner, 6; Drake, 3; Indiana St., 3; North Carolina Central, 3; Southern Utah, 3; UT Martin, 3; Butler, 2; Tennessee St., 2; Murray St., 1; Stony Brook, 1.