In a week where numerous FCS powerhouses fell, the Montana and Montana State football teams rose incrementally in the national rankings.
Montana (4-1) rose to No. 5 in the in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 but stayed at No. 6 in the FCS Coaches Poll after beating winless Dixie State 31-14 on Saturday.
After a dominant 45-7 win on Saturday over Cal Poly, Montana State (5-1) climbed to No. 9 in both polls. It was the fifth straight win of the season for the Bobcats, who will play No. 18/19 Weber State on Friday.
South Dakota State (4-1) and James Madison (4-1) were both Top 5 teams last week before suffering their first losses of the season, and UC Davis (5-1) dropped from the Top 10 after losing to Idaho State (1-4).
Eastern Washington (6-0) remains the highest-ranked Big Sky Conference team, moving up to No. 2 in the nation.
Stats Perform FCS Top 25
| RANK | SCHOOL | RECORD | POINTS | PREVIOUS |
| 1 | Sam Houston (39) | 5-0 | 1,229 | 1 |
| 2 | Eastern Washington (9) | 6-0 | 1,186 | 4 |
| 3 | North Dakota State (2) | 5-0 | 1,174 | 5 |
| 4 | Southern Illinois | 5-1 | 1,081 | 7 |
| 5 | Montana | 4-1 | 996 | 6 |
| 6 | Villanova | 4-1 | 977 | 12 |
| 7 | South Dakota State | 4-1 | 972 | 2 |
| 8 | James Madison | 4-1 | 906 | 3 |
| 9 | Montana State | 5-1 | 881 | 11 |
| 10 | East Tennessee State | 6-0 | 796 | 13 |
| 11 | Southeastern Louisiana | 4-1 | 741 | 14 |
| 12 | Rhode Island | 5-0 | 694 | 21 |
| 13 | UC Davis | 5-1 | 564 | 8 |
| 14 | Delaware | 3-2 | 559 | 9 |
| 15 | Kennesaw State | 4-1 | 543 | 20 |
| 16 | Northen Iowa | 3-2 | 410 | 15 |
| 17 | UT Martin | 4-1 | 409 | 23 |
| 18 | UIW | 4-1 | 344 | 24 |
| 19 | Weber State | 2-3 | 330 | 19 |
| 20 | Missouri State | 3-2 | 285 | 16 |
| 21 | South Dakota | 4-2 | 229 | NR |
| 22 | North Dakota | 2-3 | 216 | 10 |
| 23 | New Hampshire | 3-2 | 124 | 25 |
| 24 | Jacksonville State | 3-3 | 122 | 17 |
| 25 | Princeton | 4-0 | 88 | NR |
Dropped Out: Stephen F. Austin (23), Nicholls (25)
Others Receiving Votes (schools listed on two or more ballots): Mercer 78, Jackson State 63, VMI 60, Duquesne 48, Harvard 36, William & Mary 28, Central Arkansas 21, Youngstown State 20, Stephen F. Austin 11, Nicholls 10, Eastern Kentucky 9, Prairie View A&M 8
FCS Coaches Poll
| RANK | SCHOOL | RECORD | POINTS | PREVIOUS |
| 1 | Sam Houston (27) | 5-0 | 698 | 1 |
| 2 | Eastern Washington (1) | 6-0 | 664 | 4 |
| 3 | North Dakota State | 5-0 | 639 | 5 |
| 4 | Southern Illinois | 5-1 | 588 | 7 |
| 5 | Villanova | 4-1 | 566 | 9 |
| 6 | Montana | 4-1 | 562 | 6 |
| 7 | James Madison | 4-1 | 508 | 2 |
| 8 | South Dakota State | 4-1 | 483 | 3 |
| 9 | Montana State | 5-1 | 475 | 11 |
| 10 | East Tennessee State | 6-0 | 467 | 13 |
| 11 | Southeastern Louisiana | 4-1 | 413 | 14 |
| 12 | UC Davis | 5-1 | 346 | 8 |
| 13 | Kennesaw State | 4-1 | 336 | 17 |
| 14 | Rhode Island | 5-0 | 334 | 20 |
| 15 | Delaware | 3-2 | 261 | 10 |
| 16 | UT Martin | 4-1 | 253 | 21 |
| 17 | Northern Iowa | 3-2 | 244 | 12 |
| 18 | Weber State | 2-3 | 207 | 18 |
| 19 | Harvard | 4-0 | 142 | 22 |
| 20 | Princeton | 4-0 | 125 | 24 |
| 21 | South Dakota | 4-2 | 104 | NR |
| 22 | Jacksonville State | 3-3 | 102 | 23 |
| 23 | Missouri State | 3-2 | 95 | 16 |
| 24 | North Dakota | 2-3 | 94 | 15 |
| 25 | Jackson State | 4-1 | 73 | NR |
Dropped Out: Chattanooga (19), Monmouth (N.J.) (25)
Others Receiving Votes: Mercer, 66; Eastern Kentucky, 50; New Hampshire, 44; VMI, 43; UIW, 26; Duquesne, 19; William & Mary, 19; Florida A&M, 10; Central Arkansas, 9; Yale, 8; North Carolina A&T, 7; Stephen F. Austin, 6; Chattanooga, 5; Holy Cross, 3; Dartmouth, 2; Elon, 2; Monmouth (N.J.), 1; Nicholls, 1.
