FCS Football: Top 25 Power Poll Following Week 4

With eight teams in the Athlon FCS Top 25 Power Poll sitting out with byes during the fourth full weekend of the season, the rankings could have remained relatively status quo.

Try telling that to No. 9 Jacksonville State, which took a big tumble, and, even worse, No. 18 Monmouth, No. 20 Central Arkansas, and No. 21 Austin Peay, which got bounced from the rankings. Overall, six ranked teams suffered losses.

It’s the way the FCS has gone in recent years, just not in the early weeks this season.

Here’s the Athlon FCS Power Poll following Week 4 games:

1. James Madison
(3-0, 1-0 CAA)
Previous Ranking: 1
Week 4 Result: Open week
Next Game: Oct. 2 at No. 25 New Hampshire

2. South Dakota State
(3-0, 1-0 Missouri Valley)
Previous Ranking: 2
Week 4 Result: 44-0 win at Indiana State
Next Game: Oct. 2 vs. Dixie State

3. North Dakota State
(3-0, 0-0 Missouri Valley)
Previous Ranking: 3
Week 4 Result: Open week
Next Game: Oct. 2 at No. 12 North Dakota

4. Sam Houston
(3-0, 1-0 AQ7)
Previous Ranking: 4
Week 4 Result: 45-35 win at Central Arkansas
Next Game: Oct. 2 vs. Stephen F. Austin (in Houston)

5. Montana
(3-0, 1-0 Big Sky)
Previous Ranking: 5
Week 4 Result: 39-7 win over Cal Poly
Next Game: Oct. 2 at No. 10 Eastern Washington

6. Montana State
(3-1, 1-0 Big Sky)
Previous Ranking: 6
Week 4 Result: 30-17 win at Portland State
Next Game: Oct. 2 vs. Northern Colorado

7. Southern Illinois
(3-1, 1-0 Missouri Valley)
Previous Ranking: 7
Week 4 Result: 35-17 win over Illinois State
Next Game: Oct. 2 at Western Illinois

8. UC Davis
(4-0, 1-0 Big Sky)
Previous Ranking: 10
Week 4 Result: 17-14 win at Weber State
Next Game: Oct. 2 vs. Idaho

9. Delaware
(2-1, 1-0 CAA)
Previous Ranking: 9
Week 4 Result: Open week
Next Game: Oct. 2 vs. UAlbany

10. Eastern Washington
(4-0, 1-0 Big Sky)
Previous Ranking: 11
Week 4 Result: 50-21 win at Southern Utah
Next Game: Oct. 2 vs. No. 5 Montana

11. Villanova
(3-1, 1-0 CAA)
Previous Ranking: 8
Week 4 Result: 38-17 loss at Penn State
Next Game: Oct. 9 at James Madison

12. North Dakota
(2-1, 0-0 Missouri Valley)
Previous Ranking: 12
Week 4 Result: Open week
Next Game: Oct. 2 vs. No. 3 North Dakota State

13. Northern Iowa
(2-1, 0-0 Missouri Valley)
Previous Ranking: 13
Week 4 Result: Open week
Next Game: Oct. 2 vs. Youngstown State

14. Missouri State
(2-1, 1-0 Missouri Valley)
Previous Ranking: 16
Week 4 Result: 31-23 win over South Dakota
Next Game: Oct. 2 at Illinois State

15. ETSU
(4-0, 1-0 Southern)
Previous Ranking: 22
Week 4 Result: 55-48 OT win at Samford
Next Game: Oct. 2 vs. Wofford

16. Southeastern Louisiana
(2-1, 0-0 Southland)
Previous Ranking: 17
Week 4 Result: Open week
Next Game: Oct. 2 at McNeese

17. Weber State
(1-3, 0-1 Big Sky)
Previous Ranking: 15
Week 4 Result: 17-14 loss to UC Davis
Next Game: Oct. 2 at Cal Poly

18. Kennesaw State
(2-1, 0-0 Big South)
Previous Ranking: 23
Week 4 Result: Open week
Next Game: Oct. 2 vs. No. 22 Jacksonville State

19. VMI
(3-1, 1-0 Southern)
Previous Ranking: 25
Week 4 Result: 31-23 win over Wofford
Next Game: Oct. 2 at The Citadel

20. UT Martin
(3-1, 0-0 Ohio Valley)
Previous Ranking: Not Ranked
Week 4 Result: 34-31 win at Jacksonville State
Next Game: Oct. 9 vs. Murray State

21. Rhode Island
(3-0, 1-0 CAA)
Previous Ranking: 24
Week 4 Result: Open week
Next Game: Oct. 2 vs. Stony Brook

22. Jacksonville State
(2-2, 0-0 AQ7)
Previous Ranking: 14
Week 4 Result: 34-31 loss to UT Martin
Next Game: Oct. 2 at No. 18 Kennesaw State

Team of the Week

23. Princeton
(2-0, 0-0 Ivy)
Previous Ranking: Not Ranked
Week 4 Result: 63-0 win over Stetson

The preseason favorite in the Ivy League has posted back-to-back shutouts for the first time since 1965, pounding Stetson behind quarterback Cole Smith’s five total touchdowns (three passing, two rushing) and seven sacks.

Next Game: Oct. 2 vs. Columbia

24. UIW
(2-2, 1-0 Southland)
Previous Ranking: Not Ranked
Week 4 Result: 31-0 win over McNeese
Next Game: Oct. 2 at Northwestern State

25. New Hampshire
(3-1, 2-0 CAA)
Previous Ranking: 19
Week 4 Result: 77-7 loss at Pittsburgh
Next Game: Oct. 2 vs. No. 1 James Madison

— Written by Craig Haley, who is part of the Athlon Contributor Network. Haley has covered the FCS level since 1999 and is the national writer for www.TheAnalyst.com. He appears frequently on radio, TV and podcasts to discuss everything FCS. Follow him on Twitter @CraigHaley.