FCS COACHES TOP 25 | SPORTS NETWORK TOP 25
CHARLESTON, Ill. – Eastern Illinois jumped up five spots in each of the FCS football polls following the Panthers 28-20 win over then-No. 12 Jacksonville State on Saturday afternoon. The Panthers moved up to No. 19 in the FCS Coaches Poll while climbing to No. 20 in the Sports Network rankings.
EIU will return to action this Saturday with a 1 p.m. kick off at Murray State. EIU improved to 6-2 overall, 4-1 in the OVC and sits in first place in the conference race. Murray State enters at 2-5 overall, 1-3 in the OVC. The only other team in the OVC currently with one loss is Tennessee State with a 2-1 OVC mark. EIU and TSU will square off in the final regular-season game on Nov. 19 at O'Brien Field in Charleston. The game will be televised nationally on ESPNU.
The top five in both polls remained unchanged with Richmond at No 1 followed by Montana at No. 2. The Spiders and Grizzlies remain as the lone two undefeated teams in the FCS ranks with both schools owning 7-0 records. Southern Illinois is ranked third with Villanova fourth and William & Mary fifth.
Elon moved up to No. 6 in the polls following a second straight loss by Northern Iowa which dropped the Panthers to No. 12 in one poll and No. 14 in the other. New Hampshire, Appalachian State, South Dakota State and South Carolina State rounded out the top ten.
McNeese State led off the second ten schools in the FCS Coaches poll at No. 11 with Central Arkansas, Weber State, Northern Iowa, Stephen F. Austin, Cal Poly, Holy Cross, Delaware, Eastern Illinois and Jacksonville State rounding out the top twenty. Holy Cross knocked off previously unbeaten Colgate which dropped the Red Raiders to No. 25 in the FCS Coaches poll and No. 24 in the Sports Network rankings.
The remaining schools were led by Eastern Washington at No. 21 followed by Northern Arizona, Massachusetts, Liberty, Colgate and Prairie View A&M. Prairie View and Colgate were tied for 25th in the FCS Coaches poll while Prairie View was No. 25 in the Sports Network rankings. Eastern Washington which is ranked No. 21 in the FCS Coaches poll is not ranked in the Sports Network poll.
