The 2020 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) football rankings consists of two human polls, in addition to various publications' preseason polls. Unlike the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), college football's governing body, the NCAA, bestows the national championship title through a 24-team tournament.[1] The following weekly polls determine the top 25 teams at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision level of college football for the 2020 season. The STATS poll is voted by media members while the Coaches' Poll is determined by coaches at the FCS level.
 | |
| Season | 2020 |
|---|---|
| Postseason | Single-elimination |
Legend
edit| Increase in ranking | ||
| Decrease in ranking | ||
| Not ranked previous week | ||
| Selected for NCAA FCS Playoffs | ||
| (Italics) | Number of first place votes | |
| (#–#) | Win–loss record | |
| т | Tied with team above or below also with this symbol |
STATS poll
edit| Preseason August 25[2] | Week 1 February 22[3] | Week 2 March 1[4] | Week 3 March 8[5] | Week 4 March 15[6] | Week 5 March 22[7] | Week 6 March 29[8] | Week 7 April 5[9] | Week 8 April 12[10] | Week 9 April 19[11] | Week 10 | Week 11 | Week 12 | Week 13 May 17[12] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | North Dakota State (147) | North Dakota State (2–0) (40) | James Madison (2–0) (34) | James Madison (3–0) (29) | James Madison (3–0) (28) | James Madison (3–0) (29) | James Madison (4–0) | James Madison (4–0) (30) | James Madison (4–0) (25) | James Madison (5–0) (30) | Sam Houston State (10–0) (40) | 1. | |||
| 2. | James Madison | James Madison (1–0) | Weber State (1–0) (4) | Weber State (1–0) (2) | North Dakota (4–0) (10) | North Dakota State (5–1) (6) | North Dakota State (5–1) | North Dakota State (5–1) (6) | North Dakota State (6–1) (12) | South Dakota State (5–1) (7) | South Dakota State (8–2) | 2. | |||
| 3. | Northern Iowa | South Dakota State (1–0) | Northern Iowa (1–1) | North Dakota (3–0) (9) | Weber State (2–0) (2) | Weber State (2–0) (2) | Weber State (3–0) | Weber State (4–0) (1) | Weber State (5–0) | Weber State (5–0) | James Madison (7–1) | 3. | |||
| 4. | Weber State | Weber State (0–0) | North Dakota (2–0) (2) | Northern Iowa (2–1) | North Dakota State (4–1) | South Dakota State (4–1) (2) | South Dakota State (4–1) | South Dakota State (4–1) (2) | South Dakota State (4–1) (1) | Sam Houston State (6–0) (3) | Delaware (7–1) | 4. | |||
| 5. | South Dakota State | Northern Iowa (0–1) | Villanova (0–0) | North Dakota State (3–1) | Southern Illinois (4–1) | Sam Houston State (3–0) (1) | Sam Houston State (3–0) | Sam Houston State (4–0) (1) | Sam Houston State (5–0) (2) | Delaware (5–0) | North Dakota State (7–3) | 5. | |||
| 6. | Montana State | Villanova (0–0) | North Dakota State (2–1) | Villanova (1–0) | South Dakota State (3–1) | North Dakota (4–1) | North Dakota (4–1) | North Dakota (4–1) | North Dakota (4–1) | North Dakota State (6–2) | North Dakota (5–2) | 6. | |||
| 7. | Montana | Illinois State (0–0) | Nicholls (2–0) | Nicholls (3–0) | Sam Houston State (3–1) | Jacksonville State (7–1) | Kennesaw State (3–0) | Kennesaw State (4–0) | Delaware (4–0) | North Dakota (4–1) | Jacksonville State (10–3) | 7. | |||
| 8. | Villanova | Kennesaw State (0–0) | South Dakota State (1–1) | South Dakota State (2–1) | Jacksonville State (6–1) | Kennesaw State (3–0) | Delaware (3–0) | Delaware (3–0) | Eastern Washington (5–1) | Jacksonville State (9–2) | Southern Illinois (6–4) | 8. | |||
| 9. | Illinois State | Nicholls (1–0) | Kennesaw State (1–0) | Kennesaw State (1–0) | Kennesaw State (2–0) | Chattanooga (3–1) | Eastern Washington (3–1) | Eastern Washington (4–1) | Jacksonville State (9–2) | Eastern Washington (5–1) | Weber State (5–1) | 9. | |||
| 10. | Kennesaw State | Furman (1–0) | Jacksonville State (4–1) | Southern Illinois (3–1) | Northern Iowa (2–2) | Southern Illinois (4–2) | VMI (5–0) | Jacksonville State (8–2) | Villanova (2–1) | Monmouth (3–0) | Eastern Washington (5–2) | 10. | |||
| 11. | Central Arkansas | Wofford (1–0) | Southern Illinois (2–1) | Jacksonville State (5–1) | Chattanooga (2–1) | Delaware (2–0) | UC Davis (3–1) | Villanova (2–1) | Richmond (3–0) | VMI (6–1) | Monmouth (3–1) | 11. | |||
| 12. | Sacramento State | Eastern Washington (0–0) | Sam Houston State (1–0) | Sam Houston State (1–0) | Delaware (2–0) | Eastern Washington (3–1) | Jacksonville State (7–2) | Richmond (3–0) | Monmouth (3–0) | Missouri State (5–4) | VMI (6–2) | 12. | |||
| 13. | Austin Peay | Albany (0–0) | Albany (0–0) | Albany (1–0) | Furman (3–1) | Incarnate Word (3–0) | Nicholls (4–1) | UC Davis (3–2) | UC Davis (3–2) | UC Davis (3–2) | Missouri State (5–5) | 13. | |||
| 14. | Nicholls | North Dakota (1–0) | New Hampshire (0–0) | Chattanooga (2–1) | Villanova (1–1) | VMI (4–0) | Murray State (5–0) | VMI (5–1) | Missouri State (5–4) | Southern Illinois (5–3) | UC Davis (3–2) | 14. | |||
| 15. | Furman | New Hampshire (0–0) | Illinois State (0–1) | Furman (2–1) | Eastern Washington (2–1) | UC Davis (2–1) | Richmond (3–0) | Missouri State (4–4) | VMI (5–1) | Richmond (3–1) | Richmond (3–1) | 15. | |||
| 16. | Wofford | Jacksonville State (3–1) | Southeast Missouri State (1–1) | Eastern Washington (1–1) | Southeastern Louisiana (2–1) | Villanova (1–1) | Villanova (1–1) | Southern Illinois (4–3) | Kennesaw State (4–1) | Villanova (2–2) | Villanova (2–2) | 16. | |||
| 17. | Albany | Sam Houston State (0–0) | Furman (1–1) | New Hampshire (0–1) | Nicholls (3–1) | Nicholls (3–1) | Chattanooga (3–2) | Murray State (5–1) | Southeastern Louisiana (4–2) | Kennesaw State (4–1) | Kennesaw State (4–1) | 17. | |||
| 18. | Eastern Washington | Southeastern Louisiana (0–0) | Chattanooga (1–1) | Southeastern Louisiana (1–1) | Albany (1–1) | Rhode Island (2–0) | Southern Illinois (4–3) | Nicholls (4–2) | Southern Illinois (4–3) | Rhode Island (2–1) | Murray State (5–2) т | 18. | |||
| 19. | North Carolina A&T | McNeese State (1–0) | Idaho (1–0) | Delaware (1–0) | VMI (3–0) | Murray State (4–0) | Missouri State (4–4) | Incarnate Word (3–1) | Rhode Island (2–1) | Murray State (5–2) | Rhode Island (2–1) т | 19. | |||
| 20. | New Hampshire | Monmouth (0–0) | Wofford (1–1) т | Wofford (1–1) | New Hampshire (0–1) | Furman (3–2) | Incarnate Word (3–1) | Monmouth (2–0) | Murray State (5–2) | Southeastern Louisiana (4–3) | Southeastern Louisiana (4–3) | 20. | |||
| 21. | Southeastern Louisiana | Southeast Missouri State (0–1) | South Dakota (1–0) т | South Dakota (1–1) | UC Davis (1–1) | Richmond (2–0) | Furman (3–2) | East Tennessee State (4–1) | Nicholls (4–3) | Austin Peay (4–5) | East Tennessee State (4–2) | 21. | |||
| 22. | Sam Houston State | Tarleton State (1–1) | Eastern Washington (0–1) | Illinois State (0–2) | Incarnate Word (2–0) | Northern Iowa (2–3) | Rhode Island (2–1) | Rhode Island (2–1) | Austin Peay (4–5) | East Tennessee State (4–2) | Sacred Heart (3–2) | 22. | |||
| 23. | Monmouth | Tennessee Tech (1–0) | Monmouth (0–0) | UC Davis (1–0) | Richmond (2–0) | Southeastern Louisiana (2–2) | Northern Iowa (3–3) | Southeastern Louisiana (3–2) | Mercer (5–5) | Nicholls (4–3) | Austin Peay (4–5) | 23. | |||
| 24. | Southern Illinois | Elon (1–0) | Southeastern Louisiana (0–1) | Monmouth (0–0) | Jackson State (3–0) | New Hampshire (0–1) | Idaho (2–1) | Northern Iowa (3–3) | East Tennessee State (4–2) | Arkansas–Pine Bluff (4–0) | Alabama A&M (5–0) | 24. | |||
| 25. | Southeast Missouri State | Delaware (0–0) | Delaware (0–0) | Incarnate Word (2–0) | Murray State (3–0) | Maine (2–1) | Southeastern Louisiana (2–2) | Duquesne (4–0)т Austin Peay (4–5)т | Incarnate Word (3–2) | Northern Iowa (3–4) | Nicholls State (4–3) | 25. | |||
| Preseason August 25[2] | Week 1 February 22[3] | Week 2 March 1[4] | Week 3 March 8[5] | Week 4 March 15[6] | Week 5 March 22[7] | Week 6 March 29[8] | Week 7 April 5[9] | Week 8 April 12[10] | Week 9 April 19[11] | Week 10 | Week 11 | Week 12 | Week 13 May 17[12] | ||
| Dropped: No. 6 Montana State[a] No. 7 Montana[a] No. 11 Central Arkansas[a] No. 12 Sacramento State[a] No. 13 Austin Peay No. 19 North Carolina A&T[a] No. 24 Southern Illinois | Dropped:
| Dropped:
| Dropped:
| Dropped:
| Dropped:
| Dropped:
| Dropped:
| Dropped:
| None | None | None | Dropped:
|
Coaches' poll
edit| Week 4 March 16[13] | Week 5 March 23[14] | Week 6 March 30 | Week 7 April 6[15] | Week 8 April 13[16] | Week 9 April 20[17] | Week 10 | Week 11 | Week 12 | Week 13 May 18[18] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | James Madison (3–0) (14) | James Madison (3–0) (18) | James Madison (4–0) (23) | James Madison (4–0) (21) | James Madison (4–0) (19) | James Madison (5–0) (18) | Sam Houston State (10–0) (23) | 1. | |||
| 2. | North Dakota (4–0) (5) | Weber State (2–0) (1) | Weber State (3–0) | Weber State (4–0) (1) | Weber State (5–0) (2) | South Dakota State (5–1) (3) | South Dakota State (8–2) | 2. | |||
| 3. | Weber State (2–0) (1) | North Dakota State (5–1) (1) | North Dakota State (5–1) | North Dakota State (5–1) (1) | North Dakota State (6–1) (2) | Weber State (5–0) | James Madison (7–1) | 3. | |||
| 4. | North Dakota State (4–1) | Sam Houston State (3–0) | South Dakota State (4–1) | South Dakota State (4–1) | South Dakota State (4–1) | Sam Houston State (6–0) | Delaware (7–1) | 4. | |||
| 5. | Southern Illinois (4–1) | North Dakota (4–1)т | Sam Houston State (3–0) | Sam Houston State (4–0) | Sam Houston State (5–0) | Delaware (5–0) | North Dakota State (7–3) | 5. | |||
| 6. | Sam Houston State (2–0) | South Dakota State (4–1)т | North Dakota (4–1) | North Dakota (4–1) | North Dakota (4–1) | North Dakota (4–1) | North Dakota (5–2) | 6. | |||
| 7. | South Dakota State (3–1) | Jacksonville State (7–1) | Kennesaw State (3–0) | Kennesaw State (4–0) | Delaware (4–0) | North Dakota State (6–2) | Jacksonville State (10–3) | 7. | |||
| 8. | Jacksonville State (6–1) | Kennesaw State (3–0) | Delaware (3–0) | Delaware (3–0) | Eastern Washington (5–1) | Eastern Washington (5–1) | Weber State (5–1) | 8. | |||
| 9. | Kennesaw State (2–0) | Delaware (2–0) | Eastern Washington (3–1) | Eastern Washington (4–1) | Jacksonville State (9–2) | Jacksonville State (9–2) | Southern Illinois (6–4) | 9. | |||
| 10. | Delaware (2–0) | Chattanooga (3–1) | VMI (5–0) | Jacksonville State (8–2) | Richmond (3–0) | Monmouth (3–0) | Monmouth (3–1) | 10. | |||
| 11. | Furman (3–1) | Eastern Washington (2–1) | Nicholls (4–1) | Villanova (2–1) | Villanova (2–1) | VMI (6–1) | Eastern Washington (5–2) | 11. | |||
| 12. | Chattanooga (2–1)т | Southern Illinois (4–2) | Jacksonville State (7–2) | Richmond (3–0) | VMI (5–1) | UC Davis (3–2) | VMI (6–2) | 12. | |||
| 13. | Eastern Washington (2–1)т | VMI (4–0) | Murray State (5–0) | VMI (5–1) | Monmouth (3–0) | Richmond (3–1) | Missouri State (5–5) | 13. | |||
| 14. | Northern Iowa (2–2)т | Nicholls (3–1) | UC Davis (3–1) | Incarnate Word (3–1) | UC Davis (3–2) | Southern Illinois (5–3) | Richmond (3–1) | 14. | |||
| 15. | Villanova (1–1)т | Incarnate Word (3–0) | Richmond (3–0) | UC Davis (3–2) | Southeastern Louisiana (4–2) | Kennesaw State (4–1) | Kennesaw State (4–1) | 15. | |||
| 16. | Nicholls (3–1) | Villanova (1–1) | Villanova (1–1) | Murray State (5–1) | Kennesaw State (4–1) | Villanova (2–2) | UC Davis (3–2) | 16. | |||
| 17. | Southeastern Louisiana (2–1) | Murray State (4–0) | Furman (3–2) | Nicholls (4–2) | Southern Illinois (4–3) | Missouri State (5–4) | Murray State (5–2) | 17. | |||
| 18. | VMI (3–0) | Furman (3–2) | Incarnate Word (3–1) | Southern Illinois (4–3) | Missouri State (5–4) | Murray State (5–2) | Villanova (2–2) | 18. | |||
| 19. | Albany (1–1) | UC Davis (2–1) | Southern Illinois (4–3) | Southeastern Louisiana (3–2) | Murray State (5–2) | Southern (5–1) (1) | Alabama A&M (5–0) | 19. | |||
| 20. | Incarnate Word (2–0) | Richmond (2–0) | Northern Iowa (3–3) | East Tennessee State (4–1) | Nicholls (4–3) | Nicholls (4–3) | Southern (5–1) | 20. | |||
| 21. | Jackson State (3–0) | Rhode Island (2–0) | Tarleton State (5–2) | Northern Iowa (3–3) | Southern (4–1) | Southeastern Louisiana (4–3) | Southeastern Louisiana (4–3) | 21. | |||
| 22. | Richmond (2–0) | Southeastern Louisiana (2–2) | Southeastern Louisiana (2–2) | Monmouth (2–0) | Incarnate Word (3–2) | Alabama A&M (4–0) | Sacred Heart (3–2) | 22. | |||
| 23. | New Hampshire (0–1) | Northern Iowa (2–2) | Missouri State (4–4) | Missouri State (4–4) | Northern Iowa (3–4) | East Tennessee State (4–2) | Nicholls State (4–3) | 23. | |||
| 24. | Murray State (3–0) | Tarleton State (4–2) | Rhode Island (2–1) | Rhode Island (2–1) | East Tennessee State (4–2) | Northern Iowa (3–4) | East Tennessee State (4–2) | 24. | |||
| 25. | UC Davis (1–1) | New Hampshire (0–1) | San Diego (3–0) | Southern (4–1) | Alabama A&M (3–0)т Mercer (5–5)т | Arkansas Pine–Bluff (4–0) | Holy Cross (3–1) | 25. | |||
| Week 4 March 16[13] | Week 5 March 23[14] | Week 6 March 30 | Week 7 April 6[15] | Week 8 April 13[16] | Week 9 April 20[17] | Week 10 | Week 11 | Week 12 | Week 13 May 18[18] | ||
Dropped:
| Dropped:
| Dropped:
| Dropped: No. 24 Rhode Island | Dropped:
| None | None | None | Dropped:
|
Notes
editReferences
edit- ^ FCS Championship Home - NCAA.com
- ^ "Football Championship Subdivision Polls | STATS | FCS Football". www.fcs.football. Retrieved August 26, 2020.
- ^ "Football Championship Subdivision Polls | STATS | FCS Football". www.fcs.football. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
- ^ "Football Championship Subdivision Polls | STATS | FCS Football". www.fcs.football. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
- ^ "Football Championship Subdivision Polls | STATS | FCS Football". www.fcs.football. Retrieved March 8, 2021.
- ^ "Football Championship Subdivision Polls | STATS | FCS Football". www.fcs.football. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
- ^ "Football Championship Subdivision Polls | STATS | FCS Football". www.fcs.football. Retrieved March 22, 2021.
- ^ "Football Championship Subdivision Polls | STATS | FCS Football". The Analyst. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
- ^ "Football Championship Subdivision Polls | STATS | FCS Football". www.fcs.football. Retrieved April 5, 2021.
- ^ "Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Rankings Following Week 9". The Analyst. April 12, 2021. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
- ^ "Stats Perform FCS Top 25 College Football Rankings | The Analyst". The Analyst. April 19, 2021. Retrieved April 24, 2021.
- ^ "Stats Perform FCS Top 25 College Football Rankings | The Analyst". The Analyst. May 17, 2021. Retrieved January 9, 2022.
- ^ "[FCS POLL] James Madison No. 1 In First 2021 Spring AFCA Coaches' Top 25 Poll - AFCA". www.afca.com. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
- ^ "[FCS POLL] James Madison Still No. 1 in 2021 Spring AFCA Coaches' Top 25 Poll - AFCA". www.afca.com. Retrieved March 27, 2021.
- ^ "[FCS POLL] No. 5 Sam Houston Holds On For Close Win Over Northwestern State - AFCA". www.afca.com. Retrieved April 10, 2021.
- ^ "[FCS POLL] No. 3 North Dakota State Wins A Close One Over No. 21 Northern Iowa - AFCA". www.afca.com. Retrieved April 17, 2021.
- ^ "[FCS POLL] James Madison Ends Spring Regular Season at No. 1 - AFCA". www.afca.com. Retrieved April 24, 2021.
- ^ "[FCS POLL] Sam Houston Claims The No. 1 Spot in Final AFCA FCS Spring Top 25 Poll - AFCA". www.afca.com. Retrieved January 9, 2022.