The following weekly polls comprise the 2012 NCAA Division I FCS football rankings which determine the top 25 teams at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision level of college football for the 2012 season. The Sports Network poll is voted by media members while the Coaches' Poll is determined by coaches at the FCS level.
| Increase in ranking | ||
| Decrease in ranking | ||
| Not ranked previous week | ||
| Italics | Number of first place votes | |
| (#–#) | Win–loss record | |
| т | Tied with team above or below also with this symbol |
| Preseason Aug 13[1] | Week 1 Sept 3 | Week 2 Sept 10 | Week 3 Sept 17 | Week 4 Sept 24 | Week 5 Oct 1 | Week 6 Oct 8 | Week 7 Oct 15 | Week 8 Oct 22 | Week 9 Oct 29 | Week 10 Nov 5 | Week 11 Nov 12 | Week 12 Nov 19 | Week 13 (Final) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Sam Houston State 79 | Sam Houston State 87 (0–0) | North Dakota State 94 (2–0) | North Dakota State 140 (2–0) | North Dakota State 154 (3–0) | North Dakota State 156 (4−0) | North Dakota State 164 (5–0) | Eastern Washington 92 (5–1) | Eastern Washington 125 (6–1) | North Dakota State 59 (7–1) | North Dakota State 120 (8–1) | North Dakota State 121 (9–1) | North Dakota State 126 (10–1) | North Dakota State (14–1) | 1. |
| 2. | North Dakota State 59 | North Dakota State 65 (1–0) | Sam Houston State 61 (1–0) | Montana State 9 (3–0) | Montana State 5 (4–0) | Montana State 6 (5−0) | Montana State 3 (6–0) | James Madison 42 (5–1) | Georgia Southern 14 (6–1) | Georgia Southern 76 (7–1) | Montana State 17 (8–1) | Montana State 20 (9–1) | Montana State 12 (10–1) | Sam Houston State (11–4) | 2. |
| 3. | Georgia Southern 6 | Georgia Southern 4 (1–0) | Montana State 1 (2–0) | Sam Houston State 8 (1–1) | Youngstown State 10 (4–0) | Youngstown State 7 (4−0) | Old Dominion (5–0) | Georgia Southern 9 (5–1) | North Dakota State 13 (6–1) | Montana State 9 (7–1) | Sam Houston State 14 (7–2) | Sam Houston State 14 (8–2) | Old Dominion 6 (10–1) | Georgia Southern (10–4) | 3. |
| 4. | Montana State 3 | Montana State 1 (1–0) | James Madison 1 (2–0) | Youngstown State 7 (3–0) | Old Dominion (4–0) | Old Dominion (5−0) | James Madison (4–1) | North Dakota State 12 (5–1) | Montana State 5 (6–1) | Sam Houston State 9 (6–2) | Old Dominion 2 (8–1) | Old Dominion 3 (9–1) | Eastern Washington (9–2) | Eastern Washington (11–3) | 4. |
| 5. | James Madison 3 | James Madison (1–0) | Youngstown State 4 (2–0) | Old Dominion (3–0) | James Madison (3–1) | James Madison (3−1) | Wofford (5–0) | Montana State (6–1) | Sam Houston State 5 (5–2) | Old Dominion 2 (7–1) | Eastern Washington (7–2) | Eastern Washington (8–2) | Sam Houston State 3 (8–3) | Montana State (11–2) | 5. |
| 6. | Appalachian State 1 | Youngstown State 7 (1–0) | Old Dominion (2–0) | James Madison (2–1) | Wofford (3–0) | Wofford (4−0) | Eastern Washington (4–1) | Sam Houston State 2 (4–2) | Old Dominion (6–1) | Wofford (7–1) | Stony Brook 4 (9–1) | Georgia Southern (8–2) | Georgia Southern (8–3) | Old Dominion (11–2) | 6. |
| 7. | Towson | Old Dominion (1–0) | Northern Iowa (1–1) | Wofford 1 (3–0) | Eastern Washington (2–1) | Eastern Washington (3−1) | Georgia Southern (4–1) | Old Dominion (5–1) | Wofford (6–1) | Eastern Washington (6–2) | Georgia Southern 1 (7–2) | New Hampshire 1 (8–2) | Appalachian State (8–3) | Wofford (9–4) | 7. |
| 8. | Old Dominion | Northern Iowa (0–1) | Appalachian State (1–1) | Northern Iowa (1–2) | Delaware (4–0) | Georgia Southern (3−1) | Youngstown State (4–1) | Wofford (5–1) | Lehigh 3 (8–0) | Lehigh 4 (8–0) | Lehigh 4 (9–0) | Appalachian State (8–3) | Central Arkansas (9–2) | Illinois State (9–4) | 8. |
| 9. | Northern Iowa | Eastern Washington (1–0) | Wofford (2–0) | Eastern Washington (1–1) | Sam Houston State (1–2) | Illinois State (5−0) | Sam Houston State (3–2) | Lehigh 3 (7–0) | James Madison (5–2) | Stony Brook 4 (8–1) | James Madison 1 (7–2) | Wofford (8–2) | Wofford (8–3) | Appalachian State (8–4) | 9. |
| 10. | Wofford | Wofford (1–0) | Eastern Washington (1–1) | The Citadel (3–0) | Georgia Southern (2–1) | Sam Houston State (2−2) | Lehigh (6–0) | Stony Brook 1 (6–1) | Stony Brook 1 (7–1) | James Madison (6–2) | New Hampshire 1 (8–2) | Central Arkansas (8–2) | Stony Brook (9–2) | Central Arkansas (9–3) | 10. |
| 11. | Montana | Appalachian State (0–1) | Georgia Southern (1–1) | Georgia Southern (1–1) | The Citadel (3–1) | Lehigh (5−0) | Stony Brook (5–1) | Illinois State (6–1) | Cal Poly 3 (7–0) | New Hampshire (7–2) | Northern Arizona 2 (8–1) | Illinois State (8–2) | New Hampshire (8–3) | Stony Brook (10–3) | 11. |
| 12. | Eastern Washington | Montana (1–0) | Towson (0–1) | Delaware (3–0) | Towson (2–1) | Towson (2−2) | New Hampshire (4–2) | New Hampshire (5–2) | New Hampshire (6–2) | Northern Arizona 2 (7–1) | Appalachian State (7–3) | Stony Brook (9–2) | Cal Poly (9–2) | Cal Poly (9–3) | 12. |
| 13. | Youngstown State 1 | Towson (0–1) | Delaware (2–0) | Towson (1–1) | Illinois State (4–0) | Stony Brook (4−1) | Appalachian State (4–2) | Appalachian State (5–2) | Northern Arizona (6–1) | Central Arkansas (7–2) | Wofford (7–2) | James Madison (7–3) | Lehigh (10–1) | New Hampshire (8–4) | 13. |
| 14. | New Hampshire | New Hampshire (1–0) | Montana (1–1) | Montana (2–1) | Northern Iowa (1–3) | New Hampshire (3−2) | Illinois State (5–1) | Cal Poly 3 (6–0) | Central Arkansas (6–2) | Indiana State (7–2) | Central Arkansas (8–2) | Lehigh (9–1) | Villanova (8–3) | South Dakota State (9–4) | 14. |
| 15. | Delaware | Delaware (1–0) | Illinois State (2–0) | Illinois State (3–0) | Lehigh (4–0) | Appalachian State (3−2) | Cal Poly (5–0) | Youngstown State (4–2) | Indiana State (6–2) | Appalachian State (6–3) | Illinois State (8–2) | Northern Arizona (8–2) | Towson (7–4) | Villanova (8–4) | 15. |
| 16. | Lehigh | Lehigh (1–0) | Lehigh (2–0) | Lehigh (3–0) | Central Arkansas (3–1) | Delaware (4−1) | Northern Arizona (4–1) | Northern Arizona (5–1) | Appalachian State (5–3) | Cal Poly (7–1) | South Dakota State (7–2) | Villanova (7–3) | Illinois State (8–3) | Lehigh (10–1) | 16. |
| 17. | Stony Brook | Stony Brook (1–0) | Stony Brook (2–0) | Appalachian State (1–2) | Appalachian State (2–2) | Eastern Kentucky (4−1) | Towson (2–3) | Tennessee State (7–0) | Illinois State (6–2) | Illinois State (7–2) | Towson (5–4) | Cal Poly (8–2) | James Madison (7–4) | Towson (7–4) | 17. |
| 18. | Eastern Kentucky | Illinois State (1–0) | New Hampshire (1–1) | New Hampshire (2–1) | Stony Brook (3–1) | Northern Arizona (4−1) | Tennessee State (6–0) | Towson (3–3) | Eastern Kentucky (6–2) | Tennessee State (8–1) | Indiana State (7–3) | Indiana State (7–3) | Richmond (8–3) | Richmond (8–3) | 18. |
| 19. | Illinois State | Stephen F. Austin (1–0) | McNeese State (2–0) | McNeese State (3–0) | Eastern Kentucky (3–1) | The Citadel (3−2) | McNeese State (4–1) | Central Arkansas (5–2) | Villanova (6–2) | Towson (4–4) | Cal Poly (7–2) | Towson (6–4) | South Dakota State (8–3) | James Madison (7–4) | 19. |
| 20. | Stephen F. Austin | Maine (0–0) | Eastern Kentucky (1–1) | Stony Brook (2–1) | New Hampshire (2–2) | Cal Poly (4−0) | South Dakota State (4–1) | South Dakota State (5–1) | Delaware (5–2) | Albany (7–1) | Richmond (6–3) | Richmond (7–3) | Northern Arizona (8–3) | Northern Arizona (8–3) | 20. |
| 21. | Maine | Eastern Kentucky (0–1) | The Citadel (2–0) | Eastern Kentucky (2–1) | Montana (2–2) | McNeese State (4−1) | Central Arkansas (4–2) | Indiana State (5–2) | Tennessee State (7–1) | South Dakota State (6–2) | Villanova (6–3) | South Dakota State (7–3) | Eastern Kentucky (8–3) | Wagner (9–4) | 21. |
| 22. | Jacksonville State | McNeese State (1–0) | Indiana State (1–1) | Indiana State (2–1) | Northern Arizona (3–1) | Northern Iowa (1−4) | Harvard (4–0) | Harvard 1 95–0) | Youngstown State (4–3) | Richmond (5–3) | Eastern Kentucky (7–3) | Eastern Kentucky (8–3) | Bethune-Cookman (9–2) | Bethune-Cookman (9–3) | 22. |
| 23. | Indiana State | Indiana State (0–1) | Stephen F. Austin (1–1) | Maine (1–1) | Cal Poly (3–0) | South Dakota State (4−1) | Eastern Kentucky (4–2) | Eastern Kentucky (5–2) | Towson (3–4) | Delaware (5–3) | UT Martin (7–2) | Tennessee State (8–2) | Indiana State (7–4) | Eastern Kentucky (8–3) | 23. |
| 24. | Central Arkansas | Jacksonville State (0–1) | Jacksonville State (1–1) | Jacksonville State (1–1) | McNeese State (3–1) | Central Arkansas (3−2) | Delaware (4–2) | Villanova (5–2) | Albany (6–1) | Villanova (6–3) | Tennessee State (8–2) | Bethune-Cookman (8–2) | Colgate (8–3) | Coastal Carolina (8–4) | 24. |
| 25. | Harvard | Central Arkansas (0–1) | Maine (0–1) | Central Arkansas (2–1) | South Dakota State (3–1) | Harvard (3−0) | Samford (5–1) | Delaware (4–2) | Richmond (5–3) | Eastern Kentucky (6–3) | Harvard (8–1) | Eastern Illinois (7–3) | Eastern Illinois (7–4) | Colgate (8–4) | 25. |
| Preseason Aug 13[1] | Week 1 Sept 3 | Week 2 Sept 10 | Week 3 Sept 17 | Week 4 Sept 24 | Week 5 Oct 1 | Week 6 Oct 8 | Week 7 Oct 15 | Week 8 Oct 22 | Week 9 Oct 29 | Week 10 Nov 5 | Week 11 Nov 12 | Week 12 Nov 19 | Week 13 (Final) | ||
| Dropped: 25 Harvard | Dropped: 25 Central Arkansas | Dropped: 23 Stephen F. Austin | Dropped:
| Dropped: 21 Montana | Dropped:
| Dropped:
| Dropped:
| Dropped: 22 Youngstown State | Dropped:
| Dropped:
| Dropped: 23 Tennessee State | Dropped: 23 Indiana State 25 Eastern Illinois |
| Preseason Aug 22[1] | Week 1 Sept 3 | Week 2 Sept 10 | Week 3 Sept 17 | Week 4 Sept 24 | Week 5 Oct 1 | Week 6 Oct 8 | Week 7 Oct 15 | Week 8 Oct 22 | Week 9 Oct 29 | Week 10 | Week 11 | Week 12 | Week 13 | Week 14 | Week 15 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | North Dakota State 19 | North Dakota State 23 (1–0) | North Dakota State 24 (2–0) | North Dakota State 25 (2–0) | North Dakota State 25 (3–0) | North Dakota State 26 (4−0) | North Dakota State 26 (5−0) | Eastern Washington 11 (5–1) | Eastern Washington 22 (6–1) | North Dakota State | 1. | ||||||
| 2. | Sam Houston State 6 | Sam Houston State 2 (0–0) | Sam Houston State 2 (1–0) | Montana State 1 (3–0) | Montana State 1 (4–0) | Montana State (5−0) | Montana State (6−0) | James Madison 7 (5–1) | Georgia Southern 1 (6–1) | Sam Houston State | 2. | ||||||
| 3. | Georgia Southern 1 | Georgia Southern (1–0) | Montana State (2–0) | Sam Houston State (1–1) | Youngstown State (4–0) | Youngstown State (4−0) | Old Dominion (5−0) | Georgia Southern 2 (5–1) | North Dakota State 3 (6–1) | Georgia Southern | 3. | ||||||
| 4. | Montana State | Montana State (1–0) | Old Dominion (2–0) | Youngstown State (3–0) | Old Dominion (4–0) | Old Dominion (5−0) | Wofford (5−0) | North Dakota State 4 (5–1) | Montana State (6–1) | Eastern Washington | 4. | ||||||
| 5. | Appalachian State | Old Dominion (1–0) | James Madison (2–0) | Old Dominion (3–0) | Wofford (3–0) | Wofford (4−0) | James Madison (4−1) | Montana State 1 (6–1) | Sam Houston State (5–2) | Montana State | 5. | ||||||
| 6. | Old Dominion | James Madison (1–0) | Northern Iowa (1–1) | Wofford (3–0) | James Madison (3–1) | James Madison (3−1) | Eastern Washington (4−1) | Sam Houston State 1 (4–2) | Lehigh (8–0) | Old Dominion | 6. | ||||||
| 7. | Northern Iowa | Northern Iowa (0–1) | Appalachian State (1–1) | James Madison (2–1) | Eastern Washington (2–1) | Eastern Washington (3−1) | Georgia Southern (4−1) | Lehigh (7–0) | Old Dominion (6–1) | Wofford | 7. | ||||||
| 8. | James Madison | Appalachian State (0–1) | Youngstown State (2–0) | Northern Iowa (1–2) | Delaware (4–0) | Georgia Southern (3−1) | Sam Houston State (3−2) | Old Dominion (5–1) | Wofford (6–1) | Appalchian State | 8. | ||||||
| 9. | Towson | Montana (1–0) | Wofford (2–0) | Eastern Washington (1–1) | Georgia Southern (2–1) | Sam Houston State (2−2) | Youngstown State (4−1) | Wofford (5–1) | Stony Brook (7–1) | Illinois State | 9. | ||||||
| 10. | Montana | Youngstown State (1–0) | Georgia Southern (1–1) | Georgia Southern (1–1) | Sam Houston State (1–2) | Lehigh (5−0) | Lehigh (6−0) | Stony Brook (6–1) | James Madison (5–2) | Central Arkansas | 10. | ||||||
| 11. | Lehigh | Eastern Washington (1–0) | Eastern Washington (1–1) | Montana (2–1) | Lehigh (4–0) | Illinois State (5−0) | Stony Brook (5−1) | Appalachian State (5–2) | Cal Poly (7–0) | Cal Poly | 11. | ||||||
| 12. | New Hampshire | New Hampshire (1–0) | Montana (1–1) | Delaware (3–0) | Illinois State (4–0) | Towson (2−2) | Appalachian State (4−2) | Cal Poly (6–0) | New Hampshire (6–2) | Stony Brook | 12. | ||||||
| 13. | Wofford | Wofford (1–0) | Lehigh (2–0) | Lehigh (3–0) | Towson (2–1) | Stony Brook (4−1) | New Hampshire (4−2) | Illinois State (6–1) | Northern Arizona (6–1) | New Hampshire | 13. | ||||||
| 14. | Delaware | Lehigh (1–0) | Delaware (2–0) | The Citadel (3–0) | Central Arkansas (3–1) | Appalachian State (3−2) | Cal Poly (5−0) | New Hampshire (5–2) | Central Arkansas (6–2) | Lehigh | 14. | ||||||
| 15. | Eastern Washington | Delaware (1–0) | Towson (0–1) | Illinois State (3–0) | The Citadel (3–1) | Delaware (4−1) | McNeese State (4−1) | Northern Arizona (5–1) | Appalachian State (5–3) | Towson | 15. | ||||||
| 16. | Maine | Towson (0–1) | Stony Brook (2–0) | Towson (1–1) | Appalachian State (2–2) | Eastern Kentucky (4−1) | Illinois State (5−1) | Youngstown State (4–2) | Delaware (5–2) | Villanova | 16. | ||||||
| 17. | Stony Brook | Stony Brook (1–0) | Illinois State (2–0) | McNeese State (3–0) | Northern Iowa (1–3) | New Hampshire (3−2) | Central Arkansas (4−2) | Central Arkansas (5–2) | Illinois State (6–2) | South Dakota State | 17. | ||||||
| 18. | Youngstown State | Maine (0–0) | New Hampshire (1–1) | Appalachian State (1–2) | Stony Brook (3–1) | McNeese State (4−1) | Northern Arizona (4−1) | Tennessee State (7–0) | Eastern Kentucky (6–2) т | Richmond | 18. | ||||||
| 19. | Central Arkansas | Illinois State (1–0) | McNeese State (2–0) | New Hampshire (2–1) | Eastern Kentucky (3–1) | Cal Poly (4−0) | Towson (2−3) | Towson (3–3) | Indiana State (6–2) т | Eastern Kentucky | 19. | ||||||
| 20. | Illinois State | Central Arkansas (0–1) | Central Arkansas (1–1) | Stony Brook (2–1) | Montana (2–2) | Central Arkansas (3−2) | Tennessee State (6−0) | Harvard (5–0) | Albany (6–1) | Northern Arizona | 20. | ||||||
| 21. | Eastern Kentucky | McNeese State 1 (1–0) т | Maine (1–1) | Central Arkansas (2–1) | McNeese State (3–1) | Northern Arizona (4−1) | Harvard (4−0) | McNeese State (4–2) | Tennessee State (7–1) т | James Madison | 21. | ||||||
| 22. | Harvard | Stephen F. Austin (1–0) т | Norfolk State (2–0) | Maine (2–1) | New Hampshire (2–2) | The Citadel (3−2) | Delaware (4−2) | Delaware (4–2) т | Youngstown State (4–3) т | Wagner | 22. | ||||||
| 23. | Norfolk State | Harvard (0–0) | The Citadel (2–0) | Eastern Kentucky (2–1) | Cal Poly (3–0) | Harvard (3−0) | Eastern Kentucky (4−2) | Albany (6–1) т | Villanova (6–2) | Bethune-Cookman | 23. | ||||||
| 24. | Stephen F. Austin | Norfolk State (1–0) | Harvard (0–0) | Harvard (1–0) | Harvard (2–0) | Tennessee State (5−0) | Albany (5−1) | Eastern Kentucky (5–2) | Harvard (5–1) | Coastal Carolina | 24. | ||||||
| 25. | Indiana State | Eastern Kentucky (0–1) | Eastern Kentucky (1–1) | Indiana State (2–1) | Samford (4–0) | Northern Iowa (1−4) | Alabama A&M (6−0) | Indiana State (5–2) | Towson (3–4) | Eastern Illinois | 25. | ||||||
| Preseason Aug 22[1] | Week 1 Sept 3 | Week 2 Sept 10 | Week 3 Sept 17 | Week 4 Sept 24 | Week 5 Oct 1 | Week 6 Oct 8 | Week 7 Oct 15 | Week 8 Oct 22 | Week 9 Oct 29 | Week 10 | Week 11 | Week 12 | Week 13 | Week 14 | Week 15 | ||
| Dropped: 25 Indiana State | Dropped: 21 Stephen F. Austin | Dropped: 22 Norfolk State | Dropped:
| Dropped:
| Dropped:
| Dropped: 25 Alabama A&M | Dropped: 21 McNeese State | None | None | None | None | None | None | None |