2020 NCAA Division I FCS football rankings
Season2020
PostseasonSingle-elimination
NCAA Division I FCS football rankings
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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.


Legend

Legend
  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

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 MadisonJames 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 IowaSouth 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 StateWeber 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 StateNorthern 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 StateVillanova (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.MontanaIllinois 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.VillanovaKennesaw 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 StateNicholls (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 StateFurman (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 ArkansasWofford (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 StateEastern 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 PeayAlbany (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.NichollsNorth 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.FurmanNew 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.WoffordJacksonville 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.AlbanySam 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 WashingtonSoutheastern 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) т18.
19.North Carolina A&TMcNeese 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) т19.
20.New HampshireMonmouth (0–0)Wofford (1–1) тWofford (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 LouisianaSoutheast Missouri State (0–1)South Dakota (1–0) тSouth 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 StateTarleton 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.MonmouthTennessee 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 IllinoisElon (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 StateDelaware (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:
  • No. 19 McNeese State
  • No. 22 Tarleton State
  • No. 23 Tennessee Tech
  • No. 24 Elon
Dropped:
  • No. 16 Southeast Missouri State
  • No. 19 Idaho
Dropped:
  • No. 20 Wofford
  • No. 21 South Dakota
  • No. 22 Illinois State
  • No. 24 Monmouth
Dropped:
  • No. 18 Albany
  • No. 24 Jackson State
Dropped:
  • No. 24 New Hampshire
  • No. 25 Maine
Dropped:
  • No. 17 Chattanooga[a]
  • No. 21 Furman
  • No. 24 Idaho
Dropped:
  • No. 24 Northern Iowa
  • No. 25 Duquesne
Dropped:
  • No. 23 Mercer
  • No. 25 Incarnate Word
NoneNoneNoneDropped:
  • No. 24 Arkansas Pine–Bluff
  • No. 25 Northern Iowa

Coaches' poll

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)тSam 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)тNorth 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)тSouthern 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)тVMI (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)тNicholls (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)тIncarnate 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:
  • No. 19 Albany
  • No. 21 Jackson State
Dropped:
  • No. 10 Chattanooga[a]
  • No. 25 New Hampshire
Dropped:
  • No. 17 Furman
  • No. 21 Tarleton State
  • No. 25 San Diego
Dropped:
No. 24 Rhode Island		Dropped:
  • No. 22 Incarnate Word
  • No. 25 Mercer
NoneNoneNoneDropped:
  • No. 22 Incarnate Word
  • No. 25 Mercer

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Opted out of the spring season.

References

  1. ^ FCS Championship Home - NCAA.com
  2. ^ "Football Championship Subdivision Polls | STATS | FCS Football". www.fcs.football. Retrieved August 26, 2020.
  3. ^ "Football Championship Subdivision Polls | STATS | FCS Football". www.fcs.football. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
  4. ^ "Football Championship Subdivision Polls | STATS | FCS Football". www.fcs.football. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  5. ^ "Football Championship Subdivision Polls | STATS | FCS Football". www.fcs.football. Retrieved March 8, 2021.
  6. ^ "Football Championship Subdivision Polls | STATS | FCS Football". www.fcs.football. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
  7. ^ "Football Championship Subdivision Polls | STATS | FCS Football". www.fcs.football. Retrieved March 22, 2021.
  8. ^ "Football Championship Subdivision Polls | STATS | FCS Football". The Analyst. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
  9. ^ "Football Championship Subdivision Polls | STATS | FCS Football". www.fcs.football. Retrieved April 5, 2021.
  10. ^ "Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Rankings Following Week 9". The Analyst. April 12, 2021. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  11. ^ "Stats Perform FCS Top 25 College Football Rankings | The Analyst". The Analyst. April 19, 2021. Retrieved April 24, 2021.
  12. ^ "Stats Perform FCS Top 25 College Football Rankings | The Analyst". The Analyst. May 17, 2021. Retrieved January 9, 2022.
  13. ^ "[FCS POLL] James Madison No. 1 In First 2021 Spring AFCA Coaches' Top 25 Poll - AFCA". www.afca.com. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
  14. ^ "[FCS POLL] James Madison Still No. 1 in 2021 Spring AFCA Coaches' Top 25 Poll - AFCA". www.afca.com. Retrieved March 27, 2021.
  15. ^ "[FCS POLL] No. 5 Sam Houston Holds On For Close Win Over Northwestern State - AFCA". www.afca.com. Retrieved April 10, 2021.
  16. ^ "[FCS POLL] No. 3 North Dakota State Wins A Close One Over No. 21 Northern Iowa - AFCA". www.afca.com. Retrieved April 17, 2021.
  17. ^ "[FCS POLL] James Madison Ends Spring Regular Season at No. 1 - AFCA". www.afca.com. Retrieved April 24, 2021.
  18. ^ "[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.
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