JSU Moves to No. 4, Preps for No. 16 EKU
Jacksonville State moved up another spot to No. 4 in this week's Top 25 FCS Coaches Poll and The Sports Network Top 25 football poll following last week's 56-0 shutout over Austin Peay.
It marks the highest ranking for the Gamecocks this season and is the first time the team has been ranked in the Top 5 since the 2010 season, when Jax State was ranked as high as No. 2.
North Dakota State remained No. 1 in both polls, while New Hampshire is second, and Coastal Carolina is third in The Sports Network poll, while Coastal Carolina is second, and New Hampshire is third in the FCS Coaches poll. Jax State is fourth in both polls and Eastern Washington rounds out the top 5.
Jax State, the winner of seven-straight games, has been ranked in the Top 10 every week this year and has been ranked in the Top 25 polls every year over the last seven years. The Gamecocks also have the longest active winning streak against conference opponents, winning their last six against OVC teams.
Jacksonville State travels to face its third ranked opponent of the season at No. 15 Eastern Kentucky this weekend. These are the two most successful football teams in the Ohio Valley Conference with near identical conference marks of 70-23 (EKU) and 69-23 (JSU). Between the two teams, they have won the OVC Championship in 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008 and 2011.
Courtesy: JSU Sports Information
THE SPORTS NETWORK POLL
Team (1st Votes) Record Points PR
1. North Dakota State (164) 9-0 4100 1
2. New Hampshire 7-1 3858 2
3. Coastal Carolina 9-0 3796 3
4. Jacksonville State 7-1 3584 5
5. Eastern Washington 8-2 3389 6
6. McNeese State 6-2 2965 9
7. Villanova 7-2 2883 4
8. Richmond 7-2 2839 13
9. Fordham 8-1 2786 10
10. Youngstown State 7-2 2504 11
11. Montana 6-3 2271 12
12. Illinois State 7-1 2242 7
13. Chattanooga 6-3 2078 13
14. Southeastern Louisiana 6-3 1863 15
15. Montana State 6-3 1803 8
16. Eastern Kentucky 8-1 1801 16
17. Indiana State 6-3 1334 19
18. Harvard 7-0 1129 20
19. Northern Iowa 5-4 1088 22
20. Bethune-Cookman 7-2 905 21
21. Cal Poly 6-3 783 NR
22. South Dakota State 5-4 658 18
23. Bryant 7-1 495 25
24. William & Mary 5-4 391 17
25. Northern Arizona 6-3 322 NR
FCS COACHES POLL
Team (1st Votes) Record Points PR
1. North Dakota State (26) 9-0 650 1
2. Coastal Carolina 9-0 618 2
3. New Hampshire 7-1 599 4
4. Jacksonville State 7-1 570 5
5. Eastern Washington 8-2 539 7
6. McNeese State 6-2 500 8
7. Villanova 7-2 475 3
8. Richmond 7-2 446 14
9. Fordham 8-1 412 10
10. Montana 6-3 395 11
11. Chattanooga 6-3 387 12
12. Illinois State 7-1 385 6
13. Youngstown State 7-2 369 13
14. Southeastern Louisiana 6-3 320 15
15. Eastern Kentucky 8-1 270 16
16. Montana State 6-3 260 9
17. Harvard 7-0 218 18
18. Bethune-Cookman 7-2 174 20
19. Indiana State 6-3 171 21
20. Northern Iowa 5-4 155 22
21. Bryant 7-1 108 24
22. South Dakota State 5-4 104 19
23. Cal Poly 6-3 86 NR
24. Southern Illinois 5-4 48 25
25. William & Mary 5-4 47 17
Courtesy: JSU Sports Information