ASU moves up slightly in rankings
by Steve Behr Sports Editor
Appalachian State will play the No. 1 ranked team in the FCS for the second time in as many years. For the second time in as many years, that team is Georgia Southern.
The Eagles claimed the No. 1 ranking in the AFCA coaches poll, which was released Monday. Georgia Southern (6-2) grabbed 17 of the 24 first-place votes and finished with 635 points. Georgia Southern moved up from No. 2 it held last week.
North Dakota State (7-1) had five first place votes and finished with 619 points.
Appalachian State (6-3) moved up one spot to 14th in the coaches poll. The Mountaineers, who beat Western Carolina 38-27, finished with 275 points.
Wofford is the other Southern Conference team in the poll. The Terriers checked in at No. 7, one up from last week. Eastern Washington, which was No. 1 last week, tumbled to No. 8 following its 30-27 loss to Southern Utah last week.
Montana State was third. The Bobcats were followed by Sam Houston State, Old Dominion, Lehigh, Wofford, Eastern Washington, Stony Brook and James Madison.
SPORTS NETWORK
North Dakota State grabbed the top position in The Sports Network poll, which was released Monday.
The Bison had 59 first place votes and finished with 3,951 points. Georgia Southern was second with 3,925 points despite picking up 76 first place votes.
Appalachian State was 15th in the poll with 1,679 points. It’s a one-spot improvement from last week when the Mountaineers were ranked 16th.
Montana State was third in the poll, followed by Sam Houston State, Old Dominoin, Wofford, Eastern Washington, Lehigh, Stony Brook and James Madison.
PHILADELPHIA — The Sports Network poll for the week of Oct. 29. First place votes are in parenthesis.
1. North Dakota State (59) 7-1 3,951 3
2. Georgia Southern (76) 7-1 3,928 2
3. Montana State (9) 7-1 3,714 4
4. Sam Houston State (9) 6-2 3,365 5
5. Old Dominion (2) 7-1 3,344 6
6. Wofford 7-1 3,210 7
7. Eastern Washington 6-2 3,112 1
8. Lehigh 8-0 2,940 8
9. Stony Brook 8-1 2,775 10
10. James Madison 6-2 2,741 9
11. New Hampshire 7-2 2,529 12
12. Northern Arizona (2) 7-1 2,356 13
13. Central Arkansas 7-2 1,962 14
14. Indiana State 7-2 1,863 15
15. Appalachian State 6-3 1,679 16
16. Cal Poly 7-1 1,626 11
17. Illinois State 7-2 1,546 17
18. Tennessee State 8-1 1,098 21
19. Towson 4-4 843 23
20. Albany 7-1 834 24
21. South Dakota State 6-2 734 NR
22. Richmond 5-3 579 25
T-23. Delaware 5-3 453 20
T-23. Villanova 6-3 453 19
25. Eastern Kentucky 376 18
Others receiving votes: Sacramento State 367, UT Martin 274, Harvard 231, Eastern Illinois 188, Bethune-Cookman 155, McNeese State 73, Southern Illinois 66, Youngstown State 60, Jacksonville State 31, The Citadel 30, Southern Utah 29, Samford 22, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 21, Alabama A&M 16, Chattanooga 14, Northern Iowa 12, Colgate 7, Fordham 6, Stephen F. Austin 4, Drake 3, Delaware State 3, North Carolina Central 2
SPARTANBURG, S.C. — The AFCS coaches poll for the week of Oct. 22. First place votes are in parenthesis.
1. Georgia Southern (17) 7-1 635 2
2. North Dakota State (5) 7-1 619 3
3. Montana State 7-1 586 4
4. Sam Houston State 6-2 561 5
5. Old Dominion 7-1 528 7
6. Lehigh (1) 8-0 517 6
7. Wofford 7-1 486 8
8. Eastern Washington (1) 6-2 471 1
9. Stony Brook 8-1 450 9
10. James Madison 6-2 429 10
11. New Hampshire 396 12
12. Northern Arizona 7-1 363 13
13. Central Arkansas 7-2 326 14
14. Appalachian State 6-3 275 15
15. Illinois State 7-2 264 17
16. Cal Poly 7-1 256 11
17. Indiana State 6-3 249 T-18
18. Albany 7-1 188 20
19. Tennessee State 8-1 173 T-21
20. Delaware 5-3 122 T-21
21. Harvard 6-1 96 24
22. Towson 4-4 87 25
23. Eastern Kentucky 6-3 68 T-18
24. Bethune-Cookman 6-2 54 NR
25. South Dakota State 6-2 51 NR
Others Receiving Votes: Sacramento State (44), Richmond (27), Villanova (27), UT Martin (26), McNeese State (23), Jacksonville State (16), Youngstown State (10), Eastern Illinois (8), The Citadel (5), Samford (5), Southern Illinois (4), Northern Iowa (4), Alabama A&M (1).