FCS Football Rankings 2026: South Dakota State Takes No. 1 After Week 5

South Dakota State takes No. 1 in the 2026 FCS football rankings after Week 5. See the complete AFCA Coaches Poll Top 25.

Oct 9, 2026 by Ajay Shah

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Apparently, nobody told the Vandals they weren't supposed to beat the No. 1 team in the country.

Yet here we are, and South Dakota State has taken the top spot after Idaho stunned previously unbeaten Montana State 35-34.

The Bobcats dropped five places to No. 6, while Tarleton climbed to No. 2 and Montana moved to No. 3.

Stephen F. Austin and Lehigh round out the top five, both still unbeaten at 6-0. Campbell climbed to No. 20 and Monmouth entered at No. 24, giving the CAA two teams in the national rankings entering Week 6.

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AFCA FCS Football Rankings: Week 6 Top 25

Poll released Oct. 5, 2026. Records and previous rankings included.

South Dakota State (5-1) | Previous: 2
Tarleton (5-0) | Previous: 3
Montana (5-1) | Previous: 4
Stephen F. Austin (6-0) | Previous: 5
Lehigh (6-0) | Previous: 6
Montana State (5-1) | Previous: 1
North Dakota (5-1) | Previous: 7
Austin Peay (5-1) | Previous: 9
Youngstown State (4-2) | Previous: 10
Lamar (4-1) | Previous: 13
UC Davis (4-2) | Previous: 15
South Dakota (4-2) | Previous: 16
Illinois State (4-2) | Previous: 11
Northern Arizona (4-2) | Previous: 19
Richmond (5-1) | Previous: 17
Tennessee Tech (4-1) | Previous: 8
Idaho State (4-1) | Previous: 14
Mercer (4-2) | Previous: 21
Harvard (3-0) | Previous: 22
Campbell (5-1) | Previous: 24
South Carolina State (5-1) | Previous: 12
Jackson State (5-0) | Previous: 23
Colgate (4-2) | Previous: 20
Monmouth (4-2) | Previous: Unranked
SE Louisiana (3-2) | Previous: Unranked

Dropped out: West Florida (No. 18), Southern Illinois (No. 25).

Who Made The Biggest Moves In The FCS Rankings?

Montana State's five-place fall was the biggest development at the top after Idaho scored a touchdown and converted a 2-point attempt in the final seconds to pull off the upset.

Northern Arizona climbed five spots to No. 14, while UC Davis and South Dakota each gained four places.

Tennessee Tech suffered one of the week's steepest declines, dropping eight spots to No. 16. South Carolina State fell nine places to No. 21.

Monmouth and SE Louisiana joined the Top 25.

FCS Football Week 6 Ranked Matchups

Two Top 25 showdowns headline Saturday's schedule:

No. 2 Tarleton State at No. 8 Austin Peay, Oct. 10 at 7 p.m. ET
No. 3 Montana at No. 14 Northern Arizona, Oct. 10 at 5 p.m. ET

South Dakota State, Montana State, Stephen F. Austin and Lehigh all have byes, giving four of the nation's top six teams an extra week to prepare for the next stretch of conference play.

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