The first 2026 FCS playoff committee rankings are here, and the committee wasted no time stirring up debate.
Montana State claimed No. 1, undefeated Tarleton State settled for second, and Montana was left out of the Top 10 entirely.
The NCAA Division I Football Championship Committee revealed its first FCS playoff Top 10 of 2026 on Tuesday, Oct. 20, during ESPN2's College Football Live.
The rankings offered the first official look at how the committee views the playoff race, and there were plenty of surprises.
- Sign Up To Watch FCS Football On FloCollege
- FCS Football Rankings Week 8: Tarleton State Takes No. 1 As Top 10 Shakes Up
- The Vandals Strike Again: 5 Takeaways From FCS Football Week 7
The defending national champions claimed the top spot over two undefeated contenders, one of the FCS's most historic programs was left out entirely, and only five conferences placed teams in the Top 10.
With Selection Sunday approaching on Nov. 22, here are five things we learned from the committee's first rankings.
FCS Playoff Rankings 2026: First Committee Top 10
The NCAA Division I Football Championship Committee released its first Top 10 rankings on Tuesday, Oct. 20, offering an early look at the teams leading the race for the 2026 FCS playoffs.
- Montana State (6-1) — Big Sky
- Tarleton State (7-0) — UAC
- Youngstown State (6-2) — MVFC
- Stephen F. Austin (7-0) — Southland
- South Dakota State (5-2) — MVFC
- North Dakota (6-2) — MVFC
- Northern Arizona (6-2) — Big Sky
- South Dakota (6-2) — MVFC
- Austin Peay (6-2) — UAC
- Harvard (5-0) — Ivy League
Other teams receiving consideration: Illinois State (Missouri Valley), Lehigh (Patriot League) and Tennessee Tech (SoCon).
1. Montana State Is No. 1, But Does It Deserve To Be?
Apparently, being undefeated isn't a requirement for being the best team in the FCS.
Montana State (6-1) claimed the committee's No. 1 ranking despite losing 35-34 to Idaho earlier this month. Meanwhile, undefeated Tarleton State (7-0) sits at No. 2.
That is a significant departure from the latest AFCA Coaches Poll, which has Tarleton State first, Stephen F. Austin second and Montana State third.
The Texans received 24 of 26 first-place votes in Monday's AFCA poll and already own an FBS victory over Bowling Green. Their résumé certainly gives them an argument for the committee's top spot.
Montana State Does Have A Championship Résumé
The Bobcats defeated Illinois State 35-34 in overtime last January to capture their first FCS championship since 1984. They also reached the national championship game following the 2024 season.
Last season's championship doesn't automatically earn Montana State anything in 2026, but the Bobcats have built another strong résumé. Their wins include a road victory over FBS Nevada and a 28-14 win against Northern Arizona, which the committee ranked No. 7.
The real question now is whether the Bobcats can stay No. 1 while undefeated Tarleton continues building its case.
2. Where In The World Is Montana?
We're talking about Montana. Yes, that Montana. The FCS powerhouse Montana.
The Grizzlies have two national championships, eight national title-game appearances and a long history of postseason success. Their 29 FCS playoff appearances through 2025 are a subdivision record.
Montana reached the national championship game following the 2023 season and returned to the semifinals in 2025.
Yet the Grizzlies are completely absent from the committee's first Top 10.
Montana (5-3) has lost two consecutive games, falling 49-44 to Northern Arizona before suffering a 42-35 defeat against Idaho. Its other loss came against FBS opponent Oregon State.
Those losses dropped the Grizzlies from No. 7 to No. 14 in Monday's AFCA Coaches Poll.
The contrast is striking. Montana State is the committee's No. 1 team, Northern Arizona sits seventh, and Montana isn't ranked at all.
There's still time for the Grizzlies to recover, especially with the Nov. 21 Brawl of the Wild against Montana State looming.
But for one of the most decorated programs in FCS history, being outside the committee's initial Top 10 is a significant development.
3. The Missouri Valley Has Nearly Half The Top 10
The Missouri Valley Football Conference apparently didn't get the memo that sharing is caring.
Four MVFC programs cracked the committee's first Top 10, and all four landed inside the top eight.
- No. 3 Youngstown State (6-2)
- No. 5 South Dakota State (5-2)
- No. 6 North Dakota (6-2)
- No. 8 South Dakota (6-2)
Youngstown State leads the group after winning four straight games, with quarterback Beau Brungard helping power the Penguins' offense.
North Dakota made one of the biggest statements of Week 7, defeating previously top-ranked South Dakota State 21-10 and jumping seven places in the AFCA poll.
Interestingly, the committee still placed South Dakota State one spot ahead of North Dakota despite that head-to-head result.
If the season ended with those four programs occupying the same positions, each would be in the conversation for a first-round bye.
4. Three Undefeated Teams, Three Different Stories
Three undefeated FCS programs remain, and the committee has three very different opinions about them.
Tarleton State (7-0), No. 2: The Texans are the top-ranked team in the AFCA Coaches Poll, with an FBS victory over Bowling Green and a 49-35 win against Central Arkansas last weekend. Despite their perfect record, they're looking up at Montana State.
Stephen F. Austin (7-0), No. 4: The Lumberjacks are enjoying their first 7-0 start in 31 years. Quarterback Gavin Rutherford has been among the nation's leading passers, and SFA just demolished Nicholls 56-0. Yet the committee placed the Lumberjacks two spots below Tarleton and behind two teams with losses.
Harvard (5-0), No. 10: The Crimson have played fewer games than the other two undefeated programs, but their perfect start earned them the final spot in the committee's rankings. With the Ivy League having joined the FCS playoff field for the first time in 2025, Harvard's inclusion is another sign of the conference's growing postseason relevance.
Three undefeated teams. Three different playoff outlooks.
5. Only Five Conferences Made The Top 10. Where Is Everybody Else?
The committee's first rankings feature 10 teams, but only five conferences are represented.
Here's how the Top 10 breaks down:
- Missouri Valley Football Conference: 4 teams
- Big Sky Football: 2 teams
- United Athletic Conference: 2 teams
- Southland Conference: 1 team
- Ivy League Football: 1 team
Six FCS conferences are missing from the committee's first Top 10:
- Southern Conference (SoCon)
- Patriot League
- Big South-OVC Football Association
- Northeast Conference (NEC)
- Pioneer Football League (PFL)
- CAA
The CAA's absence is particularly interesting.
Campbell (6-1) sits at No. 16 in the latest AFCA Coaches Poll, while Monmouth (5-2) is No. 18. Both programs have built postseason cases, but neither cracked the committee's first rankings.
The Southern Conference also has nationally ranked contenders, including No. 13 Mercer and No. 20 East Tennessee State.
Meanwhile, Patriot League contender Lehigh and Southern Conference program Tennessee Tech were among the teams receiving consideration outside the committee's Top 10.
Of course, being excluded from these rankings doesn't mean a conference will miss the playoffs. There is still more than a month for the postseason picture to change.
When Are The Next 2026 FCS Playoff Committee Rankings?
The NCAA Division I Football Championship Committee will reveal its second Top 10 on Thursday, Nov. 5, during College Football Live on ESPN2.
The complete 24-team FCS playoff bracket will be announced on Sunday, Nov. 22.
The first round begins Nov. 28, and the national championship game is scheduled for Jan. 11, 2027, at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee.
How Can I Watch College Football On FloCollege In 2026?
Fans can watch FCS, Division II and Division III college football games live and on demand on FloCollege throughout the 2026 season.
Visit the FloFootball college football schedule to find upcoming games, dates, kickoff times and streaming information.
What College Football Games Are On FloCollege?
FloCollege streams FCS, NCAA Division II and NCAA Division III college football games throughout the 2026 season.
The schedule changes each week throughout the season. Fans can view the latest FloFootball schedule to see upcoming matchups and streaming information.
Join The College Football Conversation
- Follow us on Twitter @FloCollegeFB
- Follow us on Instagram @FloCollegeFootball
- Follow us on TikTok @FloCollegeFootball
- Watch us on YouTube
- Like us on Facebook