2021 Final FCS Polls

[Gil Dobie]

Not bad on top, but I would move SIU to #4 and move everyone else down 1. Basically looking at the playoff game against SDSU.

STATS Poll May 16

1 Sam Houston 10-0 1,000 4
2 South Dakota State 8-2 958 2
3 James Madison 7-1 918 1
4 Delaware 7-1 918 5
5 North Dakota State 7-3 827 6
6 North Dakota 5-2 783 7
7 Jacksonville State 10-3 732 7
8 Southern Illinois 6-4 706 14
9 Weber State 1-0 714 8
10 Eastern Washington 5-2 630 9
11 Monmouth 3-1 606 10
12 VMI 6-2 572 11
13 Missouri State 5-5 503 12
14 UC Davis 3-2 405 13
15 Richmond 3-1 402 15
16 Villanova 2-2 356 16
17 Kennesaw State 4-1 345 17
18 (tie) Murray State 5-2 247 19
18 (tie) Rhode Island 2-1 247 18
20 Southeastern Louisiana 4-3 223 20
21 ETSU 4-2 223 22
22 Sacred Heart 3-2 154 NR
23 Austin Peay 4-5 153 21
24 Alabama A&M 5-0 152 NR
25 Nicholls 4-3 110 23
Dropped Out: Arkansas-Pine Bluff (24), Northern Iowa (25)

Others Receiving Votes (schools listed on two or more ballots): Holy Cross 64, Northern Iowa 59, Davidson 31, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 30, Southern 19, Samford 16, Maine 12, Duquesne 8, UIW 3

[GannonFan]

Not bad on top, but I would move SIU to #4 and move everyone else down 1. Basically looking at the playoff game against SDSU.

STATS Poll May 16

1 Sam Houston 10-0 1,000 4
2 South Dakota State 8-2 958 2
3 James Madison 7-1 918 1
4 Delaware 7-1 918 5
5 North Dakota State 7-3 827 6
6 North Dakota 5-2 783 7
7 Jacksonville State 10-3 732 7
8 Southern Illinois 6-4 706 14
9 Weber State 1-0 714 8
10 Eastern Washington 5-2 630 9
11 Monmouth 3-1 606 10
12 VMI 6-2 572 11
13 Missouri State 5-5 503 12
14 UC Davis 3-2 405 13
15 Richmond 3-1 402 15
16 Villanova 2-2 356 16
17 Kennesaw State 4-1 345 17
18 (tie) Murray State 5-2 247 19
18 (tie) Rhode Island 2-1 247 18
20 Southeastern Louisiana 4-3 223 20
21 ETSU 4-2 223 22
22 Sacred Heart 3-2 154 NR
23 Austin Peay 4-5 153 21
24 Alabama A&M 5-0 152 NR
25 Nicholls 4-3 110 23
Dropped Out: Arkansas-Pine Bluff (24), Northern Iowa (25)

Others Receiving Votes (schools listed on two or more ballots): Holy Cross 64, Northern Iowa 59, Davidson 31, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 30, Southern 19, Samford 16, Maine 12, Duquesne 8, UIW 3

So, ignoring SIU's other 3 losses, including the 41 point drubbing the first time they played SDSU?

[Gil Dobie]

Not bad on top, but I would move SIU to #4 and move everyone else down 1. Basically looking at the playoff game against SDSU.

STATS Poll May 16

1 Sam Houston 10-0 1,000 4
2 South Dakota State 8-2 958 2
3 James Madison 7-1 918 1
4 Delaware 7-1 918 5
5 North Dakota State 7-3 827 6
6 North Dakota 5-2 783 7
7 Jacksonville State 10-3 732 7
8 Southern Illinois 6-4 706 14
9 Weber State 1-0 714 8
10 Eastern Washington 5-2 630 9
11 Monmouth 3-1 606 10
12 VMI 6-2 572 11
13 Missouri State 5-5 503 12
14 UC Davis 3-2 405 13
15 Richmond 3-1 402 15
16 Villanova 2-2 356 16
17 Kennesaw State 4-1 345 17
18 (tie) Murray State 5-2 247 19
18 (tie) Rhode Island 2-1 247 18
20 Southeastern Louisiana 4-3 223 20
21 ETSU 4-2 223 22
22 Sacred Heart 3-2 154 NR
23 Austin Peay 4-5 153 21
24 Alabama A&M 5-0 152 NR
25 Nicholls 4-3 110 23
Dropped Out: Arkansas-Pine Bluff (24), Northern Iowa (25)

Others Receiving Votes (schools listed on two or more ballots): Holy Cross 64, Northern Iowa 59, Davidson 31, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 30, Southern 19, Samford 16, Maine 12, Duquesne 8, UIW 3

So, ignoring SIU's other 3 losses, including the 41 point drubbing the first time they played SDSU?

The way they were playing the last 3 games, IMO, they could beat anyone after JMU.

[93henfan]

Based on the whole season, Delaware at #4 is fine, but that's not how polls are supposed to work, IMHO. Polls are supposed to be the "right now" picture to me, even final polls. Delaware, with a greatly diminished Nolan Henderson due to multiple injuries in the quarters and semis and a patchwork o-line that was really not the same starting with the Carter Lynch injury against (IIRC, maybe earlier) Villanova, was not the same team as they were for most of the regular season. The run game basically disappeared, the protection broke down, and let's be honest: we got a very favorable draw in SHU and a fortunate break in the JSU QB getting injured. When we finally played a great team, we got smoked.

[89Hen]

Yeah, I don't think the Hens could have beaten either NoDaks. I'd feel better with them at 6. SIU... nah, they're about where they should be, maybe in front of JSU. They (JSU) stink.

[GannonFan]

So, ignoring SIU's other 3 losses, including the 41 point drubbing the first time they played SDSU?

The way they were playing the last 3 games, IMO, they could beat anyone after JMU.

Huh? Didn't they give up something like 550 yards of offense to a basically .500 SE LA team in one of those games? And didn't they need a last minute, 4th down prayer for a TD to stage a comeback win against a Weber St team that no one thought should've been seeded? Neither of those games really screams that they could beat anyone after JMU. You're putting a lot of stock in one game result from the second time they got to see SDSU and absorb everything they did wrong in that first 41 point drubbing.

[GannonFan]

Based on the whole season, Delaware at #4 is fine, but that's not how polls are supposed to work, IMHO. Polls are supposed to be the "right now" picture to me, even final polls. Delaware, with a greatly diminished Nolan Henderson due to multiple injuries in the quarters and semis and a patchwork o-line that was really not the same starting with the Carter Lynch injury against (IIRC, maybe earlier) Villanova, was not the same team as they were for most of the regular season. The run game basically disappeared, the protection broke down, and let's be honest: we got a very favorable draw in SHU and a fortunate break in the JSU QB getting injured. When we finally played a great team, we got smoked.

Hard to say where they are now - it's a final poll and it's hard to take injuries into account given there are no more games to play.

[GannonFan]

Yeah, I don't think the Hens could have beaten either NoDaks. I'd feel better with them at 6. SIU... nah, they're about where they should be, maybe in front of JSU. They (JSU) stink.

I'd agree with that, I would have no problem with NDSU ahead of them. And yes, JSU was as advertised, way overhyped.

[UNI88]

The way they were playing the last 3 games, IMO, they could beat anyone after JMU.

Huh? Didn't they give up something like 550 yards of offense to a basically .500 SE LA team in one of those games? And didn't they need a last minute, 4th down prayer for a TD to stage a comeback win against a Weber St team that no one thought should've been seeded? Neither of those games really screams that they could beat anyone after JMU. You're putting a lot of stock in one game result from the second time they got to see SDSU and absorb everything they did wrong in that first 41 point drubbing.

BBQ wasn't seeded. Most people thought they should have been (before the loss to SIU).

I'm not saying SIU should be higher. You never knew what you were going to get from them, they could be great or they could be pretty crappy.

[Gil Dobie]

The way they were playing the last 3 games, IMO, they could beat anyone after JMU.

Huh? Didn't they give up something like 550 yards of offense to a basically .500 SE LA team in one of those games? And didn't they need a last minute, 4th down prayer for a TD to stage a comeback win against a Weber St team that no one thought should've been seeded? Neither of those games really screams that they could beat anyone after JMU. You're putting a lot of stock in one game result from the second time they got to see SDSU and absorb everything they did wrong in that first 41 point drubbing.

SELA was the first team out of the playoffs according to the selection show, they gave Sam Houston a good game, losing by 4, and lost to Incarnate Word, ranked at the time. SIU lost their starting QB at mid-season, and appeared to have got it together at the end of the year. I watched 3 SIU games, and a couple NDSU & UND of course, and JSU's lost to Delaware. JSU should not have been seeded.

[Gil Dobie]

AGS Final Poll - First 3 positions were unanimous.

Rank Team: Total Points First Place Votes
1 Sam Houston State Bearkats 1025 41
2 South Dakota State Jackrabbits 984
3 James Madison Dukes 943
4 Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens 860
5 North Dakota State Bison 859
6 North Dakota Fighting Hawks 806
7 Southern Illinois Salukis 785
8 Jacksonville State Gamecocks 708
9 Weber State Wildcats 700
10 Virginia Military Institute Keydets 628
11 Monmouth Hawks 613
12 Eastern Washington Eagles 603
13 Missouri State Bears 476
14 UC Davis Aggies 403
15 Villanova Wildcats 389
16 Southeastern Louisiana Lions 375
17 Richmond Spiders 335
18 Kennesaw State Owls 247
19 Sacred Heart Pioneers 238
20 Murray State Racers 211
21 Rhode Island Rams 208
22 Holy Cross Crusaders 172
23 Austin Peay Governors 156
24 East Tennessee State Buccaneers 150
25 Nicholls State Colonels 121
ORV:
26 Samford Bulldogs 73
27 Davidson Wildcats 62
28 Alabama A&M Bulldogs 56
29 Northern Iowa Panthers 30
30t Mercer Bears 27
30t Northern Arizona Lumberjacks 27
32 Incarnate Word Cardinals 13
33t Southern Jaguars 12
33t Duquesne Dukes 12
35 Montana Grizzlies 9
36 Chattanooga Mocs 5
37 Arkansas Pine Bluff Golden Lions 4

[SuperHornet]

Montana got votes based on two games, one of which wasn't even D-I?