2008 FCS Coaches Poll

 

 

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 17, 2008

 

Playoff Spots and Seeds Still Up For Grabs

 

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Little changed in the top 15 of the FCS Coaches Poll this week, as the end of the regular season draws near. The top nine teams held serve at their spots from last week, while only two teams in the top 15 lost, No. 14 Elon to No. 2 Appalachian State, 24-16, and No. 19 William and Mary to No. 1 James Madison, 48-24.

 

The Dukes continue their stranglehold on the No. 1 spot by grabbing all 28 first-place votes. They have now held the spot for nine consecutive weeks, dating back to JMU’s 35-32 victory over then-No. 1 and now No. 2 Appalachian State on September 20. The Mountaineers clinched their fourth-straight Southern Conference title Saturday by defeating the Phoenix.

 

Rounding out the top 10 are Cal Poly, Northern Iowa, Montana, Richmond, Villanova, Weber State, Southern Illinois and Wofford. The No. 10 Terriers moved into the top 10 following Elon’s loss and a 28-7 win over Samford. 

 

Making a return to the poll this week is No. 21 Jacksonville State, which defeated then No. 18 Tennessee State, 26-21. Dropping out of the poll this week was Massachusetts, which was defeated, 52-21, by No. 11 New Hampshire.

 

The Colonial Athletic Association continues to lead the poll with six teams ranked, including three in the top 10. The SoCon has four teams ranked.  

 

The FCS Coaches Poll is based exclusively on a voting panel of head coaches in the FCS under the cooperation of the Collegiate Commissioners Association (CCA) and the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) and is administered by the Southern Conference. Two head coaches from each of the 14 FCS conferences participate in the voting.

 

The FCS Coaches Poll website can be viewed here and is updated every week after the release of the poll.  

 

 

Team (1st Votes)                     Record              Points                    Prev. Ranking

1. James Madison (28)                9-1                   700                            1

2. Appalachian State                  9-2                   668                            2

3. Cal Poly                                 8-1                   633                            3

4. Northern Iowa                         9-2                   615                            4

5. Montana                              10-1                   589                            5

6. Richmond                              8-3                   559                            6

7. Villanova                                8-2                   520                            7

8. Weber State                           9-2                   505                            8

9. Southern Illinois                      8-2                   472                            9

10. Wofford                                8-2                   433                         11

11. New Hampshire                    8-2                   414                         12

12. Central Arkansas                  9-2                   372                         13 

13. McNeese State                     7-3                   338                         14

14. Elon                                     8-3                   331                         10

15. South Carolina State             9-2                   311                         17

16. Harvard                                8-1                   219                         19

17. Maine                                  8-3                   210                         23

18. UT Martin                             8-3                   207                         21

19. William and Mary                  7-3                   171                         15 

20. Liberty                                 9-2                   164                         22

21. Jacksonville State                 8-3                   117                         NR

22. Colgate                                8-2                   115                         24

23. Furman                                7-4                   106                         16 

24. North Dakota State               6-4                     61                         25

25. Tennessee State                   8-3                     56                         18

                                              

 

Other receiving votes (pts. in parentheses): Prairie View A&M (49), Grambling State (40), Western Illinois (28), Montana State (19), Eastern Kentucky (18), Holy Cross (18), Massachusetts (12), South Dakota State (8), Florida A&M (8), Bethune-Cookman (7), Texas State (4), Jacksonville (3).