A New Era at the Top: South Dakota State Seizes No. 1 in FCS Poll After Montana State's Stunning Loss

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For the first time in the 2026 season, the FCS landscape has a new team standing at the summit.

Following a weekend of absolute chaos that saw the defending national champions fall to a winless underdog, the South Dakota State Jackrabbits have officially taken over the No. 1 spot in the Week 6 FCS Top 25 polls.

The shakeup completely redefines the hierarchy of the subdivision as conference play heats up in October. Here is a detailed breakdown of the new No. 1, the biggest risers, the steepest fallers, and the key storylines from the latest FCS rankings.

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The New No. 1: South Dakota State

The Jackrabbits earned their promotion the hard way. South Dakota State went on the road to Normal, Illinois, and secured a commanding 31-14 victory over previously No. 11-ranked Illinois State.

Quarterback Josh Holst was highly efficient, throwing two touchdown passes to pace the offense, while the Jackrabbits’ defense delivered the final blow with a Myles Green pick-six. Now sitting at 5-1, South Dakota State claimed the top spot in both the Stats Perform and FCS Nation Top 25 polls, collecting the vast majority of first-place votes.

The Biggest Faller: Montana State (Down to No. 5)

The result that completely blew up the top of the poll occurred under the roof of the Kibbie Dome.

Entering Friday night undefeated, ranked No. 1, and riding a historic, program-record 19-game winning streak, the defending 2025 national champion Montana State Bobcats were stunned 35-34 by the winless Idaho Vandals. Despite playing without several key captains, including Lamson and Dowler, the Bobcats watched their air of invincibility vanish when Idaho erased a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit. The Vandals scored on a 25-yard touchdown pass on the final play of regulation and boldly went for a game-winning two-point conversion to end the streak.

While the Bobcats do not disappear from the national picture because of a one-point road loss, the teams beneath them capitalized on the stumble, dropping Montana State five spots down to No. 6.

The Risers

No. 2 Tarleton State (Up 1 Spot)

The Texans continue to build a flawless resume. Tarleton improved to a perfect 5-0 with a massive 56-21 victory over Chicago State, racking up 56 unanswered points after falling behind early. Ranking No. 3 is the highest position in program history for the Texans, who are now 16-1 in the regular season dating back to the start of 2025.

No. 3 Montana (Up 1 Spot)

The Grizzlies handled their business at Washington-Grizzly Stadium, blowing past Northern Colorado 36-14 in front of 27,000 fans. Quarterback Keali’i Ah Yat was spectacular, throwing five touchdown passes (three to receiver Brooks Davis) as Montana improved to 5-1 overall and 3-0 in Big Sky play, moving right behind SDSU in the rankings.

No. 8 Austin Peay (Up 1 Spot)

The Governors are quietly putting together one of the best resumes in the country. Austin Peay jumped into the Top 10 following a 42-17 dismantling of New Haven. Quarterback Chris Parson completely picked apart the secondary, completing 19 of 23 passes for 308 yards and four touchdowns to secure the Governors’ program-record 10th consecutive home victory.

No. 9 Youngstown State (Up 1 Spot)

The Penguins are soaring. Youngstown State went on the road and defeated Southern Illinois 28-16, scoring 18 unanswered points in the second half. Their resilience has vaulted them into the Top 5.

The Fallers

South Carolina State Bulldogs (Down 9 Spots to No. 21)

The Bulldogs suffered the most catastrophic drop of any team in the Top 25 this week. After riding high at No. 12 in the Week 5 Coaches Poll, South Carolina State plummeted nine spots down to No. 21. The massive correction from the voters indicates a severe loss of confidence, completely resetting the Bulldogs’ trajectory as they try to regain their footing in conference play.

Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles (Down 8 Spots to No. 16)

Just a week ago, the Golden Eagles were flying high as a Top 10 team, sitting comfortably at No. 8 in the nation. However, a brutal Week 6 outcome sent Tennessee Tech into a tailspin. The voters severely punished the Golden Eagles, dropping them a staggering eight spots to No. 16. They are now fighting to stay relevant in a crowded middle-tier of the Top 25.

Idaho State Bengals (Down 3 Spots to No. 17)

The Bengals could not maintain their positive momentum from late September. After breaking into the top 15 at No. 14 last week, Idaho State slipped three spots to No. 17 in the latest AFCA poll. The slight drop reflects the razor-thin margin for error in the FCS—when the teams immediately behind you string together impressive victories, a minor stumble is all it takes to slide down the board.

Illinois State Redbirds (Down 2 Spots to No. 13)

The Redbirds found themselves on the wrong side of the biggest game of the weekend. Hosting South Dakota State in Normal, Illinois, the Redbirds were thoroughly outplayed, suffering a 31-14 defeat. The loss cost Illinois State their No. 11 ranking, dropping them two spots to No. 13. While the voters respected the quality of their opponent enough to keep the drop minimal, the Redbirds have now lost ground in the heavily contested Missouri Valley Football Conference hierarchy.