Chris' FCS page #5

I found it hard to believe how un-seriously the AP voters take the FCS. Someone gave South Dakota State a vote after their upset of then#5 Western Illinois last week- despite the glaring fact that it was their first win against 4 losses. In fact, 6 teams with losing records totalled 297 votes- more than the 14th ranked team. By contrast, serious voters in the CBSSports 120 for FBS teams didn't hit a losing team until its 48th spot. I'm calling you out FCS football voters- get serious or resign your vote! A little professionalism would go a long way, and all you seem to have is a little.

Anyway, here's the better top twenty. Delaware goes to 7-0 with a 24-17 win over URI and holds onto the top spot. Liberty moves into the second slot after a 41-7 rout of VMI, up 2 spots. I moved media darling Appalachian St. into 3rd, up 3, after a 39-10 trouncing of the Citadel. Wofford follows them into fourth, turning a struggle early into a 45-14 romp over Western Carolina. Jacksonville St. also followed them up 3 notches to 5 with a 24-0 blanking of Tennessee St.

Bethune-Cookman vs South Carolina St. was kinda the game that would show if I was any good at this or not, as we discussed last week. I was vindicated when the 16th ranked B-Cs beat the 13th ranked Staters 14-0, which moves B-C into 6th and State down to 20th. The air continues to leak out of James Madison, as they fall 28-14 to New Hampshire for their second straight loss and they drop from 2nd to 7th. Montana State falls from 3 to 8 after an embarrassing 34-7 loss to Northern Arizona. When you dance with the devil as much as they have, I guess it's not surprising.

Stephen F. Austin recovered from their near thing against McNeese last week with a 30-7 pasting of a decent Central Arkansas team, and move into the top ten at #9. William and Mary take their week off, so I leave them at 10th. Western Illinois shakes off the aforementioned loss to South Dakota St. - kinda- edging Youngstown St. in a nailbiter 40-38. UMass tumbles 3 to #12 after an 11-10 loss to the Richmond Spiders; and Villanova moves up to 13th with a 48-18 ripping of Maine.

Jacksonville has hung low because they have a tendency to play close, high scoring games. Not so this week as they rip Valparaiso (who nobody plays a close game against), rolling to a 63-7 lead AT THE HALF and a 86-7 final. This was good enough to move them up 5 to 14th. Robert Morris was also impressive, moving up to 15 after a 38-0 blanking of Albany. Dayton started out sluggish but recovered to top Butler 33-13 and climb 2 into 16th. Southeast Missouri St. joins the club this week with a 41-24 win over Austin Peay; they replace Georgia Southern, who lose their second straight, 35-27 to Chattanooga. North Dakota State loses to Illinois St. 34-24 and drop from 5th to 18th; and Montana avoided dropping out yet again on a FG with 23 seconds left to top Portland St. 23-21. The win kept them hanging on at 19th.

Next week's big games include #1 Delaware vs #10 William and Mary, and #9 Stephen F. Austin facing conference and state rival Sam Houston St. (4-2). Also, Montana takes their turn with the slayers of their state rival, Northern Arizona.