Photo by: Zachary Lucy
North Dakota State No. 4 in Final Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll
1/6/2026 1:45:00 PM | Football
FARGO, N.D. - North Dakota State was ranked No. 4 in the final Stats Perform FCS Top 25 media poll for the 2025 season released Tuesday, Jan. 6.
The Bison (12-1) tied for fourth in the poll with Villanova (12-3) behind top-ranked national champion Montana State (14-2), national runner-up Illinois State (12-5) and third-ranked semifinalist Montana (13-2).
North Dakota State won the Missouri Valley Football Conference with an 8-0 record and advanced to the FCS playoffs for the 16th consecutive season before falling in the second round to Illinois State, 29-28. The Redbirds won four straight road playoff games before a 35-34 overtime loss to Montana State in the title game.
NDSU was one of seven MVFC teams in the final poll. South Dakota was ninth, South Dakota State was 13th, North Dakota was 14th, Youngstown State 18th and Southern Illinois 25th.
Final 2025 Stats Perform FCS Top 25
Dropped out: Jackson St. (20)
Others receiving votes: Prairie View A&M 76, Jackson St. 58, Alabama St. 41, West Georgia 38, Austin Peay 29, Southern Utah 25, Drake 21, Central Connecticut St. 18, Lafayette 16, Northern Arizona 11, UT Rio Grande Valley 3
The Bison (12-1) tied for fourth in the poll with Villanova (12-3) behind top-ranked national champion Montana State (14-2), national runner-up Illinois State (12-5) and third-ranked semifinalist Montana (13-2).
North Dakota State won the Missouri Valley Football Conference with an 8-0 record and advanced to the FCS playoffs for the 16th consecutive season before falling in the second round to Illinois State, 29-28. The Redbirds won four straight road playoff games before a 35-34 overtime loss to Montana State in the title game.
NDSU was one of seven MVFC teams in the final poll. South Dakota was ninth, South Dakota State was 13th, North Dakota was 14th, Youngstown State 18th and Southern Illinois 25th.
Final 2025 Stats Perform FCS Top 25
| Team (First-Place Votes) | W-L | Pts | Prev | |
| 1. | Montana St. (56) | 14-2 | 1400 | 2 |
| 2. | Illinois St. | 12-5 | 1327 | T17 |
| 3. | Montana | 13-2 | 1271 | 3 |
| 4. | North Dakota St. | 12-1 | 1181 | 1 |
| Villanova | 12-3 | 1181 | 9 | |
| 6. | Tarleton St. | 12-2 | 1112 | 5 |
| 7. | Stephen F. Austin | 11-3 | 992 | 10 |
| 8. | UC Davis | 9-4 | 985 | 11 |
| 9. | South Dakota | 10-5 | 947 | 12 |
| 10. | Lehigh | 12-1 | 902 | 4 |
| 11. | Rhode Island | 11-3 | 816 | 8 |
| 12. | Abilene Christian | 9-5 | 711 | 13 |
| 13. | South Dakota St. | 9-5 | 686 | 16 |
| 14. | North Dakota | 8-6 | 633 | 19 |
| 15. | Yale | 9-3 | 628 | 24 |
| 16. | Tennessee Tech | 11-2 | 607 | 6 |
| 17. | Mercer | 9-3 | 584 | 7 |
| 18. | Youngstown St. | 8-5 | 433 | 14 |
| 19. | Southeastern Louisiana | 9-4 | 358 | T17 |
| 20. | Harvard | 9-2 | 242 | 15 |
| 21. | South Carolina St. | 10-3 | 206 | NR |
| 22. | Monmouth | 9-3 | 187 | 21 |
| 23. | New Hampshire | 8-5 | 165 | 22 |
| 24. | Lamar | 8-5 | 159 | 25 |
| 25. | Southern Illinois | 7-5 | 147 | 23 |
Dropped out: Jackson St. (20)
Others receiving votes: Prairie View A&M 76, Jackson St. 58, Alabama St. 41, West Georgia 38, Austin Peay 29, Southern Utah 25, Drake 21, Central Connecticut St. 18, Lafayette 16, Northern Arizona 11, UT Rio Grande Valley 3
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