FARGO, N.D. - North Dakota State was ranked No. 5 in the final AFCA FCS Coaches Poll for the 2025 season released Tuesday, Jan. 6, by the American Football Coaches Association.
National champion Montana State (14-2) claimed the No. 1 spot in the poll followed by national runner-up Illinois State (12-5), third-ranked semifinalist Montana (13-2), and fourth-ranked semifinalist Villanova (12-3).
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 six MVFC teams in the coaches poll. South Dakota was 11th, South Dakota State was 14th, North Dakota was 16th, and Youngstown State 17th.
Final 2025 AFCA FCS Coaches Poll
|
School (First-Place Votes) |
W-L |
Pts. |
Prev. |
| 1. |
Montana St. (21) |
14-2 |
525 |
2 |
| 2. |
Illinois St. |
12-5 |
504 |
17 |
| 3. |
Montana |
13-2 |
472 |
4 |
| 4. |
Villanova |
12-3 |
427 |
6 |
| 5. |
North Dakota St. |
12-1 |
426 |
1 |
| 6. |
Tarleton St. |
12-2 |
419 |
5 |
| 7. |
Stephen F. Austin |
11-3 |
369 |
10 |
| 8. |
UC Davis |
9-4 |
359 |
11 |
| 9. |
Lehigh |
12-1 |
358 |
3 |
| 10. |
Rhode Island |
11-3 |
304 |
9 |
| 11. |
South Dakota |
10-5 |
295 |
20 |
| 12. |
Abilene Christian |
9-5 |
257 |
14 |
| 13. |
Yale |
9-3 |
235 |
21 |
| 14. |
South Dakota St. |
9-5 |
209 |
18 |
| 15. |
Tennessee Tech |
11-2 |
206 |
7 |
| 16. |
North Dakota |
8-6 |
192 |
23 |
| 17. |
Youngstown St. |
8-5 |
190 |
13 |
| 18. |
Mercer |
9-3 |
186 |
8 |
| 19. |
Southeastern Louisiana |
9-4 |
172 |
15 |
| 20. |
Monmouth |
9-3 |
112 |
16 |
| 21. |
Lamar |
8-5 |
105 |
24 |
| 22. |
Jackson St. |
9-3 |
103 |
12 |
| 23. |
Harvard |
9-2 |
78 |
19 |
| 24. |
West Georgia |
8-3 |
68 |
22 |
| 25. |
South Carolina St. |
10-3 |
59 |
NR |
Dropped out: Southern Illinois (25)
Others receiving votes: New Hampshire 35, Lafayette 30, Southern Illinois 29, Drake 20, UT Rio Grande Valley 20, Prairie View A&M 16, Central Connecticut St. 15, Richmond 15, Alabama St. 10, Presbyterian 10, Southern Utah 5, Austin Peay 2
