STEPHENVILLE — Shortly after naming Tarleton State Football the Stats Perform FCS National Team of the Week, Stats Perform then announced its first top-25 poll since games have been played. Tarleton State Football jumped from its No. 10 preseason ranking to No. 5 in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll.
This is the highest ranking in Tarleton State Football’s NCAA Division I era.
The Texans jumped ahead of Montana, Illinois State, UC Davis, Rhode Island and Incarnate Word following two games and Weeks 0-1. Tarleton State now only trails No. 1 North Dakota State, No. 2 South Dakota State, No. 3 Montana State and No. 4 South Dakota. Only seven points separate the Texans (1,164) and the Coyotes (1,171) in the poll. A first-place vote is worth 25 points, a second-place vote 24 points, all the way down to one point for a 25th-place vote.
The Texans just earned one of their best victories in program history, beating the defending American champions, Army, in West Point on Friday night in double overtime. The Texans won 30-27 on a Brad Larson 37-yard field goal to upset the Black Knights at Michie Stadium in front of 23,032 fans. This was Tarleton State’s first road victory against an FBS program in its fourth try, and second win against an FBS program in five total matchups, having also defeated New Mexico State in El Paso in 2021. On Week 0 the previous Saturday, Aug. 23, Tarleton State shut out Portland State 42-0 on the road at Hillsboro Stadium in Hillsboro, Oregon. It marked Tarleton State’s largest season-opening win since 2002 (62-0), and the Texans forced the Vikings’ first FCS shutout loss in nearly 20 years (2006) and first shutout loss at their home field since 2003.
Now through two games, the Texans are the lone FCS program 2-0 on the year, and one of five NCAA Division I programs 2-0 across FBS and FCS (Iowa State, Kansas, UNLV and Western Kentucky).
Last year, the Texans were ranked as high as No. 7 in the poll at the end of October, and finished No. 13 in the final Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll.
Tarleton State is one of three UAC teams in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll, joined by Abilene Christian (No. 16) and Southern Utah (No. 24).
The full Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll after Week 1:
1. North Dakota State (1-0)
Points: 1,397 (53 of 56 first-place votes); Previous Ranking: 1; Week 1: 38-0 win at The Citadel; Week 2: at Tennessee State
2. South Dakota State (1-0)
Points: 1,333 (2); Previous Ranking: 3; Week 1: 20-3 win over then-No. 15 Sacramento State; Week 2: at No. 3 Montana State
3. Montana State (0-1)
Points: 1,274 (1); Previous Ranking: 2; Week 1: 59-13 loss at Oregon; Week 2: No. 2 South Dakota State
4. South Dakota (0-1)
Points: 1,171; Previous Ranking: 4; Week 1: 55-7 loss at Iowa State; Week 2: at Lamar
5. Tarleton State (2-0)
Points: 1,164; Previous Ranking: 10; Week 0: 42-0 win at Portland State; Week 1: 30-27 win at Army; Week 2: Mississippi Valley State
6. Montana (0-0)
Points: 1,027; Previous Ranking: 7; Week 1: No game; Week 2: Central Washington
7. Illinois State (0-1)
Points: 961; Previous Ranking: 6; Week 1: 35-3 loss at Oklahoma State; Week 2: Morehead State
8. UC Davis (1-0)
Points: 958; Previous Ranking: 8; Week 0: No contest (inclement weather) vs. then-No. 11 Mercer; Week 1: 31-24 win at Utah Tech; Week 2: at Washington
9. Rhode Island (1-0, 1-0 CAA)
Points: 953; Previous Ranking: 9; Week 1: 31-20 win over Campbell; Week 2: at Stony Brook
10. Idaho (0-1)
Points: 879; Previous Ranking: 12; Week 1: 13-10 loss at Washington State; Week 2: St. Thomas
11. Lehigh (1-0, 1-0 Patriot)
Points: 745; Previous Ranking: 14; Week 1: 21-14 win over then-No. 25 Richmond; Week 2: Sacred Heart
12. UIW (1-1, 0-1 Southland)
Points: 730; Previous Ranking: 5; Week 0: 20-6 loss at Nicholls; Week 1: 31-21 win over Eastern Washington; Week 2: No game
13. Villanova (0-0)
Points: 718; Previous Ranking: 13; Week 1: No game; Week 2: Colgate
14. Southern Illinois (1-0)
Points: 423; Previous Ranking: 20; Week 1: 49-3 win over Thomas More; Week 2: at Purdue
15. Jackson State (1-0)
Points: 422; Previous Ranking: 17; Week 1: 28-14 win over Hampton; Week 2: at Southern Miss
16. Abilene Christian (0-1)
Points: 396; Previous Ranking: 16; Week 1: 35-7 loss at Tulsa; Week 2: No. 25 Stephen F. Austin
17. Tennessee Tech (1-0)
Points: 371; Previous Ranking: 21; Week 1: 65-0 win over Cumberland; Week 2: Chattanooga
18. Sacramento State (0-1)
Points: 351; Previous Ranking: 15; Week 1: 20-3 loss at then-No. 3 South Dakota State; Week 2: at Nevada
19. Northern Arizona (0-1)
Points: 349; Previous Ranking: 19; Week 1: 38-19 loss at Arizona State; Week 2: Utah Tech
20. North Dakota (0-1)
Points: 325; Previous Ranking: NR; Week 1: 38-35 loss at Kansas State; Week 2: Portland State
21. Monmouth (1-0)
Points: 323; Previous Ranking: 22; Week 1: 42-39 win at Colgate; Week 2: at Fordham
22. Nicholls (1-1, 1-0 Southland)
Points: 265; Previous Ranking: NR; Week 0: 20-6 win over then-No. 5 UIW; Week 1: 38-20 loss at Troy; Week 2: West Georgia
23. Mercer (0-1)
Points: 229; Previous Ranking: 11; Week 0: No contest (inclement weather) vs. then-No. 8 UC Davis; Week 1: 15-10 loss to Presbyterian; Week 2: No game
24. Southern Utah (1-0)
Points: 226; Previous Ranking: NR; Week 1: 46-24 win over Idaho State; Week 2: at San Diego
25. Stephen F. Austin (0-1)
Points: 146; Previous Ranking: 23; Week 1: 27-0 loss at Houston; Week 2: at No. 16 Abilene Christian
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