Montana State fans are still probably nursing hangovers in Bozeman after that Nashville thriller. Honestly, if you didn't see the FCS Rankings Top 25 shift like a tectonic plate over the last month, you weren't paying attention.
The Bobcats are on top. Finally.
It took an overtime heart-stopper at FirstBank Stadium to settle it, but the final polls are out, and the hierarchy of the Football Championship Subdivision has a very different flavor than it did back in August. We saw the "dynasty" in Fargo stumble, the rise of a gritty Illinois State squad, and the absolute dominance of the Big Sky Conference.
The Final FCS Rankings Top 25: A Snapshot of Chaos
When the AFCA and Stats Perform released their final tallies on January 6, 2026, the room was remarkably quiet. Montana State sat at the summit with a 14-2 record. They secured 21 first-place votes, and for good reason—they survived a playoff gauntlet that would have broken lesser teams.
But look at No. 2. Illinois State (12-5) jumped a staggering 15 spots in the final poll. You’ve rarely seen a leap that massive in the history of these rankings. They entered the playoffs as a "thank you for coming" participant and left as the national runner-up after losing by a single point in the first-ever overtime championship game in FCS history.
The Elite Tier
- Montana State (14-2): The kings. After 42 years of waiting, the 35-34 win over Illinois State cemented them as the undisputed No. 1.
- Illinois State (12-5): The ultimate "bracket busters." They proved that regular-season records are basically suggestions once December hits.
- Montana (13-2): The Griz were dominant until they ran into their rivals in the semifinals. Still, finishing top three is a massive win for Bobby Hauck's legacy.
- Villanova (12-3): The class of the CAA. They fought through to the semis for the first time since 2010.
- North Dakota State (12-1): It feels weird seeing the Bison at five. One loss in the playoffs and they slide. That's the brutality of the FCS Rankings Top 25.
Why the Big Sky is Currently Owning the Subdivision
If you want to talk about conference supremacy, you’ve gotta look at the West. The Big Sky didn't just have teams in the top 25; they owned the top of the board.
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Montana State and Montana at 1 and 3? That’s a statement.
UC Davis finished at No. 8 after a solid 9-4 campaign. Even Idaho State managed to sneak into the power ratings at No. 20 after a 6-6 season that was way more competitive than the record looks. The depth is terrifying. Usually, we expect the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) to be the bully on the block. While the MVFC still has NDSU, South Dakota (No. 11), and the surging Redbirds, the Big Sky felt like it had the higher ceiling this year.
The Mid-Major Surprises and Ivy League Quietness
Check out Lehigh at No. 9. A 12-1 record and a top-ten finish is something nobody predicted back in September. They played a disciplined brand of football that punished teams for making mistakes.
Then you have the Ivy League.
Yale (No. 13) and Harvard (No. 23) finished strong as usual. It’s always the "what if" with these teams since they don't participate in the playoffs. Harvard was undefeated for a massive chunk of the year, and many analysts (myself included) think they could have easily made a quarterfinal run if they were allowed to play in the post-season.
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The Bottom Half Movers
Tarleton State (No. 6) and Stephen F. Austin (No. 7) are the new kids making noise. Tarleton’s 12-2 run was a masterclass in offensive efficiency. They’re basically the new blueprint for how to transition and dominate.
South Carolina State also deserves a nod at No. 25. They won the Celebration Bowl in a 40-38 shootout against Prairie View A&M, proving that the HBCU talent pool is as deep as it's ever been.
The "Vegas" vs. "Coaches" Debate
There’s always a disconnect. Coaches love wins. Computers and Vegas oddsmakers love "power."
If you look at the Donchess Inference Index or other power ratings, North Dakota State often stayed at No. 1 or No. 2 even after their playoff exit. Why? Because the metrics say they’re still the most "efficient" team. But the FCS Rankings Top 25 is about what you did on the field when the lights were brightest.
A team like North Dakota (No. 16) finished 8-6. On paper, that's mediocre. But their strength of schedule was so brutal that the voters kept them high. They were essentially playing a top-10 team every other week.
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Key Takeaways for the 2026 Season
The landscape is shifting. With the FCS moving toward a permanent 12-game regular season schedule in 2026, depth is going to matter more than ever.
We’re seeing more NAIA transfers and NIL deals impacting these smaller schools. NDSU just landed a massive NAIA star, and Cal Poly added a Freshman All-American running back. The talent gap between the bottom of the FBS and the top of the FCS is basically a crack in the sidewalk at this point.
Actionable Insights for FCS Fans:
- Watch the Transfer Portal: The "big" FCS schools are now losing players to the FBS, but they are also raiding the NAIA and Division II levels more effectively.
- Regional Dominance Matters: If you’re betting or following rankings, keep an eye on the Big Sky/MVFC crossover games. Those are the only games that truly calibrate the top 10.
- Ignore Early Season Records: As Illinois State proved, a team with 4 or 5 losses can still be the second-best team in the country if they get healthy in November.
- Value the Ivy League Differently: Don't let the lack of playoffs fool you. A top-ranked Ivy team is usually a top-15 caliber squad nationally.
The Bobcats have the target on their back now. With 14 straight wins to end the season, they are the gold standard heading into the 2026 cycle. Whether they can hold off a vengeful Bison squad or a rising South Dakota program is the only question that matters now.