Football Earns FCS Poll Rankings

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – The Northern Arizona football team is ranked as high as No. 24 by The Sports Network FCS College Football poll and appears in both prominent national polls for the first time since Oct. 27, 2008, last season. The Lumberjacks are also ranked No. 25 in the FCS Coaches Poll.

NAU is 4-2 on the season with a 3-1 mark in the Big Sky Conference to ranked third overall behind No. 2 Montana and No. 16 Weber State. The Lumberjacks’ two losses are at Football Bowl Subdivision opponent Arizona and nationally-ranked Montana in a game that went to overtime. NAU has won three consecutive games overall, including two straight road contests.

NAU recorded its first victory over a ranked team since its win at No. 1 ranked McNeese State in 2003, breaking a streak of 19 consecutive losses to ranked teams at the FBS and FCS levels with the win at Montana State on Oct. 10.

2009 FCS Coaches Poll – Week 7 (October 19, 2009)
Team (No. 1 Votes), 2009 Record, Points
1. Richmond (28) 6-0 700
2. Montana 6-0 667
3. Southern Illinois 5-1 643
4. Villanova 6-1 610
5. William & Mary 5-1 556
6. Northern Iowa 5-2 551
7. Elon 5-1 516
8. New Hampshire 5-1 478
9. Appalachian State 4-2 468
10. South Carolina State 5-1 420
11. McNeese State 4-2 409
12. Jacksonville State 4-2 384
13. South Dakota State 5-1 353
14. Central Arkansas 4-2 318
15. Weber State 4-3 311
16. Massachusetts 4-2 280
17. Colgate 7-0 255
18. Stephen F. Austin 5-1 248
19. Cal Poly 3-3 175
20. Eastern Kentucky 4-2 139
21. Eastern Washington 4-3 110
22. Holy Cross 4-1 103
23. Delaware 5-2 84
24. Eastern Illinois 5-2 82
25. Northern Arizona 4-2 38

Others receiving votes (points in parentheses): Prairie View A&M (37), Florida A&M (36), James Madison (31), Liberty (29), Montana State (15), Youngstown State (14), Butler (12), Morgan State (10), Chattanooga (9), Lafayette (5), Albany (1), Missouri State (1), Southeastern Louisiana (1), UC Davis (1).

Sports Network's FCS College Football Poll
Team (First-place votes), Record, Points
1. Richmond (131) 6-0 3,413
2. Montana (5) 6-0 3,191
3. Southern Illinois (1) 5-1 3,122
4. Villanova 6-1 2,930
5. William & Mary 5-1 2,625
6. Northern Iowa 5-2 2,619
7. Elon 5-1 2,549
8. Appalachian State 4-2 2,361
9. New Hampshire 5-1 2,152
10. South Carolina State 5-1 1,949
11. South Dakota State 5-1 1,702
12. McNeese State 4-2 1,689
13. Jacksonville State 4-2 1,687
14. Massachusetts 4-2 1,566
15. Stephen F. Austin 5-1 1,541
16. Weber State 4-3 1,428
17. Colgate 7-0 1,264
18. Central Arkansas 4-2 ,225
19. Delaware Blue 5-2 977
20. Cal Poly 3-3 899
21. Eastern Kentucky 4-2 645
22. Holy Cross 5-1 479
23. Liberty 4-2 368
24. Northern Arizona 4-2 261
25. Eastern Illinois 5-2 249

Others receiving votes: Eastern Washington 236, James Madison 216, Prairie View A&M 213, Florida A&M 186, Lafayette 120, Furman 98, Montana State 89, Morgan State 76, Chattanooga 51, Albany 38, Youngstown State 36, UC Davis 35, Butler 28, Southeastern Louisiana 28, Gardner-Webb 18, Hofstra 17, Old Dominion 16, Central Connecticut State 15, Missouri State 14, Jacksonville 13, Brown 11, Grambling State 11, Maine 11, Georgia Southern 10, Harvard 5, Tennessee Tech 5, Texas State 5, North Dakota 5, Illinois State 4, Penn 4, Southern 3, Southern Utah 2, Dayton 1, Drake 1, Murray State 1.