# 2017 NCAA Division I FCS football rankings

The 2017 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) football rankings comprises two human polls, in addition to various publications' preseason polls. Unlike the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), college football's governing body, the NCAA, bestows the national championship title through a 24-team tournament. The following weekly polls determine the top 25 teams at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision level of college football for the 2017 season. The STATS poll is voted by media members while the Coaches' Poll is determined by coaches at the FCS level.

## Legend

Legend :
| | Increase in ranking |
| | Decrease in ranking |
| | Not ranked previous week |
| Italics | Number of first place votes |
| (#–#) | Win–loss record |
| т | Tied with team above or below also with this symbol |

## STATS Poll

| | Preseason Aug 7 | Week 1 Sep 4 | Week 2 Sep 11 | Week 3 Sep 18 | Week 4 Sep 25 | Week 5 Oct 2 | Week 6 Oct 9 | Week 7 Oct 16 | Week 8 Oct 23 | Week 9 Oct 30 | Week 10 Nov 6 | Week 11 Nov 13 | Week 12 Nov 19 | Week 13 (Final) Jan 8 | |
| 1. | James Madison 134 | James Madison 152 (1–0) | James Madison 148 (2–0) | James Madison 156 (3–0) | James Madison 154 (4–0) | James Madison 157 (5–0) | James Madison 160 (5–0) | James Madison 160 (6–0) | James Madison 157 (7–0) | James Madison 156 (8–0) | James Madison 162 (9–0) | James Madison 163 (10–0) | James Madison 153 (11–0) | North Dakota State 158 (14–1) | 1. |
| 2. | North Dakota State 19 | North Dakota State 8 (1–0) | North Dakota State 10 (2–0) | North Dakota State 5 (2–0) | North Dakota State 5 (3–0) | North Dakota State 8 (4–0) | North Dakota State 8 (5–0) | North Dakota State 7 (6–0) | North Dakota State 9 (7–0) | North Dakota State 6 (8–0) | Jacksonville State (8–1) | Jacksonville State (9–1) | Jacksonville State (10–1) | James Madison (14–1) | 2. |
| 3. | Sam Houston State 7 | Sam Houston State 2 (1–0) | Sam Houston State (2–0) | Sam Houston State 1 (2–0) | Sam Houston State 2 (3–0) | Youngstown State (3–1) | Jacksonville State (4–1) | Jacksonville State (5–1) | Jacksonville State (6–1) | Jacksonville State (7–1) | Central Arkansas (8–1) | Central Arkansas (9–1) | Central Arkansas (10–1) | South Dakota State (11–3) | 3. |
| 4. | South Dakota State 2 | South Dakota State 1 (1–0) | South Dakota State 1 (2–0) | South Dakota State 1 (3–0) | South Dakota State 1 (3–0) | Jacksonville State (3–1) | South Dakota (5–0) | South Dakota (6–0) | Central Arkansas (6–1) | Central Arkansas (7–1) | Sam Houston State (8–1) | North Dakota State (9–1) | North Dakota State (10–1) | Sam Houston State (12–2) | 4. |
| 5. | Eastern Washington | Jacksonville State (1–0) | Jacksonville State (1–1) | Jacksonville State (1–1) | Jacksonville State (2–1) | Wofford (4–0) | Wofford (5–0) | Wofford (6–0) | Sam Houston State (6–1) | Sam Houston State (7–1) | North Dakota State (8–1) | Sam Houston State (9–1) | Sam Houston State (10–1) | Weber State (11–3) | 5. |
| 6. | Jacksonville State 1 | Villanova (1–0) | Youngstown State (1–1) | Youngstown State (2–1) | Youngstown State (2–1) | Central Arkansas (3–1) | Central Arkansas (4–1) | Central Arkansas (5–1) | South Dakota (6–1) | South Dakota (7–1) | South Dakota State (7–2) | South Dakota State (8–2) | South Dakota State (9–2) | Wofford (10–3) | 6. |
| 7. | Richmond | Eastern Washington (0–1) | Villanova (1–1) | Villanova (2–1) | Wofford (3–0) | South Dakota (4–0) | South Dakota State (4–1) | Sam Houston State (5–1) | North Carolina A&T (8–0) | Elon (7–1) | Elon (8–1) | Wofford (9–1) | North Carolina A&T (11–0) | North Carolina A&T (12–0) | 7. |
| 8. | North Dakota | Youngstown State (0–1) | Richmond (1–1) | Richmond (2–1) | The Citadel (3–0) | South Dakota State (3–1) | Youngstown State (3–2) | Eastern Washington (5–2) | Wofford (6–1) | Wofford (7–1) | Wofford (8–1) | North Carolina A&T (10–0) | Wofford (9–2) | Kennesaw State (12–2) | 8. |
| 9. | Youngstown State | Richmond (0–1) | New Hampshire (2–0) | Wofford (2–0) | Eastern Washington (2–2) | Sam Houston State (3–1) | Sam Houston State (4–1) | Youngstown State (3–3) | Samford (5–2) | North Carolina A&T (8–0) | North Carolina A&T (9–0) | Western Illinois (7–3) | Western Illinois (8–3) | Jacksonville State (10–2) | 9. |
| 10. | Villanova | Wofford (1–0) | North Dakota (1–1) | The Citadel (3–0) | South Dakota (3–0) | Eastern Washington (3–2) | Eastern Washington (4–2) | Western Illinois (5–1) | Elon (6–1) | South Dakota State (6–2) | South Dakota (7–2) | Stony Brook (8–2) | Stony Brook (9–2) | Central Arkansas (10–2) | 10. |
| 11. | Wofford | North Dakota (0–1) | Wofford (2–0) | Eastern Washington (1–2) | Central Arkansas (2–1) | Illinois State (4–0) | Villanova (4–2) | Richmond (4–2) | South Dakota State (5–2) | Eastern Washington (5–3) | Western Illinois (6–3) | Elon (8–2) | Weber State (9–2) | Stony Brook (10–3) | 11. |
| 12. | Chattanooga | New Hampshire (1–0) | Eastern Washington (0–2) | Central Arkansas (2–1) | Illinois State (3–0) | Villanova (3–2) | New Hampshire (4–1) | North Carolina A&T (7–0) | Western Illinois (5–2) | Illinois State (6–2) | Stony Brook (7–2) | Weber State (8–2) | Southern Utah (9–2) | New Hampshire (9–5) | 12. |
| 13. | New Hampshire | Chattanooga (0–1) | The Citadel (2–0) | South Dakota (3–0) | Western Illinois (3–0) | New Hampshire (4–1) | Richmond (3–2) | South Dakota State (4–2) | Villanova (4–3) | Grambling State (7–1) | Grambling State (8–1) | Grambling State (9–1) | Grambling State (9–1) | Western Illinois (8–4) | 13. |
| 14. | Charleston Southern | The Citadel (1–0) | Central Arkansas (1–1) | Illinois State (2–0) | Villanova (2–2) | Richmond (2–2) | Western Illinois (4–1) | Elon (5–1) | Eastern Washington (5–3) | Stony Brook (6–2) | Weber State (7–2) | Southern Utah (8–2) | Samford (8–3) | Southern Utah (9–3) | 14. |
| 15. | Central Arkansas | Central Arkansas (0–1) | Chattanooga (0–2) | New Hampshire (2–1) | New Hampshire (3–1) | Western Illinois (3–1) | North Carolina A&T (6–0) | Villanova (4–3) | Grambling State (6–1) | Western Illinois (5–3) | Southern Utah (7–2) | South Dakota (7–3) | Elon (8–3) | South Dakota (8–5) | 15. |
| 16. | The Citadel | Charleston Southern (0–1) | Charleston Southern (0–1) | Liberty (3–0) | Richmond (2–2) | North Carolina A&T (5–0) | Elon (5–1) | Samford (4–2) | Illinois State (5–2) | Samford (5–3) | Samford (6–3) | New Hampshire (7–3) | South Dakota (7–4) | Grambling State (11–2) | 16. |
| 17. | Lehigh | Samford (1–0) | Samford (2–0) | North Dakota (1–2) | North Carolina A&T (4–0) | The Citadel (3–1) | Illinois State (4–1) | Grambling State (5–1) | New Hampshire (5–2) | Southern Utah (6–2) | Illinois State (6–3) | Samford (7–3) | Eastern Washington (7–4) | Northern Iowa (8–5) | 17. |
| 18. | Northern Iowa | Illinois State (1–0) | Illinois State (1–0) | Samford (2–1) | UT Martin (3–1) | Elon (4–1) | Weber State (4–1) | New Hampshire (4–2) | Western Carolina (6–2) | Northern Arizona (6–2) | New Hampshire (6–3) | Eastern Washington (6–4) | Kennesaw State (10–1) | Samford (8–4) | 18. |
| 19. | Samford | Lehigh (0–1) | Liberty (2–0) | Western Illinois (2–0) | Albany (3–1) | Weber State (4–1) | Samford (4–2) | Western Carolina (5–2) | Richmond (4–3) | Weber State (6–2) | Eastern Washington (5–4) | McNeese State (8–2) | McNeese State (9–2) | Furman (8–5) | 19. |
| 20. | Illinois State | Liberty (1–0) | Western Illinois (2–0) | Tennessee State (3–0) | Weber State (3–1) | Samford (3–2) | Grambling State (5–1) | McNeese State (5–1) | McNeese State (6–1) | Villanova (4–4) | McNeese State (7–2) | Furman (7–3) | Northern Iowa (7–4) | Elon (8–4) | 20. |
| 21. | Grambling State | Northern Iowa (0–1) | Northern Iowa (1–1) | North Carolina A&T (3–0) | Grambling State (2–1) | Grambling State (4–1) | Western Carolina (4–2) | Montana (5–2) | Youngstown State (3–4) | New Hampshire (5–3) | Furman (6–3) | Illinois State (6–4) | New Hampshire (7–4) | Eastern Washington (7–4) | 21. |
| 22. | Fordham | Western Illinois (1–0) | Tennessee State (2–0) | Grambling State (2–1) | Liberty (3–1) | Western Carolina (4–1) | McNeese State (5–1) | Stony Brook (5–2) | Stony Brook (5–2) | McNeese State (6–2) | Western Carolina (7–3) | Kennesaw State (9–1) | Furman (7–4) | McNeese State (9–2) | 22. |
| 23. | Cal Poly | Tennessee State (1–0) | South Dakota (2–0) | Weber State (2–1) | Elon (3–1) | Stony Brook (4–1) | The Citadel (3–2) | Weber State (4–2) | Delaware (5–2) | Furman (6–3) | Kennesaw State (8–1) | Northern Arizona (7–3) | Illinois State (6–5) | San Diego (10–3) | 23. |
| 24. | Albany | Grambling State (0–1) | Grambling State (1–1) | UT Martin (2–1) | Tennessee State (3–1) | Albany (3–2) | Montana (4–2) | Illinois State (4–2) | Montana (5–2) | Western Carolina (6–3) | Northern Arizona (6–3) | Northern Iowa (6–4) | Yale (9–1) | Yale (9–1) | 24. |
| 25. | Western Illinois | Weber State (1–0) | North Carolina A&T (2–0) | Holy Cross (2–1) | Samford (2–2) | UT Martin (3–2) | North Carolina Central (4–1) | North Carolina Central (5–1) | Southern Utah (5–2) | Kennesaw State (7–1) | Northern Iowa (5–4) | Nicholls State (8–2) | Northern Arizona (7–4) | Nicholls State (8–4) | 25. |
| | Preseason Aug 7 | Week 1 Sep 4 | Week 2 Sep 11 | Week 3 Sep 18 | Week 4 Sep 25 | Week 5 Oct 2 | Week 6 Oct 9 | Week 7 Oct 16 | Week 8 Oct 23 | Week 9 Oct 30 | Week 10 Nov 6 | Week 11 Nov 13 | Week 12 Nov 19 | Week 13 (Final) Jan 8 | |
| | | Dropped: 22. Fordham23. Cal Poly24. Albany | Dropped: 19. Lehigh25. Weber State | Dropped: 15. Chattanooga16. Charleston Southern21. Northern Iowa | Dropped: 17. North Dakota25. Holy Cross | Dropped: 22. Liberty24. Tennessee State | Dropped: 23. Stony Brook24. Albany25. UT Martin | Dropped: 23. The Citadel | Dropped: 23. Weber State25. North Carolina Central | Dropped: 19. Richmond21. Youngstown State23. Delaware24. Montana | Dropped: 20. Villanova | Dropped: 22. Western Carolina | Dropped: 25. Nicholls State | Dropped: 25. Northern Arizona | |

## Coaches' Poll

| | Preseason Aug 8 | Week 1 Sep 4 | Week 2 Sep 11 | Week 3 Sep 18 | Week 4 Sep 25 | Week 5 Oct 2 | Week 6 Oct 9 | Week 7 Oct 16 | Week 8 Oct 23 | Week 9 Oct 30 | Week 10 Nov 6 | Week 11 Nov 13 | Week 12 Nov 20 | Week 13 (Final) Jan 9 | |
| 1. | James Madison 20 | James Madison 25 (1–0) | James Madison 24 (2–0) | James Madison 25 (3–0) | James Madison 25 (4–0) | James Madison 25 (5–0) | James Madison 25 (5–0) | James Madison 26 (6–0) | James Madison 26 (7–0) | James Madison 26 (8–0) | James Madison 26 (9–0) | James Madison 26 (10–0) | James Madison 26 (11–0) | North Dakota State 24 (14–1) | 1. |
| 2. | North Dakota State 2 | North Dakota State (1–0) | North Dakota State 2 (2–0) | North Dakota State 1 (2–0) | North Dakota State 1 (3–0) | North Dakota State 1 (4–0) | North Dakota State 1 (5–0) | North Dakota State (6–0) | North Dakota State (7–0) | North Dakota State (8–0) | Jacksonville State (8–1) | Jacksonville State (9–1) | Jacksonville State (10–1) | James Madison 1 (14–1) | 2. |
| 3. | Sam Houston State 3 | Sam Houston State 1 (1–0) | Sam Houston State (2–0) | Sam Houston State (2–0) | Sam Houston State (3–0) | Youngstown State (3–1) | Jacksonville State (4–1) | Jacksonville State (5–1) | Jacksonville State (6–1) | Jacksonville State (7–1) | Central Arkansas (8–1) | Central Arkansas (9–1) | Central Arkansas (10–1) | Sam Houston State (12–2) | 3. |
| 4. | Eastern Washington | South Dakota State (1–0) | South Dakota State (2–0) | South Dakota State (3–0) | South Dakota State (3–0) | Jacksonville State (3–1) | South Dakota (5–0) | South Dakota (6–0) | Central Arkansas (6–1) | Central Arkansas (7–1) | Sam Houston State (8–1) | Sam Houston State (9–1) | North Dakota State (10–1) | South Dakota State (11–3) | 4. |
| 5. | Jacksonville State | Jacksonville State (1–0) | Youngstown State (1–1) | Youngstown State (2–1) | Youngstown State (2–1) т | Wofford (4–0) | Wofford (5–0) | Wofford (6–0) | Sam Houston State (6–1) | Sam Houston State (7–1) | South Dakota State (7–2) | South Dakota State (8–2) | Sam Houston State (10–1) | Weber State (11–3) | 5. |
| 6. | South Dakota State 1 | Youngstown State (0–1) т | Richmond (1–1) т | Richmond (2–1) | Jacksonville State (2–1) т | South Dakota (4–0) | Central Arkansas (4–1) | Central Arkansas (5–1) | North Carolina A&T (8–0) | South Dakota (7–1) | North Dakota State (8–1) | North Dakota State (9–1) | South Dakota State (9–2) | North Carolina A&T 1 (12–0) | 6. |
| 7. | Richmond | Eastern Washington (0–1) т | Jacksonville State (1–1) т | Jacksonville State (1–1) | Wofford (3–0) | Illinois State (4–0) | South Dakota State (4–1) | Sam Houston State (5–1) | South Dakota (6–1) | North Carolina A&T (8–0) | North Carolina A&T (9–0) | North Carolina A&T (10–0) т | North Carolina A&T (11–0) | Wofford (10–3) | 7. |
| 8. | Youngstown State | Villanova (1–0) | Villanova (1–1) | Villanova (2–1) | Illinois State (3–0) т | Central Arkansas (3–1) | Youngstown State (3–2) | Eastern Washington (5–2) | Samford (5–2) т | South Dakota State (6–2) | Wofford (8–1) | Wofford (9–1) т | Weber State (9–2) | Central Arkansas (10–2) | 8. |
| 9. | Villanova | Richmond (0–1) | Wofford (2–0) | Wofford (2–0) | Eastern Washington (2–2) т | South Dakota State (3–1) | Sam Houston State (4–1) т | Youngstown State (3–3) | South Dakota State (5–2) т | Wofford (7–1) | Elon (8–1) | Weber State (8–2) | Wofford (9–2) | Kennesaw State (12–2) | 9. |
| 10. | North Dakota | Wofford (1–0) | North Dakota (1–1) | The Citadel (3–0) | South Dakota (3–0) | Eastern Washington (3–2) | Eastern Washington (4–2) т | Richmond (4–2) | Wofford (6–1) | Elon (7–1) | South Dakota (7–2) | Western Illinois (7–3) | Western Illinois (8–3) | Jacksonville State (10–3) | 10. |
| 11. | Wofford | North Dakota (0–1) | New Hampshire (2–0) | Eastern Washington (1–2) | The Citadel (3–0) | Sam Houston State (3–1) | North Carolina A&T (6–0) | North Carolina A&T (7–0) | Elon (6–1) | Eastern Washington (5–3) | Grambling State (8–1) | Grambling State (9–1) | Stony Brook (9–2) | Stony Brook (10–3) | 11. |
| 12. | The Citadel | New Hampshire (1–0) | Eastern Washington (0–2) | Illinois State (2–0) | Central Arkansas (2–1) | North Carolina A&T (5–0) | New Hampshire (4–1) | Western Illinois (5–1) | Eastern Washington (5–3) | Grambling State (7–1) | Weber State (7–2) | Stony Brook (8–2) | Grambling State (9–1) | Western Illinois (8–4) | 12. |
| 13. | Chattanooga | The Citadel (1–0) | The Citadel (2–0) | Central Arkansas (2–1) | North Carolina A&T (4–0) | New Hampshire (4–1) | Richmond (3–2) | South Dakota State (4–2) | Grambling State (6–1) | Illinois State (6–2) | Western Illinois (6–3) | Samford (7–3) | Southern Utah (9–2) | Southern Utah (9–3) | 13. |
| 14. | Charleston Southern | Chattanooga (0–1) | Illinois State (1–0) | South Dakota (3–0) | New Hampshire (3–1) | Richmond (2–2) | Villanova (4–2) | Samford (4–2) | Western Illinois (5–2) | Weber State (6–2) | Samford (6–3) | New Hampshire (7–3) | Samford (8–3) | Grambling State (11–2) | 14. |
| 15. | Central Arkansas | Illinois State (1–0) | Chattanooga (0–2) | North Carolina A&T (3–0) | Richmond (2–2) | Villanova (3–2) | Illinois State (4–1) | Elon (5–1) | Villanova (4–3) | Samford (5–3) | Stony Brook (7–2) | Elon (8–2) | McNeese State (9–2) | New Hampshire (9–5) | 15. |
| 16. | New Hampshire | Central Arkansas (0–1) | Central Arkansas (1–1) | New Hampshire (2–1) | Western Illinois (3–0) | Weber State (4–1) | Weber State (4–1) | Villanova (4–3) | New Hampshire (5–2) | Northern Arizona (6–2) | New Hampshire (6–3) | South Dakota (7–3) | Kennesaw State (10–1) | South Dakota (8–5) | 16. |
| 17. | Lehigh | Samford (1–0) | Samford (2–0) | Samford (2–1) | Villanova (2–2) | The Citadel (3–1) | Western Illinois (4–1) | Grambling State (5–1) | Richmond (4–3) | Nicholls State (6–2) | Nicholls State (7–2) | Nicholls State (8–2) | Elon (8–3) | Samford (8–4) | 17. |
| 18. | Illinois State | Charleston Southern (0–1) | Northern Iowa (1–1) | Weber State (2–1) | Weber State (3–1) | Western Illinois (3–1) | Samford (4–2) | New Hampshire (4–2) | McNeese State (6–1) | Western Illinois (5–3) | McNeese State (7–2) | Southern Utah (8–2) | South Dakota (7–4) | McNeese State (9–2) | 18. |
| 19. | Samford | Lehigh (0–1) | Charleston Southern (0–1) | North Dakota (1–2) | Grambling State (3–1) | Grambling State (4–1) | Grambling State (5–1) | McNeese State (5–1) | Youngstown State (3–4) | New Hampshire (5–3) | Southern Utah (7–2) | McNeese State (8–2) | Eastern Washington (7–4) | Northern Iowa (8–5) | 19. |
| 20. | Northern Iowa | Weber State (1–0) | North Carolina A&T (2–0) | Tennessee State (3–0) | Northern Iowa (1–2) | Samford (3–2) | Elon (5–1) | Nicholls State (5–2) | Western Carolina (6–2) | Villanova (4–4) | Illinois State (6–3) | Eastern Washington (6–4) | New Hampshire (7–4) | Furman (8–5) | 20. |
| 21. | Grambling State | Northern Iowa (0–1) т | Weber State (1–1) | Western Illinois (2–0) | UT Martin (3–1) | Northern Iowa (2–2) | McNeese State (5–1) | Western Carolina (5–2) | Illinois State (5–2) | Stony Brook (6–2) | Eastern Washington (5–4) | Kennesaw State (9–1) | Northern Iowa (7–4) | Elon (8–4) | 21. |
| 22. | Weber State | North Carolina A&T (1–0) т | Western Illinois (2–0) | Grambling State (2–1) | Albany (3–1) | McNeese State (3–1) | The Citadel (3–2) | Northern Arizona (4–2) | Weber State (5–2) | McNeese State (6–2) | Monmouth (8–1) | Monmouth (9–1) | Nicholls State (8–3) | Eastern Washington (7–4) | 22. |
| 23. | Cal Poly | Grambling State (0–1) | South Dakota (2–0) | Nicholls State (2–1) | Samford (2–2) | Elon (4–1) | Nicholls State (4–2) | Weber State (4–2) | Nicholls State (5–2) | Southern Utah (6–2) | Kennesaw State (8–1) | Northern Arizona (7–3) | Monmouth (9–2) | Nicholls State (8–4) | 23. |
| 24. | North Carolina Central | Tennessee State (1–0) | Tennessee State (2–0) | Northern Iowa (1–2) | Tennessee State (3–1) | Stony Brook (4–1) | Northern Arizona (3–2) | Illinois State (4–2) | Northern Arizona (5–2) | Monmouth (7–1) | Northern Arizona (6–3) | Furman (7–3) | Yale (9–1) | Yale (9–1) | 24. |
| 25. | North Carolina A&T | Colgate (1–0) | Grambling State (1–1) | Holy Cross (2–1) | McNeese State (3–1) | Nicholls State (3–3) | Western Carolina (4–2) | Montana (5–2) | Northern Iowa (4–3) | Kennesaw State (7–1) | Western Carolina (7–3) | Illinois State (6–4) | Furman (7–4) | San Diego (10–3) | 25. |
| | Preseason Aug 8 | Week 1 Sep 4 | Week 2 Sep 11 | Week 3 Sep 18 | Week 4 Sep 25 | Week 5 Oct 2 | Week 6 Oct 9 | Week 7 Oct 16 | Week 8 Oct 23 | Week 9 Oct 30 | Week 10 Nov 6 | Week 11 Nov 13 | Week 12 Nov 20 | Week 13 (Final) Jan 9 | |
| | | Dropped: 23. Cal Poly24. North Carolina Central | Dropped: 19. Lehigh25. Colgate | Dropped: 15. Chattanooga19. Charleston Southern | Dropped: 19. North Dakota23. Nicholls State25. Holy Cross | Dropped: 21. UT Martin22. Albany24. Tennessee State | Dropped: 21. Northern Iowa24. Stony Brook | Dropped: 22. The Citadel | Dropped: 25. Montana | Dropped: 17. Richmond19. Youngstown State20. Western Carolina25. Northern Iowa | Dropped: 20. Villanova | Dropped: 25. Western Carolina | Dropped: 23. Northern Arizona25. Illinois State | Dropped: 23. Monmouth | |