2024 FCS Football Season Midterm Report: Top 10 Teams in FBS Football Committees’ In-Season Rankings
Emerging Contenders
Less than a month away from the FCS playoff selection Sunday, and the Division I Football Championship Committee has revealed its in-season top 10 rankings of the FCS teams. The rankings, announced on October 30, 2024, provide an insight into which teams are in contention as we approach the final four weeks of the regular season. North Dakota State and Montana State top the list, leading the pack after a strong performance in the first half of the season.
Early Season Standings and Rankings
The committee, drawing results from games played through October 26, has focused on a combination of team records, strength of schedule, historiometric data, and predictive methods. Unlike past years, the FCS Coaches Poll and FCS STATS Perform Poll were not considered this time around. The Massey and ESPN ratings, along with KPI and results-based metrics, have been used to determine team rankings.
North Dakota State: No. 1
North Dakota State leads the pack with a whopping 8-1 record and no losses both in the FCS and FBS divisions. Their wins include UC Davis and ETSU, and their FBS loss to Colorado provides a unique challenge in their record. This season, the Bison have utilized their outstanding offense and adversaire defense, thus far leading the committee’s rankings comfortably.
Montana State: No. 2
Montana State mirrors North Dakota State’s triumphant 8-0 record within their division. Notably, Montana State isn’t amidst FBS teams, as we need to consider FBS for a true ranking comparison. The only loss in their division follows a consistent mark of 2-0 in games played. Compiled through various predictive models and polls such as those by Source and KPI, Montana State holds steady as a formidable team.
Top 10 Detailed Breakdown
1. North Dakota State
- Record: 8-1
- FCS Losses: 0
- FBS Losses: 1 (Colorado)
- Strength of Schedule (Massey): 7
2. Montana State
- Record: 8-0
- FCS Losses: 0
- FBS Losses: 1 (New Mexico)
- Strength of Schedule (Massey): 51
3. South Dakota State
- Record: 6-2
- FCS Losses: 1 (North Dakota State)
- FBS Losses: 1 (Oklahoma State)
- Strength of Schedule (Massey): 2
4. South Dakota
- Record: 6-2
- FCS Losses: 1 (South Dakota State)
- FBS Losses: 1 (Wisconsin)
- Strength of Schedule (Massey): 11
5. UC Davis
- Record: 7-1
- FCS Losses: 0
- FBS Losses: 1 (California)
- Strength of Schedule (Massey): 32
6. Southeast Missouri State
- Record: 8-1
- FCS Losses: 0
- FBS Losses: 1 (New Mexico State)
- Strength of Schedule (Massey): 69
7. Idaho
- Record: 6-3
- FCS Losses: 2 (UC Davis, Montana State)
- FBS Losses: 1 (Oregon)
- Strength of Schedule (Massey): 5
8. Mercer
- Record: 7-1
- FCS Losses: 1 (Samford)
- FBS Losses: 0
- Strength of Schedule (Massey): 83
9. UIW
- Record: 6-2
- FCS Losses: 2 (South Dakota State, Southern Illinois)
- FBS Losses: 0
- Strength of Schedule (Massey): 34
10. Montana
- Record: 6-2
- FCS Losses: 2 (North Dakota, Weber State)
- FBS Losses: 0
- Strength of Schedule (Massey): 30
Predictions and Bracket Analysis
The rankings provide the first glimpse into potential playoff seeds and first-round byes. Notably, teams seeded at Nos. 9-16 will also be seeded for the first time in 2024, amplifying the impact of these teams. Stakeholders can now begin to predict player impact profiles and matchups for the remainder of the tournament season.
Conclusion
As the FCS football season inches forward, the 2024 in-season top 10 give crucial insight into the largest contenders and emerging powers. Forward-looking teams and enthusiasts alike can now gear up to analyze matchups and player statistics during the remaining weeks of the regular season.
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