FCS Nation Radio Releases Week 4 Top 25 Poll
FCS Nation Top 25 – Week 4 (2026)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Sept. 21, 2026
Montana State
South Dakota State
Illinois State
South Dakota
Montana
Tarleton State
North Dakota
UC Davis
Lehigh
Stephen F. Austin
Tennessee Tech
Youngstown State
Idaho State
Austin Peay
Lamar
South Carolina State
Yale
Alabama State
Northern Arizona
Campbell
Stony Brook
Rhode Island
Harvard
West Florida
Colgate
Week 4 brings our biggest shakeup of the season so far.
Montana State and South Dakota State remain at No. 1 and No. 2, but behind them, things look a lot different.
Illinois State is into the Top 3. South Dakota makes the biggest jump of the week. Montana and Tarleton State get passed. Stony Brook crashes the poll after making a statement against Rhode Island.
September is starting to tell us a lot more.
Illinois State is a Top 3 team.
The Redbirds have done everything we've asked of them.
A week after going on the road and beating FBS Northern Illinois, Illinois State followed it up with a 49-13 win over Eastern Illinois.
Illinois State is now No. 3 in the FCS Nation Top 25. The Redbirds have an FBS win on the résumé and have continued to handle their business against FCS competition. At this point, they've earned the move.
South Dakota jumps all the way to No. 4.
Yes, the Coyotes lost Saturday night. They also showed us plenty in the process.
South Dakota went into Boise State and was still right there entering the fourth quarter. The Coyotes answered an early Boise State touchdown, went into halftime down just 21-14 and tied the game at 21 in the third quarter before ultimately falling 38-24.
Quarterback Austyn Modrzewski threw for 243 yards against the Broncos, and South Dakota showed it could trade punches on the road with an FBS program for three quarters.
That's enough for us to move the Coyotes from No. 12 to No. 4.
Sometimes a loss tells you more about a team than an easy win does.
Montana and Tarleton get passed.
Montana drops from No. 3 to No. 5 after a 52-17 loss at Oregon State.
The Grizzlies remain one of the teams we expect to be firmly in the national picture, but the result opens the door for Illinois State and South Dakota to move ahead.
Tarleton State also slides two spots to No. 6.
That puts North Dakota at No. 7, UC Davis at No. 8 and Lehigh at No. 9.
Stephen F. Austin rounds out the Top 10.
Welcome to the poll, Stony Brook.
There wasn't much debate about this one.
Stony Brook enters at No. 21 after dismantling previously No. 10 Rhode Island, 56-24.
CJ Hester rushed for four touchdowns and Jeremiah Coney added three more as the Seawolves piled up 56 points in their CAA opener. That's a statement.
Stony Brook goes from outside our Top 25 to No. 21, while Rhode Island falls 12 spots to No. 22.
Harvard makes its entrance.
It didn't take Harvard long to make an impression. The Crimson opened their season with a 31-7 road win at New Hampshire and enter our poll at No. 23.
Harvard rushed for 188 yards, held New Hampshire to 49 on the ground and finished with seven sacks and 11 tackles for loss.
The picture is changing quickly.
Northern Arizona climbs to No. 19, Campbell moves to No. 20 and West Florida sits at No. 24.
Colgate rounds out the poll at No. 25.
Cal Poly, Wofford and Furman fall out this week, while Stony Brook, Harvard and Colgate enter.
Four weeks in, we're starting to get answers.
Montana State and South Dakota State still own the top two spots. Illinois State has forced its way into the Top 3. South Dakota showed enough against Boise State to make one of the biggest moves we've made all season.
And Stony Brook just blew up the middle of the poll.
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