FCS Nation Radio Releases Week 8 FCS Top 25 Poll

North Dakota Crashes the Party, Missouri Valley Gets Messy

The winds are shifting in the FCS landscape, and Week 8 delivered another seismic shakeup. The story of the week? North Dakota’s surge to No. 4, the highest ranking in program history under the FCS Nation Poll. The Fighting Hawks are playing fearless football and have firmly inserted themselves into the national title conversation, much to the discomfort of their Missouri Valley rivals.

That discomfort is real in Carbondale, where Southern Illinois tumbles back to No. 16, making things awkward in one of the most competitive conferences in the country. Meanwhile, Montana holds steady at No. 3, proving once again that the Griz are built for November, and maybe even January.

Tarleton State, sitting confidently at No. 6, continues to look like an outright juggernaut. Their physical brand of football and efficient offense are giving off serious playoff energy. Montana State, now at No. 5, has some work to do if they want to climb, and it might just take winning the Brawl of the Wild to make that move.

Down the line, Lehigh has entered elite company at No. 10, turning doubters into believers week by week. Sure, their strength of schedule raises questions, but this team passes the eye test. Mercer, back up to No. 12, looks dangerous once again and is clearly head-hunting after regaining its early-season swagger.

Elsewhere, Harvard, Villanova, and UC Davis keep the Ivy and CAA fires burning, while clubs like Duquesne and Rhode Island are dancing in the Top 25, ready to prove they belong.

FCS Nation Top 25 – Week 8 (2025)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oct. 20, 2025

1. North Dakota State (NDSU)

2. South Dakota State (SDSU)

3. Montana

4. North Dakota (UND)

5. Montana State (MSU)

6. Tarleton State (TSU)

7. Tennessee Tech (TTU)

8. Monmouth

9. UC Davis

10. Lehigh

11. Lamar

12. Mercer

13. Jackson State (JSU)

14. Harvard

15. Villanova

16. Southern Illinois (SIU)

17. Western Carolina (WCU)

18. Youngstown State (YSU)

19. Illinois State (ISU)

20. Stephen F. Austin (SFA)

21. Presbyterian (PC)

22. Austin Peay (APSU)

23. Southeastern Louisiana (SLU)

24. Duquesne

25. Rhode Island (URI)