LAKE CHARLES – McNeese’s impressive come-from-behind, 40-37 double-overtime win at Tarleton State on February 13 has lifted the Cowboys into the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 at the No. 19 spot, the organization released on Monday.
The Cowboys, who are traditionally a regular staple in the poll, are ranked for the first time since falling out of the list after week four of the 2019 season.
Tarleton State, in its first year as a Division I FCS member, is ranked No. 22 after its 43-17 blowout win over New Mexico State over the weekend.
Other McNeese spring opponents that are ranked include Nicholls at No. 9, Sam Houston at No. 17 and Southeastern Louisiana who is one spot ahead of McNeese at No. 18.
North Dakota State tops the poll and is followed by James Madison, South Dakota State, Weber State and Northern Iowa to round out the top five.
McNeese will open up its home slate on Saturday at noon when it hosts Incarnate Word.
STATS PERFORM FCS TOP 25 (FEB. 22)
1. North Dakota State (2-0, 1-0 MVFC), 1,000 points (40 first-place votes)
Previous Ranking: 1; Last Week’s Result: 25-7 win over Youngstown State
2. James Madison (1-0, 0-0 CAA), 952
Previous Ranking: 2; Last Week’s Result: 52-0 win over Morehead State
3. South Dakota State (1-0 Missouri Valley), 918
Previous Ranking: 5; Last Week’s Result: 24-20 win over No. 3 Northern Iowa
4. Weber State (0-0 Big Sky), 882
Previous Ranking: 4; Last Week’s Result: No game
5. Northern Iowa (0-1 Missouri Valley), 785
Previous Ranking: 3; Last Week’s Result: 24-20 loss to No. 5 South Dakota State
6. Villanova (0-0 CAA), 782
Previous Ranking: 8; Last Week’s Result: No game
7. Illinois State (0-0 Missouri Valley), 730
Previous Ranking: 9; Last Week’s Result: Postponed vs. Missouri State
8. Kennesaw State (0-0 Big South), 686
Previous Ranking: 10; Last Week’s Result: No game
9. Nicholls (1-0, 0-0 Southland), 665
Previous Ranking: 14; Last Week’s Result: 87-3 win over Lincoln (Mo.)
10. Furman (1-0 Southern), 658
Previous Ranking: 15; Last Week’s Result: 35-7 win over Western Carolina
11. Wofford (1-0 Southern), 565
Previous Ranking: 16; Last Week’s Result: 31-14 win over Mercer
12. Eastern Washington (0-0 Big Sky), 502
Previous Ranking: 18; Last Week’s Result: No game
13. Albany (0-0 CAA), 475
Previous Ranking: 17; Last Week’s Result: No game
14. North Dakota (1-0 Missouri Valley), 401
Previous Ranking: Unranked; Last Week’s Result: 44-21 win over Southern Illinois
15. New Hampshire (0-0 CAA), 392
Previous Ranking: 20; Last Week’s Result: No game
16. Jacksonville State (3-1, 0-0 Ohio Valley), 347
Previous Ranking: Unranked; Last Week’s Result: Postponed at Tennessee State
17. Sam Houston (0-0 Southland), 326
Previous Ranking: 22; Last Week’s Result: Postponed at UIW
18. Southeastern Louisiana (0-0 Southland), 322
Previous Ranking: 21; Last Week’s Result: No game
19. McNeese (1-0, 0-0 Southland), 220
Previous Ranking: Unranked; Last Week’s Result: No game
20. Monmouth (0-0 Big South), 212
Previous Ranking: 23; Last Week’s Result: No game
21. Southeast Missouri (0-1, 0-0 Ohio Valley), 161
Previous Ranking: 25; Last Week’s Result: Postponed vs. Eastern Illinois
22. Tarleton (1-1 Independent), 159
Previous Ranking: Unranked; Last Week’s Result: 43-17 win at New Mexico State
23. Tennessee Tech (1-0 Ohio Valley), 132
Previous Ranking: Unranked; Last Week’s Result: 27-21 win over Austin Peay
24. Elon (1-0, 0-0 CAA), 129
Previous Ranking: Unranked; Last Week’s Result: 26-23 win over Davidson
25. Delaware (0-0 CAA), 126
Previous Ranking: Unranked; Last Week’s Result: No game
Other Vote Totals (schools listed on two or more ballots): Austin Peay 125, Southern Illinois 83, The Citadel 42, Youngstown State 32, ETSU 23, Jackson State 22, Chattanooga 21, San Diego 19, Richmond 18, South Carolina State 14, UC Davis 13, Idaho 12, Stony Brook 11, Maine 7, UT Martin 7
Copyright 2021 KPLC. All rights reserved.