Defending national champion Montana State is ranked No. 1 in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Committee's midseason top 10 rankings, which were released Tuesday.
The Bobcats, coming off a 56-20 rout at Eastern Washington on Saturday, are 6-1overall and ranked No. 3 in the latest Stats Perform top 25 media poll. MSU is 3-1 in Big Sky Conference play, with its only loss coming Oct. 2 on the road against Idaho, 35-34.
Top 10 Ranking Reveal 👀 Montana State and Northern Arizona represent the Big Sky in the FCS Playoff Committee’s Top 10 ranking https://t.co/DsFDTftdTn
— Big Sky Conference (@BigSkyConf) October 20, 2026
The Bobcats are one of two Big Sky teams listed in the rankings. Northern Arizona (6-2, 4-1 Big Sky) is slotted at No. 7 by the committee.
Tarleton State (7-0) checks in at No. 2 while Youngstown State (7-0) is third. The No. 4 team is Stephen F. Austin (7-0) followed by perennial title contender South Dakota State (5-2).
Tuesday's rankings are the first of two released by the committee during the season. The second list will be revealed in November. The rankings provide a look at which teams are in contention for receiving first-round byes in the 24-team postseason bracket.
The 2026 FCS playoff bracket will be revealed on Sunday, Nov. 22, with the first games being played the weekend of Nov. 28. The national championship game is scheduled for Monday, Jan. 11, 2027, at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, Tenn.
