BILLINGS — Montana State checked in at No. 2 and Montana was slotted at No. 7 in the Stats Perform 2025 preseason top 25 FCS football poll released Monday morning.
The defending Big Sky Conference champion Bobcats, who went 15-1 last season while making a run to the national title game in Frisco, Texas, received 1,335 voting points and one first-place vote.
Related: 4 Montana State Bobcats, 3 Montana Grizzlies recognized on preseason All-America team
The Grizzlies, coming off a 9-5 campaign and a playoff berth, received 1,004 voting points.
Defending national champion North Dakota State of the Missouri Valley Football Conference is in a familiar position — ranked No. 1. The Bison received 54 of 56 first-place votes and 1,398 points.
The other first-place vote went to No. 4 South Dakota of the MVFC, which advanced to the playoff semifinals in 2024.
Three Missouri Valley teams are ranked in the top five, with South Dakota State taking the No. 3 spot. Incarnate Word of the Southland Conference came in at No. 5.
Nine of the 13 FCS leagues are represented in the top 25, led by the Big Sky with six ranked teams including UC Davis at No. 8, Idaho at No. 12, Sacramento State at No. 15 and Northern Arizona at No. 19.
The MVFC, which has won the past four national championships and 12 of the past 14, placed five teams in the poll including Illinois State at No. 6 and Southern Illinois at No. 20.
The Stats Perform top 25 is voted on by FCS media representatives and will be released each Monday throughout the season.
Stats Perform Preseason Top 25
Monday, Aug. 4
1. North Dakota State, 1,398 (54 first-place votes)
2. Montana State, 1,335 (1)
3. South Dakota State, 1,266
4. South Dakota, 1227 (1)
5. Incarnate Word, 1,138
6. Illinois State, 1,015
7. Montana, 1,004
8. UC Davis, 938
9. Rhode Island, 928
10. Tarleton State, 912
11. Mercer, 824
12. Idaho, 747
13. Villanova, 737
14. Lehigh, 439
15. Sacramento State, 492
16. Abilene Christian 436
17. Jackson State, 336
18. Western Carolina, 335
19. Northern Arizona, 312
20. Southern Illinois, 310
21. Tennessee Tech, 284
22. Monmouth, 274
23. Stephen F. Austin, 183
24. Stony Brook, 181
25. Richmond, 154
Others receiving votes: Harvard, 139; Southeast Missouri, 127; Southern Utah, 123; UT Martin, 92; North Dakota, 88; Eastern Kentucky, 80; Chattanooga, 69; East Tennessee State, 68; South Carolina State, 35; New Hampshire, 22; Tennessee State, 21; Southeastern Louisiana, 19; North Carolina Central, 18; Youngstown State, 16; Duquesne, 2.
