MISSOULA — Defending FCS national champion Montana State is still No. 1 in the latest Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll, but for the first time this season it is not unanimous.
Montana, meanwhile, slipped two spots to No. 5 in the poll, which was released Monday.
The top-ranked Bobcats avoided an upset with a 35-30 victory over Central Connecticut State on Saturday. They improved to 4-0 overall and increased their school-record winning streak to 18 games. MSU received 46 of 57 first-place votes.
The Grizzlies lost 52-17 at FBS Oregon State on Saturday, slipping to 3-1 overall in the first-year tenure of coach Bobby Kennedy. Montana was leapfrogged in the rankings by both Illinois State and Tarleton State.
No. 2 South Dakota State, after a 27-20 victory in a top-10 matchup with Missouri Valley Football Conference rival Youngstown State, received 10 first place votes. New No. 3 Illinois State topped Easterin Illinois 49-13 last week and got one first-place nod. New No. 4 Tarleton State hammered Merrimack 45-20.
Five Big Sky Conference teams remain ranked.
UC Davis jumped up one spot to No. 10 following a 45-7 victory over Stetson. The Aggies host Montana this Saturday in a highly anticipated Big Sky Conference showdown.
Idaho State also moved ahead one position to No. 14, though it was idle last week. The Bengals travel to Southern Utah this week.
Northern Arizona jumped two spots to No. 18 following a 35-23 win at Utah Tech. The Lumberjacks are on the road this week to face Montana State in another clash between top Big Sky foes.
The Big Sky Conference schedule begins in earnest this week. The matchup between No. 1 Montana State and No. 18 Northern Arizona in Bozeman is scheduled to kick off Saturday at 8:30 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN2. The game between No. 5 Montana and No. 10 UC Davis has an 8 p.m. kickoff from Davis, Calif., and will be broadcast by Scripps Sports.
This week's full Big Sky schedule:
All time Mountain
Saturday, Sept. 26
No. 18 Northern Arizona at No. 1 Montana State, 8:30 p.m.
No. 5 Montana at No. 10 UC Davis, 8 p.m.
No. 14 Idaho State at Southern Utah, 6 p.m.
Cal Poly at Eastern Washington, 5 p.m.
Portland State at Weber State, 6 p.m.
Utah Tech at Northern Colorado, 6 p.m.
