College football programs eye historic ranking breakthroughs

Several college football programs are positioned to break long-standing historical droughts in national rankings. Four FBS programs—Florida Atlantic, New Mexico, UMass, and North Dakota State—have never appeared in an Associated Press Top 25 poll since the rankings began in 1936. North Dakota State, currently 4-0 in its inaugural FBS campaign, recently received six points in the Week 5 AP Poll.

In the FCS landscape, the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll reflects a competitive mix of conferences. Montana State holds the top spot with 49 of 57 first-place votes following a 28-14 win over Northern Arizona. South Dakota State follows in second place, while Montana holds the third position. Other notable performers in the FCS rankings include Tarleton State, Lehigh, and Stephen F. Austin.