WACO, TEX.– Using a dominant rushing attack which chewed up 300 yards of rushing and 36 minutes of play, Lehigh beat Penn, 44-30, moving their record to 5-0. This is the first time since 2012 that the Mountain Hawks have started the season 5-0. Lehigh wide receiver Geoffrey Jamiel caught eight passes for 132 yards and one touchdown but also rushed for a 20-yard touchdown on a fake field goal which gave the Mountain Hawks the lead for good in the third quarter. The win propelled Lehigh to No. 8 in this week’s AFCA FCS Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl.
North Dakota State dominated then-No. 18 South Dakota, 51-13, and keeps their stranglehold on the No. 1 spot. South Dakota State was just as dominant, beating Mercyhurst 51-7, and remains at No. 2. No. 3 Tarleton State was idle as they prepare for Southern Utah on October 4. Montana opened Big Sky play with a signature, 41-30, victory over then-No. 10 Idaho. The Grizz still sit No. 4 while the Vandals drop to No. 15. Montana State destroyed Eastern Washington, 57-3, and replaces Illinois State, who was idle, at No. 5. The Redbirds don’t have time to worry about their ranking as they will host the No. 1 Bison on Saturday.
AFCA FCS Coaches Poll, presented by Hudl – September 29, 2025
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | Week 5 | Next Game |
| 1 | North Dakota St. (25) | 4-0 | 649 | 1 | D. No. 18 South Dakota, 51-13 | Oct. 4 at No. 6 Illinois St. |
| 2 | South Dakota St. (1) | 4-0 | 623 | 2 | D. Mercyhurst, 51-7 | Oct. 4 at No. 18 Youngstown St. |
| 3 | Tarleton St. | 5-0 | 595 | 3 | Idle | Oct. 4 vs. Southern Utah |
| 4 | Montana | 4-0 | 566 | 4 | D. No. 10 Idaho, 41-30 | Oct. 4 at Idaho St. |
| 5 | Montana St. | 3-2 | 529 | 6 | D. Eastern Washington, 57-3 | Oct. 4 at No. 13 Northern Arizona |
| 6 | Illinois St. | 3-1 | 512 | 5 | Idle | Oct. 4 vs. No. 1 North Dakota St. |
| 7 | UC Davis | 3-1 | 441 | 8 | D. Weber St., 34-12 | Oct. 4 at Cal Poly |
| 8 | Lehigh | 5-0 | 430 | 9 | D. Penn, 44-30 | Oct. 4 vs. Yale |
| 9 | Tennessee Tech | 4-0 | 426 | 11 | D. Tennessee St., 35-8 | Oct. 4 vs. Western Illinois |
| 10 | Rhode Island | 4-1 | 406 | 7 | Lost to Western Michigan, 47-14 | Oct. 3 vs. Brown |
| 11 | Southern Illinois | 3-1 | 376 | 12 | Idle | Oct. 4 vs. Indiana St. |
| 12 | Monmouth (N.J.) | 3-1 | 322 | 14 | Idle | Oct. 4 vs. Delaware St. |
| 13 | Northern Arizona | 4-1 | 301 | 15t | D. Portland St., 31-17 | Oct. 4 vs. No. 5 Montana St. |
| 14 | North Dakota | 2-2 | 284 | 15t | Idle | Oct. 4 at Northern Iowa |
| 15 | Idaho | 2-3 | 249 | 10 | Lost to No. 4 Montana, 41-30 | Oct. 11 vs. Northern Colorado |
| 16 | West Georgia | 5-0 | 246 | 20 | D. Southern Utah, 27-24 | Oct. 4 at No. 21 Austin Peay |
| 17 | Jackson St. | 3-1 | 224 | 17 | D. Southern, 38-13 | Oct. 4 vs. Alabama A&M |
| 18 | Youngstown St. | 3-1 | 205 | 19 | Idle | Oct. 4 vs. No. 2 South Dakota St. |
| 19 | Villanova | 2-2 | 150 | 22 | D. William & Mary, 31-24 | Oct. 4 at New Hampshire |
| 20 | UIW | 2-3 | 132 | 24 | D. No. 13 ACU, 38-7 | Oct. 4 vs. Stephen F. Austin |
| 21 | Austin Peay | 3-2 | 131 | 25 | D. Utah Tech, 42-10 | Oct. 4 vs. No. 16 West Georgia |
| 22 | Mercer | 3-1 | 126 | 23 | D. East Tennessee St., 38-34 | Oct. 4 vs. Samford |
| 23 | ACU | 2-3 | 111 | 13 | Lost to No. 24 UIW, 38-7 | Oct. 4 vs. North Alabama |
| 24 | Presbyterian | 5-0 | 98 | NR | D. Morehead St., 41-0 | Oct. 11 at Butler |
| 25 | Lamar | 3-1 | 73 | NR | D. Central Arkansas, 35-32 | Oct. 4 vs. Nicholls |
Dropped Out: South Dakota (18), Sacramento St. (21)
Others Receiving Votes: South Dakota, 48; Southeastern Louisiana, 33; Harvard, 28; Furman, 27; Dartmouth, 20; Sacramento St., 17; Alabama St., 11; Gardner-Webb, 11; Stephen F. Austin, 11; Yale, 8; North Carolina Central, 6; Richmond, 6; Stony Brook, 6; Western Carolina, 4; Cal Poly, 3; New Hampshire, 3; San Diego, 2; East Tennessee St., 1.
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