North Dakota State Remains Unbeaten, Dominates Southern Illinois in Week 7 FCS Action
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The North Dakota State Bison continued their reign atop the FCS football landscape, cruising to a 45-17 victory over No. 9 Southern Illinois on Saturday, October 11, 2025, and maintaining their No. 1 ranking in the FloCollege FCS Top 25. The Bison (6-0) showcased another dominant defensive performance, extending their winning streak and solidifying their position as a national championship contender.
Top Teams Maintain Control
No. 2 South Dakota State matched North Dakota State’s intensity, overpowering the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) 31-3 in a decisive home win fueled by a balanced rushing attack. In the Big Sky Conference, both Montana programs remained perfect on the season. No. 4 Montana defeated Cal Poly 28-9, while No. 5 Montana State rolled past Idaho State 48-14 in Bozeman.
Key Matchups Tighten Playoff Race
Several other Top 25 matchups delivered compelling contests and tightened the standings as the FCS playoff picture begins to take shape. No. 3 Tarleton State remained undefeated at 6-0 with a 41-23 win over Utah Tech, and No. 6 UC Davis looked sharp in a 45-24 victory over No. 16 Northern Arizona. No. 7 Tennessee Tech continued its impressive run, remaining unbeaten at 5-0 after handling Charleston Southern 27-13, and No. 8 Lehigh improved to 6-0 with a commanding 31-7 rout of Columbia.
Upsets and Close Calls Mark Week 7
The week wasn’t without its surprises. No. 10 Illinois State outlasted Murray State 46-32 in a high-scoring affair, but No. 13 Idaho suffered a setback, falling to Northern Colorado 49-33. No. 17 Villanova edged Elon 29-21, and No. 14 Jackson State narrowly survived a challenge from Alabama State, winning 38-34.
Several other teams secured notable victories. Presbyterian (No. 23), Monmouth (No. 11), and Lamar (No. 24) all earned statement wins, further intensifying the competition as the FCS playoff race heats up heading into mid-October.
Week 7 Scoreboard Roundup
Saturday’s action was packed with compelling contests across the FCS landscape. Here’s a look at some of the key results:
- Sacramento St. 55, Weber St. 27
- Lehigh 31, Columbia 7
- Mercyhurst 19, Wagner 7
- Lafayette 62, Bucknell 24
- New Haven 69, WestConn 0
- Presbyterian 31, Butler 25
- Duquesne 52, Saint Francis 7
- Rhode Island 38, New Hampshire 27
- Maine 20, Merrimack 13
- South Dakota 19, Indiana St. 14
- Stetson 21, Morehead St. 14
- Mercer 38, Princeton 14
- Richmond 24, Colgate 19
- Morgan St. 44, Virginia-Lynchburg 6
- Delaware St. 70, Southern Conn. St. 23
- St. Thomas (MN) 57, Davidson 13
- South Carolina St. 22, N.C. A&T 16
- Sacred Heart 32, Howard 14
- Dartmouth 17, Yale 16
- Wofford 31, Norfolk St. 14
- Central Conn. St. 24, Robert Morris 12
- Monmouth 42, Towson 31
- Dayton 41, Valparaiso 10
- Abilene Christian 30, West Georgia 13
- Campbell 38, Hampton 21
- The Citadel 38, Valdosta St. 14
- Villanova 29, Elon 21
- Western Carolina 52, Furman 7
- UT Martin 32, Western Ill. 31
- South Dakota St. 31, UNI 3
- Montana St. 48, Idaho St. 14
- Alcorn 42, Lincoln (CA) 0
- N.C. Central 45, Florida A&M 7
- Alabama A&M 45, Mississippi Valley 25
- Gardner-Webb 21, Eastern Illinois 10
- Jackson St. 38, Alabama St. 34
- ETSU 45, VMI 10
- North Dakota St. 45, Southern Illinois 17
- Central Arkansas 49, North Alabama 21
- Southeast Missouri St. 28, Tennessee St. 12
- Montana 28, Cal Poly 9
- Tennessee Tech 27, Charleston Southern 13
- Bethune-Cookman 45, Southern U. 14
- North Dakota 35, Youngstown St. 17
- Northern Colorado 49, Idaho 33
- Drake 19, San Diego 16
- Eastern Kentucky 34, Austin Peay 20
- UC Davis 45, Northern Arizona 24
- Texas Southern 21, Grambling 20
- Lamar University 33, East Texas A&M 23
- Illinois St. 46, Murray St. 32
- Houston Christian 20, Northwestern St. 17
- Tarleton St. 41, Utah Tech 23
Updated FCS Rankings
The AFCA FCS Coaches Poll, released on October 6, 2025, reflects the week’s results:
- North Dakota St. (5-0)
- South Dakota St. (5-0)
- Tarleton St. (6-0)
- Montana (5-0)
- Montana St. (4-2)
- UC Davis (4-1)
- Tennessee Tech (5-0)
- Lehigh (6-0)
- Southern Illinois (4-1)
- Illinois St. (3-2)
- Monmouth (N.J.) (4-1)
- North Dakota (3-2)
- Idaho (2-3)
- Jackson St. (4-1)
- Austin Peay (4-2)
- Northern Arizona (4-2)
- Villanova (3-2)
- Rhode Island (4-2)
- Mercer (4-1)
- Youngstown St. (3-2)
21t. ACU (3-3)
21t. West Georgia (5-1) - Presbyterian (5-0)
- Lamar (4-1)
- Harvard (3-0)
UIW dropped out of the poll at No. 20.
As the season progresses, the competition will only intensify, and the race for the FCS national championship promises to be a thrilling one. Fans can catch all the action and archived footage on FloCollege, the premier destination for FCS, Division II, and Division III football.
