(Stats Perform) - Step back about six months to the beginning of March, when spring practices were underway, and FCS teams were dreaming big about the 2020 season.
That's what voters of the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 did over the past week while they selected a preseason 2020 media poll and projected where the season might have headed if most conferences and schools hadn't postponed their fall season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
When voters envisioned the Top 25 come post-championship game in January, they remained confident in North Dakota State, selected as a unanimous No. 1 - just like the Bison were after they went 16-0 and claimed their third straight and record eighth FCS national title during the 2019 season.
Coach Matt Entz's program earned all 147 first-place votes on Tuesday. The Bison have a veteran squad, featuring quarterback Trey Lance, the NFL prospect who swept the Walter Payton and Jerry Rice awards as a redshirt freshman last season. He was the most outstanding player of the Missouri Valley Football Conference power's 28-20 win over James Madison in the national championship game.
James Madison, the CAA Football champ which has appeared in three of the last four national finals, was second in the preseason Top 25. Northern Iowa was third, three-time defending Big Sky Conference champ Weber State fourth and South Dakota State fifth.
Among conferences, the Big Sky and MVFC tied for the most teams in the rankings with five each.
A national panel of sports information and media relations directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries select the Stats Perform FCS Top 25. A first-place vote is worth 25 points, a second-place vote 24 points, all the way down to one point for a 25th-place vote.
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Stats Perform 2020 Preseason FCS Top 25 (Aug. 25)
1. North Dakota State (16-0, 8-0 Missouri Valley), 3,675 points (147 first-place votes)
Notable: Bison have an FCS-record 37-game winning streak since 2017
2. James Madison (14-2, 8-0 CAA), 3,411
Notable: Dukes ranked No. 1 in FCS in scoring defense and No. 3 in total defense
3. Northern Iowa (10-5, 6-2 Missouri Valley), 3,269
Notable: Coach Mark Farley was returning one of his most talented teams for his 20th season
4. Weber State (11-4, 7-1 Big Sky), 3,198
Notable: Wildcats made their deepest FCS playoff run by advancing to national semifinals
5. South Dakota State (8-5, 5-3 Missouri Valley), 2,911
Notable: 2017 and '18 semifinalist confident in bounce-back after injury-plagued season
6. Montana State (11-4, 6-2 Big Sky), 2,884
Notable: Fourth straight win over archrival Montana preceded first national semifinal run in 35 years
7. Montana (10-4, 6-2 Big Sky), 2,753
Notable: 73-28 playoff win over Southeastern Louisiana punctuated first 10-win season since 2013
8. Villanova (9-4, 5-3 CAA), 2,499
Notable: Dual-threat QB Daniel Smith accounted for FCS-high 48 touchdowns
9. Illinois State (10-5, 5-3 Missouri Valley), 2,471
Notable: Stout defense limited North Dakota State to three field goals in national quarterfinals
10. Kennesaw State (11-3, 5-1 Big South), 2,178
Notable: In last three seasons, Owls' 34 wins third to North Dakota State (45) and James Madison (37)
11 Central Arkansas (9-4, 7-2 Southland), 2,093
Notable: Bears were only playoff team, and just one of three in FCS, with FBS win (Western Kentucky)
12. Sacramento State (9-4, 7-1 Big Sky), 2,085
Notable: Hornets were 2-8 in 2018 before becoming last year's most-improved FCS team
13. Austin Peay (11-4, 7-1 Ohio Valley), 2,030
Notable: Governors earned share of first OVC title since 1977, won twice in first playoff appearance
14. Nicholls (9-5, 7-2 Southland), 1,392
Notable: Two-time defending Southland champ was supposed to play FBS champ LSU on Oct. 3
15. Furman (8-5, 6-2 Southern), 1,239
Notable: Paladins have gone 6-2 in SoCon in each of coach Clay Hendrix's first three seasons
16. Wofford (8-4, 7-1 Southern), 1,089
Notable: Three-time defending SoCon champ had four straight conference games to open schedule
17. Albany (9-5, 6-2 CAA), 825
Notable: Jeff Undercuffler set FCS freshman record with 41 touchdown passes
18. Eastern Washington (7-5, 6-2 Big Sky), 817
Notable: Senior QB Eric Barriere led Eagles to 2018 national championship game
19. North Carolina A&T (9-3, 6-2 MEAC), 809
Notable: Aggies captured Celebration Bowl for third straight season, fourth time in five years
20. New Hampshire (6-5, 5-3 CAA), 759
Notable: Two-time Eddie Robinson Award winner Sean McDonnell is back after missing last season
21. Southeastern Louisiana (8-5, 6-3 Southland), 652
Notable: Lions beat three Top 10 teams and posted first playoff win since 2013
22. Sam Houston State (7-5, 6-3 Southland), 597
Notable: Bearkats' 99 wins in 2010s ranked second in FCS to North Dakota State (137)
23. Monmouth (11-3, 6-0 Big South), 577
Notable: In program's best season, Hawks secured first Big South title and playoff win, No. 12 final ranking
24. Southern Illinois (7-5, 5-3 Missouri Valley), 568
Notable: Salukis returned 16 starters for potential run at first playoff appearance since 2009
25. Southeast Missouri (9-4, 7-1 Ohio Valley), 499
Notable: Coach Tom Matukewicz had 15 wins in first four years, but 18 in back-to-back playoff seasons
Other Vote Totals (schools listed on two or more ballots): Jacksonville State 357, Florida A&M 301, The Citadel 283, Central Connecticut State 200, Towson 199, Dartmouth 195, Delaware 193, Yale 193, Princeton 143, San Diego 104, North Dakota 66, South Carolina State 25, Alcorn State 22, Houston Baptist 19, Richmond 18, Chattanooga 16, Elon 15, Holy Cross 15, UIW 15, UT Martin 14, Portland State 12, Youngstown State 12, McNeese 10, UC Davis 9, Maine 7, Duquesne 5, Charleston Southern 4, Eastern Kentucky 2
