[FCS POLL] James Madison Ends Spring Regular Season at No. 1
April 20, 2021
James Madison ends the 2021 spring regular season where they started, at No. 1. The Dukes beat then-No. 10 Richmond, 23-6, to end the regular season at 5-0. They will host No. 11 VMI in the first round of the FCS playoffs this coming Saturday. VMI is making its first-ever appearance in the playoffs after beating The Citadel, 31-17, to claim their first Southern Conference title since 1977.
RELATED CONTENT: [FCS POLL] No. 3 North Dakota State Wins A Close One Over No. 21 Northern Iowa
The rest of the Top 5 looks different thanks to South Dakota State’s win over then-No. 3 North Dakota State, 27-17. The Jackrabbits move up to No. 2, followed by Weber State at No. 3, Sam Houston at No. 4 and Delaware moving up two spots to No. 5. North Dakota State dropped four places to No. 7 and will host No. 8 Eastern Washington in the first round of the playoffs.
With its win over the Bison, South Dakota State earned a share of the Missouri Valley Football Conference title and the overall No. 1 seed in the FCS playoffs and will host Holy Cross, winners of the Patriot League. In other playoff action, No. 2 Weber State will take on No. 14 Southern Illinois while No. 4 Sam Houston, winners of the Southland Conference, will host No. 10 Monmouth (N.J.), winners of the Big South Conference. No. 5 Delaware ended the regular season with a 27-20 victory over then-No. 11 Villanova, giving the Blue Hens the Colonial Athletic Association North Division title. They will face Northeast Conference champion Sacred Heart on Saturday.
American Football Coaches Association FCS Coaches’ Spring Top 25 Poll – April 20, 2021
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. Prev. April 17 Next Game
1 James Madison (18) 5-0 545 1 D. No. 10 Richmond, 23-6 April 24 vs. No. 11 VMI
2 South Dakota St. (3) 5-1 516 4 D. No. 3 North Dakota St., 27-17 April 24 vs. Holy Cross
3 Weber St. 5-0 513 2 -- April 24 vs. No. 14 Southern Illinois
4 Sam Houston 6-0 460 5 D. No. 22 UIW, 42-14 April 24 vs. No. 10 Monmouth (N.J.)
5 Delaware 5-0 441 7 D. No. 11 Villanova, 27-20 April 24 vs. Sacred Heart
6 North Dakota 4-1 430 6 April 17 at Youngstown St., cancelled April 24 vs. No. 17 Missouri St.
7 North Dakota St. 6-2 408 3 Lost to No. 4 South Dakota St., 27-17 April 24 vs. No. 8 Eastern Washington
8 Eastern Washington 5-1 401 8 -- April 24 at No. 7 North Dakota St.
9 Jacksonville St. 9-2 397 9 -- April 24 vs. Davidson
10 Monmouth (N.J.) 3-0 325 13 -- April 24 at No. 4 Sam Houston
11 VMI 6-1 317 12 D. The Citadel, 31-17 April 24 at No. 1 James Madison
12 UC Davis 3-2 287 14 -- Season Complete
13 Richmond 3-1 281 10 Lost to No. 1 James Madison, 23-6 Season Complete
14 Southern Illinois 5-3 260 17 D. No. 15 Southeastern Louisiana, 55-48 April 24 at No. 3 Weber St.
15 Kennesaw St. 4-1 243 16 -- Season Complete
16 Villanova 2-2 228 11 Lost to No. 7 Delaware, 27-20 Season Complete
17 Missouri St. 5-4 201 18 -- April 24 at No. 6 North Dakota
18 Murray St. 5-2 154 19 -- Season Complete
19 Southern (1) 5-1 141 21 D. Grambling St., 49-7 Season Complete
20 Nicholls 4-3 122 20 -- Season Complete
21 Southeastern Louisiana 4-3 121 15 Lost to No. 17 Southern Illinois, 55-48 Season Complete
22 Alabama A&M 4-0 81 25t D. Alabama St., 38-14 April 24 at Mississippi Valley St.
23 East Tennessee St. 4-2 76 24 -- Season Complete
24 Northern Iowa 3-4 57 23 -- Season Complete
25 Arkansas-Pine Bluff 4-0 32 NR D. Prairie View A&M, 36-31 April 24 vs. Texas Southern
Dropped Out: UIW (22), Mercer (25t)
Others Receiving Votes: UIW, 24; Austin Peay, 23; Holy Cross, 15; Sacred Heart, 14; Duquesne, 8; Mercer, 5; Northern Arizona, 5; Tarleton St., 5; Charleston Southern, 4; Samford, 4; Davidson, 3; South Carolina St., 3.
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James Madison ends the 2021 spring regular season where they started, at No. 1. The Dukes beat then-No. 10 Richmond, 23-6, to end the regular season at 5-0. They will host No. 11 VMI in the first round of the FCS playoffs this coming Saturday. VMI is making its first-ever appearance in the playoffs after beating The Citadel, 31-17, to claim their first Southern Conference title since 1977.
RELATED CONTENT: [FCS POLL] No. 3 North Dakota State Wins A Close One Over No. 21 Northern Iowa
The rest of the Top 5 looks different thanks to South Dakota State’s win over then-No. 3 North Dakota State, 27-17. The Jackrabbits move up to No. 2, followed by Weber State at No. 3, Sam Houston at No. 4 and Delaware moving up two spots to No. 5. North Dakota State dropped four places to No. 7 and will host No. 8 Eastern Washington in the first round of the playoffs.
With its win over the Bison, South Dakota State earned a share of the Missouri Valley Football Conference title and the overall No. 1 seed in the FCS playoffs and will host Holy Cross, winners of the Patriot League. In other playoff action, No. 2 Weber State will take on No. 14 Southern Illinois while No. 4 Sam Houston, winners of the Southland Conference, will host No. 10 Monmouth (N.J.), winners of the Big South Conference. No. 5 Delaware ended the regular season with a 27-20 victory over then-No. 11 Villanova, giving the Blue Hens the Colonial Athletic Association North Division title. They will face Northeast Conference champion Sacred Heart on Saturday.
American Football Coaches Association FCS Coaches’ Spring Top 25 Poll – April 20, 2021
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Rec. | Pts. | Prev. | April 17 | Next Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | James Madison (18) | 5-0 | 545 | 1 | D. No. 10 Richmond, 23-6 | April 24 vs. No. 11 VMI |
| 2 | South Dakota St. (3) | 5-1 | 516 | 4 | D. No. 3 North Dakota St., 27-17 | April 24 vs. Holy Cross |
| 3 | Weber St. | 5-0 | 513 | 2 | -- | April 24 vs. No. 14 Southern Illinois |
| 4 | Sam Houston | 6-0 | 460 | 5 | D. No. 22 UIW, 42-14 | April 24 vs. No. 10 Monmouth (N.J.) |
| 5 | Delaware | 5-0 | 441 | 7 | D. No. 11 Villanova, 27-20 | April 24 vs. Sacred Heart |
| 6 | North Dakota | 4-1 | 430 | 6 | April 17 at Youngstown St., cancelled | April 24 vs. No. 17 Missouri St. |
| 7 | North Dakota St. | 6-2 | 408 | 3 | Lost to No. 4 South Dakota St., 27-17 | April 24 vs. No. 8 Eastern Washington |
| 8 | Eastern Washington | 5-1 | 401 | 8 | -- | April 24 at No. 7 North Dakota St. |
| 9 | Jacksonville St. | 9-2 | 397 | 9 | -- | April 24 vs. Davidson |
| 10 | Monmouth (N.J.) | 3-0 | 325 | 13 | -- | April 24 at No. 4 Sam Houston |
| 11 | VMI | 6-1 | 317 | 12 | D. The Citadel, 31-17 | April 24 at No. 1 James Madison |
| 12 | UC Davis | 3-2 | 287 | 14 | -- | Season Complete |
| 13 | Richmond | 3-1 | 281 | 10 | Lost to No. 1 James Madison, 23-6 | Season Complete |
| 14 | Southern Illinois | 5-3 | 260 | 17 | D. No. 15 Southeastern Louisiana, 55-48 | April 24 at No. 3 Weber St. |
| 15 | Kennesaw St. | 4-1 | 243 | 16 | -- | Season Complete |
| 16 | Villanova | 2-2 | 228 | 11 | Lost to No. 7 Delaware, 27-20 | Season Complete |
| 17 | Missouri St. | 5-4 | 201 | 18 | -- | April 24 at No. 6 North Dakota |
| 18 | Murray St. | 5-2 | 154 | 19 | -- | Season Complete |
| 19 | Southern (1) | 5-1 | 141 | 21 | D. Grambling St., 49-7 | Season Complete |
| 20 | Nicholls | 4-3 | 122 | 20 | -- | Season Complete |
| 21 | Southeastern Louisiana | 4-3 | 121 | 15 | Lost to No. 17 Southern Illinois, 55-48 | Season Complete |
| 22 | Alabama A&M | 4-0 | 81 | 25t | D. Alabama St., 38-14 | April 24 at Mississippi Valley St. |
| 23 | East Tennessee St. | 4-2 | 76 | 24 | -- | Season Complete |
| 24 | Northern Iowa | 3-4 | 57 | 23 | -- | Season Complete |
| 25 | Arkansas-Pine Bluff | 4-0 | 32 | NR | D. Prairie View A&M, 36-31 | April 24 vs. Texas Southern |
Dropped Out: UIW (22), Mercer (25t)
Others Receiving Votes: UIW, 24; Austin Peay, 23; Holy Cross, 15; Sacred Heart, 14; Duquesne, 8; Mercer, 5; Northern Arizona, 5; Tarleton St., 5; Charleston Southern, 4; Samford, 4; Davidson, 3; South Carolina St., 3.
For more information about the AFCA, visit www.AFCA.com. For more interesting articles, check out insider.afca.com and subscribe to our weekly email.
If you are interested in more in-depth articles and videos, please become an AFCA member. You can find out more information about membership and specific member benefits on the AFCA Membership Overview page. If you are ready to join, please fill out the AFCA Membership Application.
