VERMILLION, S.D.—Fresh off the team's first 3-0 start since 2006 and a convincing 45-7 win against defending Big Sky Champion North Dakota, South Dakota football is up to No. 14 in the FCS Coaches Poll announced Monday. It equals the program's highest ranking in the poll first achieved back in 2011.
The Coyotes are one of seven teams from the Missouri Valley Football Conference ranked in the top 25. Five of those seven teams are ranked in the top 15.
South Dakota begins MVFC play Sept. 30 against No. 21 Western Illinois (2-0) in Macomb, Illinois.
| Week 3 FCS Coaches Poll (Sep. 18, 2017) |
Points |
Last Week |
2017 Record |
| Team (First-Place Votes) |
|
|
|
| 1 |
James Madison (25) |
649 |
1 |
3-0 |
| 2 |
North Dakota State (1) |
625 |
2 |
2-0 |
| 3 |
Sam Houston State |
591 |
3 |
2-0 |
| 4 |
South Dakota State |
575 |
4 |
3-0 |
| 5 |
Youngstown State |
530 |
5 |
2-1 |
| 6 |
Richmond |
506 |
T-6 |
2-1 |
| 7 |
Jacksonville State |
497 |
T-6 |
1-1 |
| 8 |
Villanova |
476 |
8 |
2-1 |
| 9 |
Wofford |
432 |
9 |
2-0 |
| 10 |
The Citadel |
372 |
13 |
3-0 |
| 11 |
Eastern Washington |
369 |
12 |
1-2 |
| 12 |
Illinois State |
334 |
14 |
2-0 |
| 13 |
Central Arkansas |
309 |
16 |
2-1 |
| 14 |
South Dakota |
288 |
23 |
3-0 |
| 15 |
North Carolina A&T |
256 |
20 |
3-0 |
| 16 |
New Hampshire |
213 |
11 |
2-1 |
| 17 |
Samford |
211 |
17 |
2-1 |
| 18 |
Weber State |
196 |
21 |
2-1 |
| 19 |
North Dakota |
168 |
10 |
1-2 |
| 20 |
Tennessee State |
166 |
24 |
3-0 |
| 21 |
Western Illinois |
162 |
22 |
2-0 |
| 22 |
Grambling State |
104 |
25 |
2-1 |
| 23 |
Nicholls State |
76 |
RV |
2-1 |
| 24 |
Northern Iowa |
56 |
18 |
1-2 |
| 25 |
Holy Cross |
49 |
NR |
2-1 |
Others receiving votes: Southern Utah (44), Chattanooga (35), Charleston Southern (35), UT Martin (20), William & Mary (20), Montana (20), Towson (13), Kennesaw State (11), McNeese State (10), Mercer (9), Idaho State (6), Yale (4), Stony Brook (3), Saint Francis (3), Albany (2), Howard (2), Montana State (2), Princeton (1).