SHSU No. 3 in STATS, No. 5 in Coaches Polls
9/14/2015 2:12:00 PM | Football
After the team's only open date during the 2015 season, Sam Houston stands No. 3 in the jumbled STATS FCS National Top 25 and No. 5 in the equally tight NCAA Coaches Poll.
The poll voted upon by national FCS media members saw seven teams receive multiple first place votes. Last week, when the Bearkats were No. 1 in STATS rankings, 10 programs had at least one top vote.
Jacksonville State moved up to the No. 1 spot after losing to Auburn 27-20 in overtime last Saturday. The Gamecocks received 39 first place votes. Sam Houston was listed in the top spot on 38 ballots but ended up ranked behind No. 2 Coastal Carolina who received 36 first place votes.
Coastal Carolina is 2-0 after a 41-14 victory over South Carolina State. Sam Houston lost 59-45 in the Bearkats' season opener on Sept. 5 in Lubbock.
Other teams receiving first place votes in the STATS Rankings included No. 4 North Dakota State (23), No. 5 Illinois State (6), No. 6 Villanova (4) and No. 7 South Dakota State (8). Montana , Northern Iowa and Chattanooga round out the STATS top 10.
Coastal Carolina remains atop the NCAA Coaches Poll. Five teams received first place in these rankings. North Dakota State is No. 2, followed by Villanova, Jacksonville State, Sam Houston, Illinois State, Montana, South Dakota State, Montana State and James Madison.
Ranked 11th through 25th in the STATS rankings are Montana State, James Madison, New Hampshire, Eastern Washington, Liberty, Youngstown State, Cal Poly, Fordham, Portland State, Southeastern Louisiana, Eastern Kentucky, Richmond, Indiana State, Northern Arizona and Harvard.
The SLU Lions moved back into the top 25 after a come-from-behind victory over Florida Tech last weekend. McNeese State stands at the first team listed in the STATS Top 25 “also receiving votes” category. Southeastern Louisiana is ranked No. 17 in the NCAA Coaches standings. McNeese State is No. 21 in the same poll.
Sam Houston opens Southland Conference action this weekend, playing host to Lamar in the Bearkats' 2015 home opener at Elliott T. Bowers Stadium. Kickoff Saturday is at 6 p.m.
| STATS FCS Poll | W-L | ||
| 1 | Jacksonville St. (39) | 1-1 | 3491 |
| 2 | Coastal Carolina (36) | 2-0 | 3461 |
| 3 | SAM HOUSTON (38) | 0-1 | 3475 |
| 4 | North Dakota St. (23) | 1-1 | 3441 |
| 5 | Illinois St. (6) | 1-1 | 3236 |
| 6 | Villanova (4) | 1-1 | 3219 |
| 7 | South Dakota St. (8) | 1-1 | 2483 |
| 8 | Montana | 1-1 | 2650 |
| 9 | Northern Iowa | 10-2 | 2483 |
| 10 | Chattanooga | 1-1 | 2164 |
| 11 | Montana St. | 1-0 | 2114 |
| 12 | James Madison | 2-0 | 2094 |
| 13 | New Hampshire | 1-1 | 2080 |
| 14 | Eastern Washington | 0-2 | 1865 |
| 15 | Liberty | 1-1 | 1426 |
| 16 | Youngstown St. | 1-1 | 1420 |
| 17 | Cal Poly | 1-1 | 1387 |
| 18 | Fordham | 1-1 | 1198 |
| 19 | Portland St. | 2-0 | 1025 |
| 20 | Southeastern La. | 2-0 | 1018 |
| 21 | Eastern Kentucky | 1-1 | 840 |
| 22 | Richmond | 1-1 | 711 |
| 23 | Indiana St. | 1-1 | 551 |
| 24 | Northern Arizona | 2-0 | 380 |
| 25 | Harvard | 0-0 | 25 |
| NCAA Coaches Poll | W-L | Pts | |
| 1 | Coastal Carolina (14) | 2-0 | 620 |
| 2 | North Dakota St. (4) | 1-1 | 592 |
| 3 | Villanova | 1-1 | 574 |
| 4 | Jacksonville St. (5) | 1-1 | 553 |
| 5 | SAM HOUSTON | 0-1 | 545 |
| 6 | Illinois St. (1) | 1-1 | 538 |
| 7 | Montana | 1-1 | 450 |
| 8 | South Dakota St. (2) | 2-0 | 440 |
| 9 | Montana St. | 1-0 | 434 |
| 10 | James Madison | 2-0 | 409 |
| 11 | Northern Iowa | 1-1 | 343 |
| 12 | Chattanooga | 1-1 | 343 |
| 13 | New Hampshire | 1-1 | 285 |
| 14 | Liberty | 1-1 | 285 |
| 15 | Eastern Washington | 0-2 | 270 |
| 16 | Youngstown St. | 1-1 | 240 |
| 17 | Southeastern La. | 2-0 | 208 |
| 18 | Cal Poly | 1-1 | 195 |
| 19 | Fordham | 1-1 | 183 |
| 20 | Portland St. | 2-0 | 123 |
| 21 | McNeese St. | 1-0 | 121 |
| 22 | Eastern Kentucky | 1-1 | 120 |
| 23 | Richmond | 1-1 | 90 |
| 24 | Northern Arizona | 2-0 | 74 |
| 25 | Indiana St. | 1-1 | 72 |
