Monday links, New FCS top 25

OK, a couple of explanations of where I have a few of the teams.

* Eastern Washington. As in namely, nowhere. I said from the beginning that I was not going to let my preseason rankings govern how long I keep a team around. Eastern Washington has not played at a Top 25 level this season, especially defensively. The Eagles’ only wins are against Division II Western Washington and a winless Idaho State team. They allowed 31 points to both, and 47 more to Portland State on the road last week. No. 12 to out of the rankings is a drastic drop, but I’ll have to admit that I had them way too high to begin with.

* Weber State. Entering the rankings at No. 16? Well, the Wildcats dominated Montana at home and the only two losses were at FBS Hawaii and Utah. Underrated to begin with.

* Liberty. Teams 11-20 are almost a toss-up. Wofford has the clear nod in that group, sitting at 3-0 against FCS teams. Liberty is also 3-0 against the FCS, all three wins coming on the road. I can’t penalize Furman for losing at Elon. In comparing Liberty and North Dakota State, there’s a common opponent at a common field. LU beat Youngstown State. North Dakota State lost to the Penguins. I think No. 14 is just about the right spot for the Flames.

Anyway, on to the rankings:

1. JAMES MADISON (5-1)
Last week: beat Hofstra, 56-0
The scoop: Dukes face Richmond, Villanova in back-to-back road games.
Next up: Oct. 11 at No. 7 Richmond (4-2).

2. APPALACHIAN STATE (3-2)
Last week: beat No. 20 The Citadel, 47-21
The scoop: Mountaineers scored 34 in the second quarter against El Cid.
Next up: Oct. 11 at Samford (3-2).

3. MCNEESE STATE (3-1)
Last week:beat No. 17 South Dakota State, 46-44 (3OT)
The scoop: QB Derrick Fourroux had 399 yards, 5 TDs, game-winning two-point conversion at South Dakota State.
Next up: Oct. 11 vs. Texas State (3-2).

4. NEW HAMPSHIRE (4-0)
Last week: Idle
The scoop: Should be 8-0 heading into Nov. 8 game at Villanova.
Next up: Oct. 11 vs. William & Mary (2-2).

5. CAL POLY (3-1)
Last week: beat South Dakota, 49-22
The scoop: Receiver Ramses Barden had five receptions for 158 yards and three scores against Coyotes.
Next up: Oct. 18 at No. 18 South Dakota State (3-3).

6. VILLANOVA (4-1)
Last week: beat William & Mary, 38-28
The scoop: Wildcats scored first 35 points at William & Mary.
Next up: Oct. 18 at Rhode Island (2-4).

7. RICHMOND (4-2)
Last week: beat VMI, 56-16
The scoop: Spiders ran for 289 yards at VMI.
Next up: Oct. 11 vs. No. 1 James Madison (5-1).

8. NORTHERN IOWA (3-2)
Last week: beat Nicholls State, 34-14
The scoop: Panthers host Illinois State, which is the only MVC team without a conference loss.
Next up: Oct. 11 vs. Illinois State (2-2).

9. ELON (5-1)
Last week: beat No. 13 Furman, 31-10
The scoop: Now the Phoenix are starting to beat the SoCon big boys.
Next up: Oct. 11 at No. 25 The Citadel (3-2).

10. MONTANA (4-1)
Last week: lost to Weber State, 45-28
The scoop: Griz travel to Cheney to face an Eastern team that has backed itself into a corner.
Next up: Oct. 11 at Eastern Washington (2-3).

11. WOFFORD (3-1)
Last week: Idle
The scoop: Terriers play two straight against SoCon’s soft underbelly (Chattanooga, Western Carolina).
Next up: Oct. 11 vs. Chattanooga (1-5).

12. FURMAN (4-2)
Last week: lost to No. 10 Elon, 31-10
The scoop: Four turnovers cost Paladins at Elon.
Next up: Oct. 11 vs. Western Carolina (2-4).

13. MASSACHUSETTS (3-2)
Last week: beat No. 16 Delaware, 17-7
The scoop: Defense bounces back, holds Blue Hens to 167 yards.
Next up: Oct. 11 at Northeastern (2-3).

14. LIBERTY (5-0)
Last week: beat Coastal Carolina, 43-38
The scoop: Liberty should be at least a two-touchdown favorite in its next six games.
Next up: Oct. 11 vs. Stony Brook (1-4).

15. NORTH DAKOTA STATE (3-2)
Last week: beat No. 14 Southern Illinois, 35-27
The scoop: Scored 35 straight points after falling into 20-0 hole to SIU.
Next up: Oct. 11 vs. No. 22 Western Illinois (3-2).

16. WEBER STATE (4-2)
Last week: beat No. 2 Montana, 45-28
The scoop: Wildcats still have to play at Montana State, Northern Arizona in Big Sky play.
Next up: Oct. 11 at Montana State (3-2).

17. CENTRAL ARKANSAS (4-1)
Last week: Idle
The scoop: Winner of UCA-Sam Houston game will be McNeese’s main challenger in the Southland race.
Next up: Oct. 11 vs. No. 23 Sam Houston State (2-1).

18. SOUTH DAKOTA STATE (3-3)
Last week: lost to No. 6 McNeese State, 46-44 (3OT)
The scoop: Three of Jackrabbits’ games have been decided by two points. SDSU 2-1 in those game.
Next up: Oct. 18 vs. No. 5 Cal Poly (3-1).

19. NORTHERN ARIZONA (4-1)
Last week: beat Sacramento State, 42-10
The scoop: NAU preps for big stretch -- Oct. 25 vs. Weber State, Nov. 1 at Montana.
Next up: Oct. 11 vs. Portland State (2-3).

20. SOUTHERN ILLINOIS (2-2)
Last week: lost to No. 15 North Dakota State, 35-27
The scoop: Blew 20-0 lead in Fargo.
Next up: Oct. 11 vs. Indiana State (0-5).

21. DELAWARE (2-3)
Last week: lost to No. 19 Massachusetts, 17-7
The scoop: Blue Hens may be the nation’s best 6-6 team by season’s end -- they still have to face JMU, Richmond and Villanova.
Next up: Oct. 11 vs. Maine (2-3).

22. WESTERN ILLINOIS (3-2)
Last week: beat Missouri State, 33-21
The scoop: Herb Donaldson rushed for 273 yards, 4 TDs at Missouri State.
Next week: Oct. 11 at No. 14 North Dakota State (3-2).

23. SAM HOUSTON STATE (2-1)
Last week: Idle
The scoop: Big test for Bomar and the boys in Conway.
Next up: Oct. 11 at No. 17 Central Arkansas (2-1).

24. JACKSONVILLE STATE (4-1)
Last week: beat SE Missouri State, 38-17
The scoop: JSU has recovered nicely after the ugly loss at Georgia Tech to open the year.
Next week: Oct. 11 at Eastern Kentucky (3-3).

25. THE CITADEL (3-2)
Last week: lost to No. 3 Appalachian State, 47-21
The scoop: Allowed 520 yards in loss at App State.
Next week: Oct. 11 vs. No. 9 Elon (5-1).

DROPPED OUT: No. 12 Eastern Washington.

ON THE RADAR (in no particular order): Prairie View A&M, Grambling, Tennessee State, Hampton, South Carolina State, Cornell.

***

Some links ...

For the Coastal Carolina take on Liberty's 43-38 victory in Conway, here are some stories from the Myrtle Beach Sun News.

David Bennett tells Travis Sawchik that the Chanticleers "just weren't good enough," in all three phases of the game. CCU used a QB platoon. Sean Horgan says that Coastal's defense let the team down.

Gardner-Webb dominated Charleston Southern but lost, the Post & Courier reports.

Richmond bullied VMI, the Roanoke Times' Katrina Waugh writes.

Richmond was physically superior, the Times-Dispatch's John O'Connor writes.