Final Regular Season FCS Football Top 25 Rankings
November 22, 2021 · CSM Staff
| Rank | Team | Comments | Prior | |
| 1 |  |
Sam Houston | Bearkats finished undefeated and took the #1 seed in the playoffs. Enjoy the week off. | 1 |
| 2 |  |
James Madison | Dukes end up being an at-large selection but still received the #3 seed in the playoffs. They’ll enjoy turkey Thursday and extra rest. | 2 |
| 3 |  |
North Dakota State | Bison end as the MVFC champion and the #2 seed in the playoffs. That makes it ten out of eleven in the FCS’ best conference. | 4 |
| 4 |  |
Villanova | Wildcats took the CAA automatic berth and a #5 seed in the playoffs. They’ll await the winner coming from New England. | 5 |
| 5 |  |
Eastern Washington | Eagles are the lone 9-2 Big Sky team not seeded. First Round, they get to stay at home, hosting Northern Iowa. | 7 |
| 6 |  |
Sacramento State | Hornets won the Big Sky outright and were awarded the #4 seed in the playoffs. So, this week is free for rest and gluttony. | 8 |
| 7 |  |
Montana State | Bobcats lost the Brawl and fall from a near certain top 3 seed, all the way down to #8. Still get the bye, but seems a harsh drop. | 2 |
| 8 |  |
East Tennessee State | Buccaneers beat Mercer in an exciting clash to win the SoCon title and earn the #7 seed in the playoffs. Congrats. Enjoy your week off. | 6 |
| 9 |  |
Montana | Grizzlies win the Brawl and vault all the way to the #6 seed in the playoffs. They’ll get the UNI/EWU winner, a familiar foe either way. | 13 |
| 10 |  |
Missouri State | Bears won their fourth straight and finished second in the MVFC. They also get a First Round home game with UT-Martin. | 12 |
| 11 |  |
Kennesaw State | Owls smash Monmouth to claim the Big South title and automatic. They’ll host Davidson in the First Round. | 10 |
| 12 |  |
UC Davis | Aggies lost a second straight but weren’t punished too badly here. They have to go to SDSU in the First Round. That’s not nice. | 11 |
| 13 |  |
South Dakota State |
Jackrabbits won their finale and charge into the playoffs where they’ll host a dangerous UC-Davis in the First Round. |
16 |
| 14 |  |
Incarnate Word | Cardinals won the Southland automatic. No one saw that coming in the beginning. They get to host SFA in the First Round of the playoffs. | 17 |
| 15 |  |
Tennessee-Martin | Skyhawks lost to SEMO and any chance they’d had at a seed. Now they travel across the great river to Missouri State in the First Round. | 9 |
| 16 |  |
Southern Illinois | Salukis are limping into the playoffs having lost three of four. Now they travel to conference member South Dakota. | 14 |
| 17 |  |
Southeastern Louisiana | Lions fell behind and roared backvs. Nicholls, but were just short. Now they host Florida A&M in the First Round of the playoffs. | 15 |
| 18 |  |
Jackson State | Tigers already owned the SWAC East, but beating Alcorn State means they get Prairie View A&M in the SWAC Championship. | 18 |
| 19 |  |
Stephen F. Austin | Lumberjacks continued the hot streak, up to five now. Qualified for the playoffs and travel down state to Incarnate Word. | 22 |
| 20 |  |
South Dakota | Coyotes lost their finale to NDSU, but they still get a First Round home game with Southern Illinois, who they didn’t play in regular season. | 19 |
| 21 |  |
Northern Iowa | Panthers multiple signature wins and computer numbers get into playoffs. But they have to travel to Eastern Washington’s Inferno. | NR |
| 22 |  |
Mercer | Bears lost a shootout to ETSU in the de facto SoCon championship. The loss was enough to push them completely out of the field. | 20 |
| 23 |  |
Florida A&M | Rattlers lost to Jackson State, way back when, haven’t lost since. No SWAC title, instead they get a playoff bid. At SLU in First Round. | NR |
| 24 |  |
Princeton | Tigers end their season as co-champions of the Ivy League, though they did lose to Dartmouth earlier. Sadly, no playoffs. | 25 |
| 25 |  |
Holy Cross | Crusaders complete the Patriot League schedule unblemished and head into the playoffs. They’ll host Sacred Heart in the First Round. | NR |
