The First Time In 122 Years? 5 Stats To Know About The FCS Rankings

A 122-year first shakes up the 2026 FCS rankings. Discover five surprising stats from Week 8, including historic wins, undefeated teams and a CAA surprise.

Oct 22, 2026 by Ajay Shah

Replay: Towson vs Campbell | Oct 17 @ 3 PM2:29:56

It took 122 years for one FCS program to reach No. 1, and that wasn't even the only history made in Week 7.

Tarleton State has reached the top of the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll, North Dakota pulled off a historic upset, and Campbell is looking like a completely different team from a year ago.

Here are five facts from the Oct. 19 FCS rankings worth taking a closer look at.

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2026 UAlbany vs Rhode Island

Sat, Oct 24 · 4:00 PM UTC

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1. Tarleton State Waited 122 Years To Reach No. 1

Tarleton State football began in 1904, and 122 years later, the Texans have reached No. 1 in the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll for the first time in program history.

At 7-0, the Texans lead the FCS in total offense, averaging 509.3 yards per game. Tarleton also received 24 of 26 first-place votes in the latest AFCA Coaches Poll.

The Texans have now started 7-0 in back-to-back seasons, proving last year's success was no fluke.

2. Stephen F. Austin Is Off To Its Best Start Since 1995

The No. 2 Lumberjacks are 7-0 for the first time since 1995 and have won a school-record 17 consecutive regular-season games.

SFA is coming off a 56-0 shutout of Nicholls, a game in which the Lumberjacks piled up more than 640 yards of total offense.

Up next is No. 24 SE Louisiana on Oct. 24, giving the Lumberjacks another chance to prove they belong near the top of the FCS rankings.

3. North Dakota Beat No. 1 For The First Time In Its Division I History

North Dakota stunned then-No. 1 South Dakota State 21-10 on Oct. 17, earning its first victory over an AFCA No. 1-ranked FCS team since moving to Division I in 2008.

The Fighting Hawks built a 21-0 first-half lead and held the Jackrabbits to just 10 points. Not bad against the team that entered the weekend ranked No. 1 in the country.

The win sent North Dakota up seven spots to No. 8, the largest jump of any team in this week's Top 25.

4. West Florida Is Already Ranked In Its First FCS Season

West Florida isn't wasting any time at the Division I level.

After transitioning from Division II for the 2026 season, the Argonauts have already cracked the AFCA FCS Top 25, coming in at No. 23 with a 4-2 record.

West Florida joins No. 1 Tarleton State and No. 9 Austin Peay as the United Athletic Conference's three nationally ranked teams.

5. Campbell Has Already Tripled Its Win Total From Last Season

Campbell finished the 2025 season with a 2-10 record. Seven games into 2026, the Fighting Camels are 6-1 and ranked No. 16 nationally.

That's already three times as many wins as last season, and there's still plenty of football left to play.

Under head coach Braxton Harris, Campbell has gone from a two-win team to a nationally ranked CAA contender in less than a year.

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