FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SUBDIVISION

• James Madison increases lead in FCS poll

  
  

  Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Fresh off a 56-0 victory over Hofstra, James Madison solidified its No. 1 ranking in The Sports Network FCS Top-25 poll. The Dukes (5-1) received 104 of 111 first-place votes and 2,793 points.

  JMU held the top position for the second week in a row after Appalachian State and James Madison had lost while No. 1 in the previous two weeks.

  Appalachian State (3-2) used a 48-21 victory over Southern Conference rival The Citadel to further engrain itself at No. 2. The Mountaineers received four first-place votes and 2,558 points.

  McNeese State (3-1) moved up one spot to third after a wild, triple-overtime, 46-44 victory over South Dakota State. The Cowboys were given one first-place vote.

  New Hampshire (4-0) advanced one slot to No.

  4 during an off week.

  The Wildcats picked up two first-place votes.

  Richmond, Elon, Cal Poly and Wofford also moved up one place apiece to the fifth through eighth places in the poll, while Villanova was one of the biggest risers this week, skyrocketing from 14th to ninth. Northern Iowa remained 10th.

  The second 10 is headed up by North Dakota State, which broke a two-game losing streak with a 35-27 victory over Southern Illinois and jumped from 17th to 11th.

  Montana fell from third to 12th with its 45-28 loss to Weber State, while Massachusetts moved from 18th to 13th with its 17-7 triumph against Delaware.

  Central Arkansas and Liberty also made big improvements in the poll.

  UCA vaulted from 19th to 14th and Liberty rose from 20th to 15th.

  Southern Illinois plummeted from 13th to 16th, while Western Illinois hopped from 21st to 17th.

  Northern Arizona moved six places from 24th to 18th, Jacksonville State leaped from 22nd to 19th and Furman dropped from 15th to 20th.

  The final five teams in the poll were The Citadel, which fell from 12th to 21st, newcomer Weber State at 22, Eastern Washington, which tumbled from 11 to 23, Delaware, which slid from 16th to 24 and South Dakota State, which suffered a two-spot drop to 25th.

  10/06 15:45:51 ET