Jackrabbits secure No. 1 FCS ranking after victory over Illinois State
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Oct 5, 2026, 11:53 PM
Last updated Oct 5, 2026
College SportsSouth Dakota State University defeated Illinois State 31-14 on Saturday, October 5, establishing themselves as leaders in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. This victory, combined with Montana State's loss to Idaho, allowed SDSU to ascend to the No. 1 spot in the FCS polls. The Jackrabbits, now 5-1, will have a bye this week before facing North Dakota on October 17. The loss drops Illinois State to 0-2 in the conference, raising questions about their chances this season.
- •SDSU improves to 5-1 following the victory.
- •Jackrabbits now ranked No. 1 in both AFCA and STATS polls.
- •Illinois State drops to 0-2 in the Missouri Valley Conference.
- •SDSU has a bye week and will play North Dakota next on October 17.
- •Montana State's loss impacts the FCS rankings significantly.
- 11:53 PMYahoo Sports — Around the Valley: Jackrabbits on top
- 11:51 PMYahoo Sports — It's official: Jackrabbits are No. 1
"Oct. 5—NORMAL, Ill. — Saturday's South Dakota State at Illinois State was a big one, and by coming away with a convincing 31-14 win, the Jackrabbits established a pecking order in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. With Montana State's shocking loss to Idaho (oof, Brent Vigen), the Jacks will ascend to the No. 1 ranking in the FCS polls, giving them the inside track to the top seed in ...
"Oct. 5—BROOKINGS — It was a foregone conclusion after Montana State's upset loss to Idaho and No. 2 South Dakota State'w 31-14 road win over No. 10 Illinois State, but Monday it became official — the Jackrabbits are the new No. 1 in the FCS. The Jacks ascended to the top spot in both the AFCA (Coaches) poll and the STATS (Media) poll, the first time they've been No. 1 since 2024, when they ...
Sources
External links- Yahoo SportsOct 5, 2026, 11:53 PMAround the Valley: Jackrabbits on top
Oct. 5—NORMAL, Ill. — Saturday's South Dakota State at Illinois State was a big one, and by coming away with a convincing 31-14 win, the Jackrabbits established a pecking order in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. With Montana State's shocking loss to Idaho (oof, Brent Vigen), the Jacks will ascend to the No. 1 ranking in the FCS polls, giving them the inside track to the top seed in ...
- Yahoo SportsOct 5, 2026, 11:51 PMIt's official: Jackrabbits are No. 1
Oct. 5—BROOKINGS — It was a foregone conclusion after Montana State's upset loss to Idaho and No. 2 South Dakota State'w 31-14 road win over No. 10 Illinois State, but Monday it became official — the Jackrabbits are the new No. 1 in the FCS. The Jacks ascended to the top spot in both the AFCA (Coaches) poll and the STATS (Media) poll, the first time they've been No. 1 since 2024, when they ...
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