2011 FCS Now Poll

Week Three

(First-place votes in parentheses)

 1. Georgia Southern (39)

2. Northern Iowa (17)

3. Appalachian State (12)

4. Montana State (7)

5. Wofford

6. North Dakota State

7. Delaware

8. William & Mary

9. Montana

10. Richmond

11. Chattanooga

12. South Carolina State

13. New Hampshire

14. South Dakota

15. Lehigh

16. James Madison

17. Jacksonville State

18. Eastern Washington

19. Southern Utah

20. Sam Houston State

21. Stephen F. Austin

22. Southern Illinois

23. McNeese State

24. Murray State

25. Towson

Others receiving votes:

Liberty; Cal Poly; Eastern Kentucky; Indiana State; Bethune-Cookman; Old Dominion; Maine; Massachusetts; Youngstown State; Weber State; Alabama State; Jackson State; Hampton; South Dakota State; Central Arkansas; Sacramento State.     www.fcsnow.com

Villanova Coach Talley and his young Wildcats (0-3) team have stumbled out of the gates, but they will have an impact on the CAA Conference Championship.

Six, count them, six CAA football teams are in the Top 25 of the FCS Now Poll after three weeks of play.  Even more impressive, another three teams (ODU, Maine, and UMass) are knocking on the door.  Talk about a power conference, nine of the 11 CAA football programs are considered amongst the elite nationally.

Enjoy the penthouse now proud CAA fans, because something’s got to give. 

CAA conference play will be in full swing this weekend and will last throughout the remainder of the season.

This is when the cream rises to the top, and some contenders will become pretenders.  There are no cupcakes in the CAA.  I’ll tell you right now before full-blown CAA play begins, current bottom feeder Villanova (0-3) will have the greatest impact as to which teams emerge to the top of conference play come November.

The Wildcats are young and searching for their identity.  But there is plenty of talent on their roster.  If QB Dustin Thomas can return from injury, they will make life difficult for CAA teams in October and November.

Starting this weekend we’ll start to see which teams are ready to challenge for a conference championship, and who scheduled their homecoming games in early September. 

Here are few key match-ups this Saturday (9/24) that will start to clear up the murky rankings:

(RV) Received Votes*

#13 New Hampshire @ #10 Richmond    

(RV)* Old Dominion @ #7 Delaware

#16 James Madison @ #8 William & Mary

So, before you start pounding on your chest and boasting about the CAA Conference, let’s see how things play out over the next 2-3 weeks. 

The CAA Conference may not have six teams in the Top 25 when the dust settles and playoff time approaches, but the teams that do survive conference play will be battled tested and ready to challenge for a National Championship.