Griz move up to #5/6 in weekly polls
11/4/2019 1:17:00 PM | Football
The Montana Grizzlies returned to the top five in one of the two main national rankings this week following a decisive 38-23 road win over Portland State that improved the Griz to 7-2 on the season and 3-1 in Big Sky play.
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The Griz jumped three places from No. 8 to No. 5 in the AFCA FCS Coaches' Poll, collecting 532 points in the poll. In the media poll, the Griz rose two spots to No. 6 with 3,074 points in the poll, just four points shy of No. 5 Northern Iowa, which collected 3,079 points.
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Montana returns to the top five for the second time this season after falling to No. 10 following a loss at Sacramento State. Montana moved up thanks to its win over PSU, a Sac State loss to Weber State (36-17), and losses from previously-ranked No. 4 Kennesaw State (to the same Monmouth team that Montana beat 47-27 on week three), and Illinois State losing to UNI.
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With the requisite seven wins needed for a berth in the FCS playoffs and a top-five ranking under their belts, the Grizzlies are on track to return to the postseason for the first time since 2015 this season.
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The Griz will get the first indications as to where the Division I Football Championship Committee thinks where they will land when it announces its top-10 ranking, Wednesday, Nov. 6, during halftime of the 8 p.m. (ET) Miami (OH) vs. Ohio game on ESPN2.
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For the fourth straight year, the sport committee will reveal the rankings ahead of Selection Sunday. The early reveal will provide insight on potential teams competing for top seed positions in the upcoming 2019 Division I Football Championship.
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In addition to building excitement around the FCS playoffs, the reveal may have some bearing on the final bracket that will be publicized during the selection show on Sunday, Nov. 24, at 12:30 p.m. (ET) on ESPNU.
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The Grizzlies will continue their march toward the playoffs this week at home when the Idaho Vandals come to Missoula for the first time since 2003 to compete for the "Little Brown Stein" at Washington-Grizzly Stadium.
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Tickets for the old rivalry game are still available online at GrizTix.com, at the Adams Center Box Office, or over the phone at 1-888-MONTANA.
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AFCA FCS Coaches' Poll
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1Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â North Dakota State
2Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â James Madison
3Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Weber State
4Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â South Dakota State
5Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Montana
6         Central Arkansas       Â
7Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Northern Iowa
8Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Sacramento State
9Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Princeton
10Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Furman
11Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Kennesaw State
12Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Illinois State
13Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Dartmouth
14Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Montana State
T-15Â Â Â Â Florida A&M
T-15Â Â Â Â North Carolina A&T
17Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Central Connecticut State
18Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Southeast Missouri State
19Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Villanova
20Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Monmouth
21Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Towson
22Â Â Â Â Â Â Â North Dakota
23Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Wofford
24Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Austin Peay
25Â Â Â Â Â Â Â New Hampshire
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Others receiving votes: UT Martin, 60; Nicholls, 50; Southeastern Louisiana, 17; San Diego, 12; Alcorn St., 9; Sam Houston St., 8; Southern Illinois, 8; Jacksonville St., 7; The Citadel, 5; Yale, 3; Abilene Christian, 2; Stony Brook 2.
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STATS FCS Media Poll
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1Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â North Dakota State
2Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â James Madison
3Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Weber State
4Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â South Dakota State
5Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â UNI
6Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Montana
7Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Central Arkansas
8Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Sacramento State
9Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Furman
10Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Princeton
11Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Illinois State
12Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Montana State
13Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Dartmouth
14Â Â Â Â Â Â Â North Carolina A&T
15Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Kennesaw State
16Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Florida A&M
17Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Southeast Missouri State
18Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Villanova
19Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Monmouth
20Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Central Connecticut State
21Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Towson
22Â Â Â Â Â Â Â North Dakota
23Â Â Â Â Â Â Â New Hampshire
24Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Wofford
25Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Nicholls
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Others: Austin Peay (354) , UT Martin (287) , Sam Houston State (224) , Alcorn State (215) , Citadel (129) , Richmond (78) , Southern Illinois (74) , Yale (71) , UC Davis (61) , Southeastern Louisiana (55) , Stony Brook (49) , Jacksonville State (34) , Delaware (17) , Youngstown State (16) , San Diego (6) , Elon (3) , McNeese (1) , Abilene Christian (1) , Campbell (1)
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The Griz jumped three places from No. 8 to No. 5 in the AFCA FCS Coaches' Poll, collecting 532 points in the poll. In the media poll, the Griz rose two spots to No. 6 with 3,074 points in the poll, just four points shy of No. 5 Northern Iowa, which collected 3,079 points.
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Montana returns to the top five for the second time this season after falling to No. 10 following a loss at Sacramento State. Montana moved up thanks to its win over PSU, a Sac State loss to Weber State (36-17), and losses from previously-ranked No. 4 Kennesaw State (to the same Monmouth team that Montana beat 47-27 on week three), and Illinois State losing to UNI.
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With the requisite seven wins needed for a berth in the FCS playoffs and a top-five ranking under their belts, the Grizzlies are on track to return to the postseason for the first time since 2015 this season.
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The Griz will get the first indications as to where the Division I Football Championship Committee thinks where they will land when it announces its top-10 ranking, Wednesday, Nov. 6, during halftime of the 8 p.m. (ET) Miami (OH) vs. Ohio game on ESPN2.
Â
For the fourth straight year, the sport committee will reveal the rankings ahead of Selection Sunday. The early reveal will provide insight on potential teams competing for top seed positions in the upcoming 2019 Division I Football Championship.
Â
In addition to building excitement around the FCS playoffs, the reveal may have some bearing on the final bracket that will be publicized during the selection show on Sunday, Nov. 24, at 12:30 p.m. (ET) on ESPNU.
Â
The Grizzlies will continue their march toward the playoffs this week at home when the Idaho Vandals come to Missoula for the first time since 2003 to compete for the "Little Brown Stein" at Washington-Grizzly Stadium.
Â
Tickets for the old rivalry game are still available online at GrizTix.com, at the Adams Center Box Office, or over the phone at 1-888-MONTANA.
Â
AFCA FCS Coaches' Poll
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1Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â North Dakota State
2Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â James Madison
3Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Weber State
4Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â South Dakota State
5Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Montana
6         Central Arkansas       Â
7Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Northern Iowa
8Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Sacramento State
9Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Princeton
10Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Furman
11Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Kennesaw State
12Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Illinois State
13Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Dartmouth
14Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Montana State
T-15Â Â Â Â Florida A&M
T-15Â Â Â Â North Carolina A&T
17Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Central Connecticut State
18Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Southeast Missouri State
19Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Villanova
20Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Monmouth
21Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Towson
22Â Â Â Â Â Â Â North Dakota
23Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Wofford
24Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Austin Peay
25Â Â Â Â Â Â Â New Hampshire
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Others receiving votes: UT Martin, 60; Nicholls, 50; Southeastern Louisiana, 17; San Diego, 12; Alcorn St., 9; Sam Houston St., 8; Southern Illinois, 8; Jacksonville St., 7; The Citadel, 5; Yale, 3; Abilene Christian, 2; Stony Brook 2.
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STATS FCS Media Poll
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1Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â North Dakota State
2Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â James Madison
3Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Weber State
4Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â South Dakota State
5Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â UNI
6Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Montana
7Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Central Arkansas
8Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Sacramento State
9Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Furman
10Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Princeton
11Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Illinois State
12Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Montana State
13Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Dartmouth
14Â Â Â Â Â Â Â North Carolina A&T
15Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Kennesaw State
16Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Florida A&M
17Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Southeast Missouri State
18Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Villanova
19Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Monmouth
20Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Central Connecticut State
21Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Towson
22Â Â Â Â Â Â Â North Dakota
23Â Â Â Â Â Â Â New Hampshire
24Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Wofford
25Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Nicholls
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Others: Austin Peay (354) , UT Martin (287) , Sam Houston State (224) , Alcorn State (215) , Citadel (129) , Richmond (78) , Southern Illinois (74) , Yale (71) , UC Davis (61) , Southeastern Louisiana (55) , Stony Brook (49) , Jacksonville State (34) , Delaware (17) , Youngstown State (16) , San Diego (6) , Elon (3) , McNeese (1) , Abilene Christian (1) , Campbell (1)
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