| Rank | Team | Comments | Prior |
| 1 |  | Jacksonville State | JSU (10-1) concludes an outstanding regular season with a 42-20 victory over Murray State. Now they get a bye. | 1 |
| 2 |  | North Dakota State | The Bison (9-2) humble Missouri State, 55-0, to earn a piece of their fifth straight MVFC title. | 4 |
| 3 |  | Illinois State | The Redbirds (9-2) blank South Dakota, 46-0. They'll be a top eight seed and get next week off. | 3 |
| 4 |  | McNeese State | It wasn't easy, but the Cowboys (10-0) finish unbeaten with a 20-14 win over Lamar. They'll get a first-round bye. | 5 |
| 5 |  | Charleston Southern | The Bucs can be certain they won't face anyone as good as Alabama in the FCS playoffs. | 11 |
| 6 |  | Chattanooga | The SoCon champs might get a top eight seed, then again they might not. Either way, a team to watch in the playoffs. | 8 |
| 7 |  | James Madison | Kudos to the Dukes (9-2) for righting the ship after Vad Lee goes down against Richmond. We think they get a first-round bye. | 10 |
| 8 |  | Portland State | Portland State (9-2) topples Eastern Washington to close out the regular season. It should be among the top eight seeds. | 13 |
| 9 |  | Sam Houston State | SHSU (8-3) close out the season with a win against Central Arkansas. Another team to watch in the playoffs. | 9 |
| 10 |  | Coastal Carolina | The Chanticleers (9-2) fall to Liberty on Thursday night, so they'll have a nice break even if they do play in the first round. | 2 |
| 11 |  | South Dakota State | The Jackrabbits (8-3) had all kinds of travel woes getting to Illinois, but the loss to WIU really hurts. | 7 |
| 12 |  | Richmond | The Spiders (8-3) take care of business against rival William & Mary and in doing so earn the CAA's automatic playoff bid. | 17 |
| 13 |  | Northern Iowa | Northern Iowa (7-4) win their last five to earn what should be a playoff berth and probably a home game, too. | 12 |
| 14 |  | Montana | The Grizzlies (7-4) had an up-and-down season but they top rival Montana State to earn a likely playoff bid. | 14 |
| 15 |  | Fordham | The Rams (9-2) concluded their regular season last week so they essentially have two weeks off before their first playoff game. | 16 |
| 16 |  | William & Mary | The Tribe (8-3) see a golden opportunity for the outright league title and possibly a top eight seed slip away. | 6 |
| 17 |  | Citadel | The Citadel (8-3) stun FBS foe South Carolina, 23-22. This team is playing well heading into the playoffs. | 24 |
| 18 |  | Southern Utah | In a must-win game, Southern Utah comes up big, beating Northern Arizona and gaining the Big Sky's auto bid. | 23 |
| 19 |  | Harvard | Another outstanding season for Harvard as it tops Yale in the regular-season finale. | 22 |
| 20 |  | Eastern Illinois | Eastern Illinois bounces back from an 0-3 start to earn second place in the OVC. It should make the playoff field. | 21 |
| 21 |  | Dartmouth | Dartmouth topples Princeton to finish the year at 9-1 and tied atop the Ivy League with Harvard and Penn. | 20 |
| 22 |  | New Hampshire | The Wildcats (7-4) topple rival Maine and figure to hear their name called when the playoff field is announced. | 25 |
| 23 |  | Liberty | The Flames (6-5) have victories over Montana and Coastal Carolina, but losses to Gardner-Webb and Monmouth. | NR |
| 24 |  | North Carolina A&T | The Aggies (9-2) fall to rival North Carolina Central and now sit at 7-1 in MEAC action. | 18 |
| 25 |  | North Dakota | North Dakota (7-4) wasn't a team that was mentioned a lot earlier this fall, but now it is. | NR |
