FCS Rankings 2015: Week 14 Coaches Poll Standings Revealed

The final regular-season FCS coaches poll dropped Monday, with Jacksonville State continuing to reign supreme at No. 1 in the country.

Below is an overview of the full FCS coaches hierarchy, as seen on NCAA.com, followed by analysis as the kickoff to the postseason looms this Saturday.

Rank	Team (1st-Place Votes)	Points	Record
1	Jacksonville State (20)	547	10-1
2	McNeese State (1)	520	10-0
3	North Dakota State (1)	487	9-2
4	Illinois State	482	9-2
5	Portland State	417	9-2
6	James Madison	416	9-2
7	Charleston Southern	383	9-2
8	Chattanooga	362	8-3
9	Coastal Carolina	359	9-2
10	Sam Houston State	358	8-3
11	Richmond	323	8-3
12	South Dakota State	321	8-3
13	William & Mary	306	8-3
14	Northern Iowa	256	7-4
15	Fordham	238	9-2
16	Southern Utah	223	8-3
17	Montana	202	7-4
18	The Citadel	198	8-3
19	Harvard	129	9-1
20	North Carolina A&T	99	9-2
21	Bethune-Cookman	88	9-2
22	Dartmouth	77	9-1
23	Northern Arizona	58	7-4
24	Grambling State	55	8-2
25	Eastern Illinois	46	7-4

Analysis

Butch Dill/Associated Press

Results of Monday's rankings bear less consequence than usual because on Sunday, the FCS playoff field of 24 was locked in. The Gamecocks claimed the No. 1 overall seed ahead of reigning national runner-up Illinois State and defending four-time champion North Dakota State.

Since losing to Auburn on the road 27-20 in its second contest of the year, Jacksonville State has dominated the FCS competition, rattling off nine wins in a row—with all but one coming by 21 points or more.

Dual-threat quarterback Eli Jenkins is largely to thank, as is 1,000-yard rusher Troymaine Pope and a Gamecocks defense that ranks fifth in allowing just 277.1 yards per game.

In the prior coaches poll release, Illinois State was all the way down at No. 6 and yet still vaulted ahead of an undefeated McNeese State team in the postseason picture. One can expect the Cowboys to play with a chip on their shoulder in the playoffs thanks to the lack of respect from the FCS selection committee.

A run-heavy, one-dimensional offense catalyzed by Daniel Sams is likely why McNeese doesn't garner such high status as it does in the coaches poll. The absence of a dynamic passing game almost cost the Cowboys at Lamar in the regular-season finale, as they escaped with a 20-14 win.

Alex Hickey of the Lake Charles American Press observed McNeese State's stubbornness to run the ball, as Sams scored a touchdown against Lamar to go with 104 yards rushing but went just 7-of-19 passing for 39 yards:

Portland State was among the teams that was better in the selection committee's eyes than what the coaches perceived. After being ranked 11th in the prior coaches poll, the Vikings found themselves seeded sixth in the FCS playoffs.

Sam Houston State, which upset Jacksonville State in the 2014 postseason, was only one slot behind Portland State in the prior coaches release yet has to play a first-round game against Southern Utah before facing McNeese State.

One reason the selection committee has to like Portland State is its overall team discipline, evident in a plus-16 turnover margin that ranks second nationally to, yes, Southern Utah (plus-21).

This just goes to show how deep the playoff field is and how even the favorites can be tripped up. Don't expect one of those favorites to be the Bison of North Dakota State, though.

Despite losing senior QB Carson Wentz to a broken wrist, NDSU continues to roll on with a redshirt freshman in Easton Stick under center. Stick is thriving in his first taste of action for the FCS' pre-eminent powerhouse program, showing off running ability in addition to proficient passing, with 11 touchdowns to only two picks in six games.

Head coach Chris Klieman praised the way the Bison have fought after Wentz's devastating injury, crediting Stick and the men blocking for him for the team's results, per NDSU on Scout:

"

[I'm] really proud of what they've been able to accomplish as coaches and players to get everyone rallied around a young quarterback. I credit Easton Stick, he's prepared all season as if he's one play away. ... I've been really impressed with the offensive line, the way they've made things easier for Easton.

"

It would be compelling to see Jacksonville State avenge last year's defeat to Sam Houston State and get a chance at North Dakota State in the national title game, but there's plenty of football to play before that can happen.

The Gamecocks may face a tough test as early as the second round if and when they go up against Chattanooga, whom they beat by only three points in the season opener. NDSU's road seems a bit more navigable, and its collective experience should help against the likes of Portland State in a potential quarterfinal matchup.

High expectations follow the Bison no matter what, and Klieman won a national title in his maiden year at the helm in 2014. Jacksonville State may be playing the best football in the country and has no reason to lack confidence.

The team most eyes will be on after analyzing this coaches poll will be McNeese State. If the Cowboys are indeed for real, they can't be as tight as they were against non-Top 25 foe Lamar and will face the ultimate test if they progress far enough to take on the current No. 1 team in the nation during the FCS playoff semifinals.

With the best red-zone defense in the FCS, McNeese State may well have the goods to continue its perfect run all the way to Frisco, Texas, which would justify the coaches' favorable perception of the Cowboys.

Note: Stats and results courtesy of the Washington Post and NCAA.com.