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TOWSON, Md. - For the first time ever, Towson University is ranked among the Top 10 NCAA FCS teams in The Sports Network/Fathead.com College Football Weekly Poll, which was announced on Monday. The Tigers, who are 8-2, are ranked eighth in the nation after their 56-42 victory over No. 7 New Hampshire (7-3) on Saturday afternoon.
This is the highest ranking that the Tigers have ever attained since joining NCAA FCS in 1987.
The Tigers, who were ranked 12th last week, are ranked among the Top 25 for eighth consecutive week. The most improved NCAA FCS team in the nation, the Tigers have made a seven-game improvement over last season when they posted a 1-10 record.
Picked to finish last in the Colonial Athletic Association's pre-season poll, the Tigers are one victory away from clinching at least a share of their first-ever CAA championship. The Tigers, who are 6-1 in the CAA, close out the regular season on Saturday, Nov. 19 at the University of Rhode Island at 12:30 p.m.
The Tigers, who are 6-1 against nationally-ranked teams this season, are one of six CAA teams that are ranked in the Top 25. They join No. 10 Old Dominion, No. 11 Maine, No. 12 New Hampshire, No. 15 Delaware and No. 19 James Madison as CAA schools ranked in the Top 25.
To date, the Tigers have defeated No. 20 Villanova, No. 14 Richmond, No. 18 Old Dominion, No. 14 William and Mary, No. 7 Maine and No. 7 New Hampshire. Their lone loss was a 35-30 defeat at the hands of No. 21 Delaware.
The Sports Network/Fathead.com Weekly NCAA FCS Rankings
| Rank | Team | Record | Points | Previous |
| 1. | Montana State (76) | 9-1 | 3,805 | 2 |
| 2. | Sam Houston State (71) | 10-0 | 3,764 | 3 |
| 3. | Georgia Southern (6) | 9-1 | 3,557 | 4 |
| 4. | Northern Iowa | 8-2 | 3,297 | 5 |
| 5. | North Dakota State (1) | 9-1 | 3,199 | 1 |
| 6. | Lehigh | 9-1 | 3,122 | 6 |
| 7. | Montana | 8-2 | 2,879 | 8 |
| 8. | Towson | 8-2 | 2,665 | 12 |
| 9. | Appalachian State | 7-3 | 2,580 | 10 |
| 10. | Old Dominion | 9-2 | 2,549 | 11 |
| 11. | Maine | 8-2 | 2,313 | 13 |
| 12. | New Hampshire | 7-3 | 2,012 | 7 |
| 13. | Wofford | 7-3 | 1,928 | 9 |
| 14. | Illinois State | 7-3 | 1,761 | 14 |
| 15. | Delaware | 6-4 | 1,421 | 15 |
| 16. | Liberty | 7-3 | 1,400 | 16 |
| 17. | Central Arkansas | 8-3 | 1,377 | 19 |
| 18. | Harvard | 8-1 | 1,310 | 18 |
| 19. | James Madison | 6-4 | 958 | 20 |
| 20. | Norfolk State | 9-2 | 855 | 22 |
| 21. | Jackson State | 8-2 | 766 | 21 |
| 22. | South Dakota | 6-4 | 472 | 24 |
| 23. | Tennessee Tech | 6-3 | 378 | NR |
| 24. | Furman | 6-4 | 371 | 17 |
| 25. | Portland State | 7-3 | 367 | NR |
Others receiving votes: Indiana State 331, North Dakota 195, Youngstown State 141, Jacksonville State 139, Stony Brook 135, Alabama State 98, San Diego 84, Bethune-Cookman 67, Duquesne 51, Drake 50, Eastern Kentucky 43, Brown 41, Chattanooga 39, William & Mary 28, Georgetown 24, Albany 19, Stephen F. Austin 18, Bryant 11, Southern Utah 11, Murray State 10, Florida A&M 10, Grambling State 8, South Carolina State 8, South Dakota State 6, Alabama A&M 5, Samford 5, Eastern Washington 5, Elon 4, Cal Poly 4, Tennessee State 2, Jacksonville 1, Massachusetts 1.
