South Dakota State was No. 2 in last week's FCS Power Rankings and looked dominant all season long. But north of them in Fargo, North Dakota, Cam Miller has been playing like a Payton Award favorite, according to betting sites. The North Dakota State quarterback has shown the scrappiness and grit that the Bison faithful have grown to appreciate about their football team.
It was Miller's late drive and game-winning touchdown to RaJa Nelson that helped the Bison knock off their hated rival in the Dakota Marker game. Miller has looked like a completely different QB from last season and could be the reason why the Bison win another national championship (odds via Fanatics Sportsbook). I'm glad to see him have a resurgence; he's playing up to the expectations of a NDSU QB.
Villanova got punched in the mouth early at Maine and were never able to recover, losing 35-7. Maine did exactly what it was supposed to do in order to pull off the upset, forcing the Wildcats into some uncharacteristic turnovers and ineffective play.
This loss makes the entire CAA even more interesting. Richmond look like a team to be reckoned with following a dominating win vs. Delaware, which is off to Conference USA next season. The Spiders sit undefeated in conference play, tied with the Rhode Island Rams for the top spot. Conversely, the Wildcats fall into a five-team logjam of one-loss teams, all looking capable of usurping one another.
Get the full rundown of Week 9's top games with Fanatics. On to the rankings ...
| Team | Rank | Record | Breakdown |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 1. Montana State | 8-0 | Touchdown Tommy Mellott and the Bobcats offense have really just mowed down the competition from Week 0 to now. I don't foresee a defense in sight that can slow them down from getting to Frisco, Texas, in January. |
 | 2. North Dakota State | 7-1 | We've talked about the progress QB Cam Miller has made for the Bison. His late touchdown pass helped them knock off their rival South Dakota State. |
 | 3. South Dakota | 6-1 | Outside of Wisconsin, no team has scored more than 17 points against the Coyotes. Not surprising that their only loss of the season is to those aforementioned Badgers. |
 | 4. South Dakota State | 5-2 | The Jackrabbits can hold their heads high despite the 13-9 loss to North Dakota State. The defense was ready, but the offense couldn't find ways to consistently move the ball. |
 | 5. UC Davis | 7-1 | Seven straight wins for the Aggies, who head into their bye week before facing Northern Colorado on Nov. 2. After that, games against Montana, Montana State and Sacramento State await. |
 | 6. Tarleton State | 6-1 | Texans are back in action this week, taking on Austin Peay on the road. We'll see how much rust there is to shake. |
 | 7. Southeast Missouri State | 7-1 | The Redhawks continue to show good balance on both sides of the ball. They've dominated since their Week 2 loss to New Mexico State, winning six straight. |
 | 8. Central Arkansas | 5-2 | Off a bye, the Bears can't afford a slow start against a pesky North Alabama squad, who has played well as of late. |
 | 9. North Dakota | 5-2 | The Fighting Hawks were able to take their frustration out on Northern Iowa last weekend, winning 31-7. This is the type of UND performance you want to see weekly. |
| 10. Incarnate Word | 5-2 | The Cardinals maximized their offensive possessions against McNeese, making sure they outpaced the Cowboys. Huge battle upcoming for the top spot in the Southland Conference vs. Southeastern Louisiana. |
 | 11. Villanova | 5-2 | Villanova got overwhelmed in the surprising upset of the weekend. Will that loss linger against New Hampshire, or will it be the shot of focus it needs to finish out the rest of the season strong? |
 | 12. Mercer | 6-1 | Defensively, it was an embarrassment for Mercer. The Bears gave up 55 points to Samford; they hadn't given up 55 points combined to that point in the season. |
 | 13. Idaho | 5-3 | The Vandals got back on the winning track thanks to QB Jack Wagner's three touchdowns. Cal Poly proved to be a tougher test than expected, but Idaho passed nonetheless. |
 | 14. Rhode Island | 6-1 | Last week's 26-9 win over New Hampshire was the most impressive of the season for the Rams. The next three games (Maine, Monmouth and Delaware) will tell us a lot about this team. |
 | 15. William & Mary | 5-2 | When the Tribe gets rolling on the ground like they did last week vs. Campbell, they are a tough team to beat. |
 | 16. Richmond | 5-2 | The Spiders were able to knock off FBS-bound Delaware, keeping the explosive Blue Hens offense to only nine points. |
 | 17. Chattanooga | 4-3 | The Mocs have become much more dominant defensively after their 0-3 start, and their offense has been able to take full advantage. They're getting hot at the right time. |
 | 18. Montana | 5-2 | Defensive consistency is what we're looking for from the Griz. They showed it two weeks ago vs. Northern Arizona. Let's see how they respond coming off of their bye. |
 | 19. Abilene Christian | 5-3 | The third quarter got kind of dicey for the Wildcats vs. Eastern Kentucky, but defense stepped up in the fourth to keep them from scoring en route to a 34-20 win. |
 | 20. Dartmouth | 5-0 | The Big Green were down late vs. Central Connecticut State but leaned on QB Grayson Saunier's legs; his two rushing touchdowns got them the 20-16 victory. Back-to-back comebacks for Dartmouth. |
 | 21. Tennessee State | 6-2 | WR Karate Brenson hauled in eight receptions for 130 yards and a score over Howard. Now, the Tigers have two weeks to prepare for UT Martin. |
 | 22. UT Martin | 4-3 | Winners of three straight, the Skyhawks are looking to make it four in a row against Eastern Illinois this weekend. |
 | 23. Illinois State | 5-3 | QB Tommy Rittenhouse scored three total touchdowns, ran for 128 yards, all while throwing for 347 yards in a 40-32 win over Murray State. |
 | 24. North Carolina Central | 5-2 | Huge matchup this week for North Carolina Central as they take on a tough Morgan State squad in the official opening of MEAC play. |
 | 25. Jackson State | 5-2 | JSU took care of business against Florida A&M. Irv Mulligan is one of the more dynamic RBs in the SWAC and looks like a legit Sunday player. |
