With just under two weeks until the annual rivalry game, Montana State and Montana are each in the Top 10.
In the latest FCS national rankings, Montana State (8-1, 6-0) is up to No. 3 in both the Stats Perfrom FCS Top 25 and the FCS Coaches Poll. The Bobcats recorded a statement win over Eastern Washington last week, holding the prolific Eagle offense to just 314 total yards.
The Montana Grizzlies (7-2, 4-2) move up to No. 9 in both polls after beating Northern Colorado 35-0 on Saturday. It was Montana's first shutout win since 2011.
As for the rest of the Big Sky Conference, Eastern Washington's loss drops the Eagles to No.7/No.8, while UC Davis climbs to No. 4/No. 6.
Sacramento State rounds out the field for the Big Sky, climbing to No. 12 in the Stats poll and No. 18 in the coaches poll.
Stats Perform FCS Top 25
| RANK | SCHOOL | RECORD | POINTS | PREVIOUS |
| 1 | Sam Houston (50) | 8-0 | 1,250 | 1 |
| 2 | James Madison | 8-1 | 1,180 | 3 |
| 3 | Montana State | 8-1 | 1,168 | 4 |
| 4 | South Dakota State | 7-2 | 1,045 | 9 |
| 5 | North Dakota State | 8-1 | 1,015 | 2 |
| 6 | UC Davis | 8-1 | 1,005 | 8 |
| 7 | Eastern Washington | 7-2 | 889 | 5 |
| 8 | Villanova | 7-2 | 872 | 10 |
| 9 | Montana | 7-2 | 799 | 11 |
| 10 | Kennesaw State | 8-1 | 778 | 12 |
| 11 | ETSU | 8-1 | 723 | 14 |
| 12 | Sacramento State | 7-2 | 624 | 16 |
| 13 | UT Martin | 8-1 | 622 | 15 |
| 14 | Southeastern Louisiana | 7-2 | 613 | 6 |
| 15 | Southern Illinois | 6-3 | 603 | 7 |
| 16 | Missouri State | 6-3 | 596 | 17 |
| 17 | UIW | 7-2 | 516 | 22 |
| 18 | Jackson State | 8-1 | 385 | 19 |
| 19 | South Dakota | 6-3 | 338 | 23 |
| 20 | Northern Iowa | 5-4 | 257 | 13 |
| 21 | VMI | 6-3 | 173 | 18 |
| T-22 | Chattanooga | 6-3 | 160 | NR |
| T-22 | Dartmouth | 7-1 | 160 | NR |
| 24 | Praire View A&M | 7-1 | 109 | NR |
| 25 | William & Mary | 6-3 | 79 | T-20 |
Dropped Out: Princeton (20 tie), Weber State (24), Eastern Kentucky (25)
Others Receiving Votes (schools listed on two or more ballots): Mercer 58, Stephen F. Austin 54, Princeton 50, Florida A&M 46, Rhode Island 33, Eastern Kentucky 15, Delaware 8, Monmouth 7, Nicholls 7, Harvard 5, Holy Cross 3
FCS Coaches Poll
| RANK | SCHOOL | RECORD | POINTS | PREVIOUS |
| 1 | Sam Houston (28) | 8-0 | 700 | 1 |
| 2 | James Madison | 8-1 | 668 | 3 |
| 3 | Montana State | 8-1 | 631 | 4 |
| 4 | UC Davis | 8-1 | 561 | 7 |
| 5 | Kennesaw State | 8-1 | 539 | 8 |
| 6 | North Dakota State | 8-1 | 532 | 2 |
| 7 | South Dakota State | 7-2 | 525 | 12 |
| 8 | Eastern Washington | 7-2 | 498 | 5 |
| 9 | Montana | 7-2 | 489 | 10 |
| 10 | UT Martin | 8-1 | 464 | 11 |
| 11 | Villanova | 7-2 | 435 | 13 |
| 12 | East Tennessee State | 8-1 | 391 | 14 |
| 13 | Southeastern Louisiana | 7-2 | 373 | 6 |
| 14 | Missouri State | 6-3 | 333 | 20 |
| 15 | Jackson State | 8-1 | 272 | 17 |
| 16 | Southern Illinois | 6-3 | 258 | 9 |
| 17 | South Dakota | 6-3 | 247 | 21 |
| 18 | Sacramento State | 7-2 | 217 | 22 |
| 19 | Chattanooga | 6-3 | 147 | 25 |
| 20 | VMI | 6-3 | 112 | 18 |
| 21 | UIW | 7-2 | 105 | NR |
| 22 | Princeton | 7-2 | 88 | 16 |
| 23 | Dartmouth | 7-1 | 77 | NR |
| 24 | Northern Iowa | 5-4 | 69 | 15 |
| 25 | Eastern Kentucky | 6-3 | 51 | 19 |
Dropped Out: William & Mary (23), Weber St. (24)
Others Receiving Votes: Stephen F. Austin, 38; Monmouth (N.J.), 36; Delaware, 35; William & Mary, 34; Mercer, 32; Prairie View A&M, 32; Florida A&M, 29; Holy Cross, 22; Harvard, 15; Davidson, 8; Nicholls, 8; Central Arkansas, 7; Rhode Island, 5; Yale, 3.
