Oct. 18, 2006

Elmhurst, Ill. -

North Dakota State and Cal Poly each jumped up one spot in the top ten and UC Davis went up three spots in the latest Gridiron Power Index (GPI). The Bison remained the highest reanking Great West school at No. 5, while Cal Poly is at No. 7 and UC Davis in a tie for No. 14. The GPI, the ranking for I-AA and top indicator of at-large playoff selection, has Montana all alone in the top spot after being tied for No. 1 with New Hampshire a couple weeks ago. The Great West remains the top ranked conference. I-AA's largest league, the Atlantic 10 and the Gateway Football Conferences have half of their leagues in the top 25 with six and four teams respectively; the Big Sky, the Great West Conferences and the Ivy League placed three each; the Southern Conference placed two teams; the Pioneer Football League, the Mid-Eastern, the Southland, and the Ohio Valley Conferences placed one each.

(Games through 10/15/06)

1. Montana (2.56) 2. Massachusetts (2.89) 3. Appalachian St (3.00) 4. Youngstown St (4.78) 5. N Dakota St (4.89) 6. Illinois St (5.22) 7. Cal Poly (7.56) 8. James Madison (7.89) 9. New Hampshire (8.33) 10. Richmond (11.22) 11. S Illinois (12.44) 12. Northern Iowa (14.67) 13. Harvard (14.89) 14T. UC Davis (15.56) 14T. Maine (15.56) 16. Portland St (16.78) 17. San Diego (17.89) 18. Princeton (18.89) 19. Furman (19.89) 20T. Hampton (21.44) 20T. TN Martin (21.44) 22. Montana St (21.89) 23. Sam Houston St (24.44) 24. Yale (25.56) 25. Towson (26.33) 30. South Dakota State 69. Southern Utah