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For the fourth straight week Fresno State (7-0, 4-0 MWC) and Northern Illinois (8-0, 4-1 MAC) lead the Mid-Major College Football Top-10 Poll, coming in at No. 1 and No. 2 respectively. However, much like in the BCS rankings where the difference between the two teams shrunk this week, the same happened here.
A week ago (with two less voters) four points separated the two, with 4 first place votes going to Fresno State, and just 1 going to the Northern Illinois Huskies. This week the two teams are separated by just 1 point with the Bulldogs taking s narrow 1 vote lead over the Huskies. But for the first time this season we have a new No. 3 team as BYU (6-2) jumps up two spots after defeating Boise State (5-3, 3-1 MWC). After the loss the Broncos slipped four spots to No. 8.
Ball State (8-1, 4-0 MAC) slipped to No. 4, despite beating Akron. Rice (6-2, 4-0 C-USA) jumped up to No. 5, and East Carolina (5-2, 3-1 C-USA) moves up to No. 6 after a bye week, with Tulane (6-2, 4-0 C-USA) staying put at No. 7. A pair of newly ranked teams, Louisiana Lafayette (5-2, 3-0 Sun Belt) ad Buffalo (6-2, 4-0 MAC) jump into the poll at No. 9 and No. 10 a week after just missing the cut.
Dropping out of the poll this week is Bowling Green (5-3, 3-1 MAC) after a loss to Toledo in the Battle of I-75 Saturday. With Falcons' loss it become the third team in three weeks to drop out of the poll a week after coming in at No. 6. Marshall also dropped from the poll after losing to Middle Tennessee.
Voting this week consisted of UB Bull Run (Buffalo), Cowboy Altitude (Wyoming), Marshall Thundering Blog (Marshall), Miner Rush (UTEP), Mountain West Connection (Mountain West Conference), Sun Belt Insider (Sun Belt Conference) and Hustle Belt (Mid-American Conference).
Do you think NIU should have leapfrogged Fresno state this week, or should the Bulldogs be a unanimous No. 1? Was anyone slighted, or overrated this week? Do you believe in the Mid-Major Top-10 curse?
| Rank | Team | Record | Votes | Previous |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fresno State | 7-0 (4-0 MWC) | 67 (4) | 1 |
| 2 | Northern Illinois | 8-0 (4-0 MAC) | 66 (3) | 2 |
| 3 | BYU | 6-2 | 54 | 5 |
| 4 | Ball State | 8-1 (5-0 MAC) | 51 | 3 |
| 5 | Rice | 6-2 (4-0 C-USA) | 34 | 9 |
| 6 | East Carolina | 5-2 (3-1 C-USA) | 26 | 8 |
| 7 | Tulane | 6-2 (4-0 C-USA) | 21 | 7 |
| 8 | Boise State | 5-3 (3-1 MWC) | 20 | 4 |
| 9 | Louisiana-Lafayette | 5-2 (3-0 Sun Belt) | 13 | NR |
| 10 | Buffalo | 6-2 (4-0 MAC) | 11 | NR |
| Dropped Out: Bowling Green, Marshall | Others Receiving Votes: Ohio (9), Toledo (4) |