The 1996 NCAA Division I-AA football rankings are from the Sports Network poll of Division I-AA head coaches, athletic directors, sports information directors and media members. This is for the 1996 season.
Legend
| Increase in ranking | ||
| Decrease in ranking | ||
| Not ranked previous week | ||
(#–#)
|
Win–loss record | |
(Italics)
|
Number of first place votes | |
т
|
Tied with team above or below also with this symbol |
The Sports Network poll
| Preseason [1] | Week 1 Sept 3 [2] | Week 2 Sept 10 [3] | Week 3 Sept 17 [4] | Week 4 Sept 24 [5] | Week 5 Oct 1 [6] | Week 6 Oct 8 [7] | Week 7 Oct 15 [8] | Week 8 Oct 22 [9] | Week 9 Oct 29 [10] | Week 10 Nov 5 [11] | Week 11 Nov 12 [12] | Week 12 Nov 19 [13] | Week 13 Nov 26 [14] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Marshall (44) | Marshall (0–0) (49) | Marshall (1–0) (53) | Marshall (2–0) (59) | Marshall (3–0) (75) | Marshall (4–0) (62) | Marshall (5–0) (64) | Marshall (6–0) (62) | Marshall (7–0) (72) | Marshall (8–0) (68) | Marshall (9–0) (69) | Marshall (10–0) (67) | Marshall (11–0) (71) | Marshall (11–0) (50) | 1. |
| 2. | Montana (1) | Montana (0–0) (5) | Montana (1–0) (25) | Montana (2–0) (33) | Montana (2–0) (23) | Montana (3–0) (23) | Montana (4–0) (25) | Montana (5–0) (24) | Montana (6–0) (20) | Montana (7–0) (22) | Montana (8–0) (23) | Montana (9–0) (24) | Montana (10–0) (23) | Montana (11–0) (15) | 2. |
| 3. | McNeese State (1) | McNeese State (0–0) (1) | Stephen F. Austin (2–0) (4) | Northern Iowa (3–0) | Troy State (3–0) (2) | Northern Iowa (4–1) | Northern Iowa (4–1) | Northern Iowa (5–1) | Northern Iowa (6–1) | Northern Iowa (7–1) | Northern Iowa (8–1) | Northern Iowa (9–1) | Northern Iowa (10–1) | Northern Iowa (10–1) | 3. |
| 4. | Appalachian State | Stephen F. Austin (1–0) (2) | Delaware (1–0) (1) | Troy State (2–0) (2) | Appalachian State (2–1) | Appalachian State (3–1) | Stephen F. Austin (3–1) | Jackson State (5–0) (2) | Troy State (6–1) | Troy State (7–1) | Murray State (7–1) | Murray State (8–1) | Murray State (9–1) | Murray State (10–1) | 4. |
| 5. | Stephen F. Austin (3) | Delaware (0–0) (2) | Northern Iowa (2–0) | Appalachian State (1–1) | Northern Iowa (3–1) | Stephen F. Austin (3–1) | Jackson State (5–0) (2) | SW Missouri State (5–1) | Murray State (6–1) | Murray State (6–1) | Troy State (7–1) | Troy State (8–1) | Troy State (9–1) | Troy State (10–1) | 5. |
| 6. | Delaware | Northern Iowa (1–0) | Troy State (2–0) | Jackson State (2–0) (1) | Jackson State (3–0) (2) | Jackson State (4–0) (1) | SW Missouri State (5–1) | Troy State (5–1) | Northern Arizona (7–1) | Delaware (7–1) | Northern Arizona (8–2) | Northern Arizona (9–2) | Northern Arizona (9–2) | Northern Arizona (9–2) | 6. |
| 7. | Northern Iowa | Appalachian State (0–1) | Appalachian State (1–1) | Stephen F. Austin (2–1) | Stephen F. Austin (2–1) | SW Missouri State (4–1) | Eastern Illinois (4–0) | Northern Arizona (6–1) | Delaware (6–1) | SW Missouri State (6–2) | East Tennessee State (8–1) | Stephen F. Austin (7–2) | William & Mary (9–2) | William & Mary (9–2) | 7. |
| 8. | Murray State | Troy State (1–0) | Hofstra (1–0) | Connecticut (2–0) | SW Missouri State (3–1) | Eastern Illinois (4–0) | Troy State (4–1) | Murray State (5–1) | Furman (6–1) | Northern Arizona (7–2) | Jackson State (7–1) | Western Illinois (9–1) | Jackson State (9–1) | Jackson State (10–1) т | 8. |
| 9. | Eastern Kentucky | Murray State (0–0) | McNeese State (0–1) | Eastern Illinois (3–0) | Eastern Illinois (3–0) | Troy State (3–1) | Murray State (4–1) | Villanova (5–1) (1) | SW Missouri State (5–2) | East Tennessee State (7–1) | Stephen F. Austin (6–2) | Jackson State (8–1) | East Tennessee State (9–2) | East Tennessee State (9–2) т | 9. |
| 10. | Troy State | Eastern Kentucky (0–0) | Jackson State (1–0) | SW Missouri State (2–1) | Murray State (2–1) | Murray State (3–1) | Northern Arizona (5–1) | Delaware (5–1) | James Madison (6–1) | Jackson State (6–1) | Western Illinois (8–1) | William & Mary (8–2) | Delaware (8–3) | Western Illinois (9–2) | 10. |
| 11. | Hofstra | Hofstra (0–0) | Eastern Kentucky (0–1) | Delaware (1–1) | Delaware (2–1) | Delaware (3–1) | Delaware (4–1) | Furman (5–1) | Jackson State (5–1) | Stephen F. Austin (5–2) | Florida A&M (7–1) | East Tennessee State (8–2) | Western Illinois (9–2) | Delaware (8–3) | 11. |
| 12. | Southern | Southern (0–0) | Connecticut (1–0) | Murray State (1–1) | Western Kentucky (4–0) | Northern Arizona (4–1) | Villanova (4–1) (2) | Stephen F. Austin (3–2) | Stephen F. Austin (4–2) | Florida A&M (6–1) | Delaware (7–2) | Furman (7–2) | New Hampshire (8–2) | Florida A&M (9–2) | 12. |
| 13. | Middle Tennessee State | Jackson State (1–0) | Murray State (0–1) | Georgia Southern (1–1) | Northern Arizona (3–1) | Villanova (3–1) (2) | Furman (4–1) | James Madison (5–1) | Florida A&M (6–1) | Western Illinois (7–1) | William & Mary (7–2) | Delaware (7–3) | Florida A&M (8–2) | Furman (8–3) | 13. |
| 14. | Liberty | Georgia Southern (1–0) | SW Missouri State (1–1) | Hofstra (1–1) | Weber State (3–0) | Furman (3–1) | Appalachian State (3–2) | Eastern Illinois (4–1) | East Tennessee State (6–1) | Furman (6–2) | SW Missouri State (6–3) | Eastern Illinois (7–2) | Stephen F. Austin (7–3) | Villanova (8–3) | 14. |
| 15. | Jackson State | Connecticut (0–0) | Georgia Southern (1–1) | Western Kentucky (3–0) | Villanova (3–1) (2) | Connecticut (3–1) | William & Mary (4–1) | Florida A&M (5–1) | Western Illinois (6–1) | William & Mary (6–2) | Furman (6–2) | New Hampshire (7–2) | Furman (7–3) | Youngstown State (8–3) | 15. |
| 16. | Connecticut | Northern Arizona (1–0) | Northern Arizona (1–1) | Northern Arizona (2–1) | Connecticut (2–1) | Western Kentucky (4–1) | Florida A&M (4–1) | East Tennessee State (6–1) | William & Mary (5–2) | Villanova (6–2) | Villanova (7–2) | Florida A&M (7–2) | Youngstown State (8–3) | Eastern Illinois (8–3) | 16. |
| 17. | Idaho State | Liberty (0–1) | Eastern Illinois (2–0) | Weber State (2–0) | Idaho State (2–1) | William & Mary (3–1) | James Madison (4–1) | Western Illinois (5–1) | Villanova (5–2) | Eastern Illinois (5–2) | Eastern Illinois (6–2) | Youngstown State (7–3) | Villanova (8–3) | Dartmouth (10–0) | 17. |
| 18. | Georgia Southern | Middle Tennessee State (0–1) | Southern (0–1) | Villanova (2–1) | Furman (2–1) | Weber State (3–1) | Connecticut (3–2) | New Hampshire (4–1) | Eastern Illinois (4–2) | James Madison (6–2) | New Hampshire (6–2) | James Madison (7–3) | Dartmouth (9–0) | New Hampshire (8–3) | 18. |
| 19. | Furman | Furman (0–0) | Idaho State (1–1) | Idaho State (1–1) | William & Mary (3–1) | Northwestern State (4–0) | Northwestern State (4–1) | William & Mary (4–2) | Northwestern State (5–2) | Eastern Washington (6–2) | Northwestern State (5–3) | Dartmouth (8–0) | Eastern Illinois (7–3) | Nicholls State (8–3) | 19. |
| 20. | Northern Arizona | Idaho State (0–1) | Weber State (1–0) | Furman (1–1) | James Madison (3–0) | New Hampshire (3–0) | Western Kentucky (4–2) | Eastern Washington (5–1) | Appalachian State (4–3) | New Hampshire (5–2) | Eastern Washington (6–3) | SW Missouri State (6–4) | SW Missouri State (7–4) | Howard (9–2) | 20. |
| 21. | SW Missouri State | SW Missouri State (0–1) | Furman (0–1) | Florida A&M (2–0) | Florida A&M (2–1) | Florida A&M (3–1) | Weber State (3–2) | Appalachian State (3–3) | Indiana State (6–2) | Youngstown State (6–2) | Indiana State (6–3) | Villanova (7–3) | Howard (8–2) | SW Missouri State (7–4) | 21. |
| 22. | Weber State | Rhode Island (1–0) | Florida A&M (2–0) | William & Mary (2–1) | Northwestern State (3–0) | Western Illinois (4–0) | East Tennessee State (5–1) | Northwestern State (4–2) | Eastern Washington (5–2) | Northwestern State (5–3) | James Madison (6–3) | Nicholls State (6–3) | Nicholls State (7–3) | Stephen F. Austin (7–4) | 22. |
| 23. | Rhode Island | Weber State (0–0) | William & Mary (1–1) | James Madison (2–0) | Georgia Southern (1–2) | James Madison (3–1) | Idaho State (3–2) | Indiana State (5–2) | Connecticut (4–3) | Indiana State (6–3) | Youngstown State (6–3) | Howard (7–2) | James Madison (7–4) | James Madison (7–4) | 23. |
| 24. | Indiana State | Eastern Illinois (1–0) | Western Kentucky (2–0) | McNeese State (0–2) | Western Illinois (4–0) | Idaho State (2–2) | New Hampshire (3–1) | Connecticut (3–3) | New Hampshire (4–2) | Columbia (6–0) | Eastern Kentucky (5–3) | Eastern Washington (6–4) | Dayton (11–0) | Dayton (11–0) | 24. |
| 25. | Eastern Illinois | Indiana State (1–0) | Youngstown State (2–0) | Eastern Kentucky (0–2) | New Hampshire (2–0) | Georgia Southern (1–3) | Western Illinois (4–1) | Idaho State (3–3) | Idaho State (3–3) | Southern (5–2) | Dartmouth (7–0) | Northwestern State (5–4) | Appalachian State (6–4) т | Appalachian State (7–4) | 25. |
| 26. | Buffalo (8–3) т | 26. | |||||||||||||
| Preseason [1] | Week 1 Sept 3 [2] | Week 2 Sept 10 [3] | Week 3 Sept 17 [4] | Week 4 Sept 24 [5] | Week 5 Oct 1 [6] | Week 6 Oct 8 [7] | Week 7 Oct 15 [8] | Week 8 Oct 22 [9] | Week 9 Oct 29 [10] | Week 10 Nov 5 [11] | Week 11 Nov 12 [12] | Week 12 Nov 19 [13] | Week 13 Nov 26 [14] | ||
| None | Dropped:
| Dropped:
| Dropped:
| None | Dropped: 25 Georgia Southern | Dropped:
| None | Dropped:
| Dropped:
| Dropped:
| Dropped:
| Dropped: 25 Buffalo |
References
-
^
"Sports Network Preseason Div. I-AA poll". The Courier-Journal. Louisville, Kentucky. August 24, 1996. p. C4. Retrieved May 2, 2017 – via
Newspapers.com.
-
^
"Division I-AA Poll". The Greenville News. Greenville, South Carolina. September 3, 1996. p. 3C. Retrieved April 29, 2017 – via
Newspapers.com.
-
^
"Division I-AA poll". The Courier-Journal. Louisville, Kentucky. September 10, 1996. p. D4. Retrieved April 29, 2017 – via
Newspapers.com.
-
^
"Division I-AA poll". The Courier-Journal. Louisville, Kentucky. September 17, 1996. p. D4. Retrieved April 29, 2017 – via
Newspapers.com.
-
^
"=Division I-AA poll". The Courier-Journal. Louisville, Kentucky. September 24, 1996. p. D4. Retrieved April 29, 2017 – via
Newspapers.com.
-
^
"Football Division I-AA Poll". Daily Press. Newport News, Virginia. October 1, 1996. p. C2. Retrieved April 29, 2017 – via
Newspapers.com.
-
^
"Division I-AA Top 25". The Montgomery Advertiser. Montgomery, Alabama. October 8, 1996. p. 2D. Retrieved April 29, 2017 – via
Newspapers.com.
-
^
"College Polls". The Advocate-Messenger. Danville, Kentucky. October 15, 1996. p. B2. Retrieved April 29, 2017 – via
Newspapers.com.
-
^
"Sports Network Division I-AA Poll". Daily Press. Newport News, Virginia. October 22, 1996. p. B2. Retrieved April 29, 2017 – via
Newspapers.com.
-
^
"NCAA I-AA". The Salina Journal. Salina, Kansas. October 29, 1996. p. B2. Retrieved April 29, 2017 – via
Newspapers.com.
-
^
"NCAA I-AA". The Salina Journal. Salina, Kansas. November 5, 1996. p. B2. Retrieved April 29, 2017 – via
Newspapers.com.
-
^
"NCAA I-AA". The Salina Journal. Salina, Kansas. November 12, 1996. p. B2. Retrieved April 29, 2017 – via
Newspapers.com.
-
^
"Division I-AA Poll". The Morning Call. Allentown, Pennsylvania. November 19, 1996. p. C2. Retrieved April 29, 2017 – via
Newspapers.com.
-
^
"NCAA I-AA". The Salina Journal. Salina, Kansas. November 26, 1993. p. B2. Retrieved April 29, 2017 – via
Newspapers.com.