Four CAA Football Teams Ranked In Stats Perform Preseason FCS Top 25 Poll

Four CAA Football Teams Ranked In Stats Perform Preseason FCS Top 25 Poll

Bookmark and Share

Rob Washburn

RICHMOND, Va. (August 4, 2025) – Four CAA Football teams were ranked and a fifth received votes as the 2025 Stats Perform FCS preseason Top 25 poll was released on Monday.

Preseason conference favorite Rhode Island led the group of ranked CAA teams at #9, while Villanova was #13, Monmouth was #22 and Stony Brook was #24. New Hampshire was among other teams receiving votes.

Rhode Island returns 11 starters from last year’s 11-3 team that set a program record for wins, earned a share of the CAA Football championship and advanced to the second round of the FCS playoffs. Eight regulars are back on offense, including quarterback Devin Farrell, All-America wide receiver Marquis Buchanan and an experienced offensive line. All-America linebacker A.J. Pena spearheads the Rams’ defense.
 
Villanova reached the FCS playoffs for the fourth time in six seasons after posting an 11-4 record a year ago. All-America linebacker Shane Hartzell is the top returnee on a Wildcats’ defense that gave up just 18.6 ppg in 2024. The offense features running backs David Avit and Isaiah Ragland rushing behind a line that includes All-America pick Jake Picard.
 
Monmouth featured one of the most explosive offenses in FCS football last season, averaging 39.0 ppg. All-America quarterback Derek Robertson is back at the controls of an attack that includes receivers Josh Derry and TJ Speight and running back Rodney Nelson. Safety Deuce Lee is back for the Hawks’ defense.
 
Stony Brook posted the biggest turnaround in FCS football last season with an 8-4 record. The Seawolves’ offense is led by All-America running back Roland Dempster, who ranked in the top six nationally in rushing yards and touchdowns in 2024. Defensively, Stony Brook returns its top two tacklers with linebackers AJ Roberts and Anthony Ferrelli.
 
UNH went 8-5 and earned a berth in the FCS playoffs last season. The Wildcats have receiver Caleb Burke returning on offense and safety Duncan Moreland back on defense.
 
CAA Football’s four ranked teams trailed only the Big Sky (6) and Missouri Valley (5) conferences.
 
 
2025 STATS PERFORM FCS PRESEASON TOP 25 POLL
  1. North Dakota State
  2. Montana State
  3. South Dakota State
  4. South Dakota
  5. UIW
  6. Illinois State
  7. Montana
  8. UC Davis
  9. Rhode Island
  10. Tarleton State
  11. Mercer
  12. Idaho
  13. Villanova
  14. Lehigh
  15. Sacramento State
  16. Abilene Christian
  17. Jackson State
  18. Western Carolina
  19. Northern Arizona
  20. Southern Illinois
  21. Tennessee Tech
  22. Monmouth
  23. Stephen F. Austin
  24. Stony Brook
  25. Richmond
RV: Harvard, Southeast Missouri, Southern Utah, UT Martin, North Dakota, Eastern Kentucky, Chattanooga, ETSU, South Carolina State, New Hampshire, Tennessee State, Southeastern Louisiana, North Carolina Central, Youngstown State, Duquesne