It took one week for an Ivy League program to enter the FCS Power Rankings. What a debut for Columbia coach Jon Poppe, a former assistant coach under legendary coach Al Bagnoli from 2015-2017, who returned to Manhattan to help continue the program's most successful era in history.
A win over Lafayette (No. 16 in last week's rankings) was led by running backs Joey Giorgi and Malcolm Terry II, who, combined with QB Chase Goodwin, rushed for more than 200 yards. The Lions forced two turnovers and built a a 31-12 lead midway into the fourth quarter.
It's just one game, but it is an important one for Poppe, the Lions and the rest of the FCS: even though its teams may not participate in the FCS playoffs, Ivy League football is as strong and competitive as any at this level.
FCS Power Rankings
| Team | Rank | Record | Breakdown |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 1. Montana State | 4-0 | The Bobcats rolled Mercyhurst last weekend and kicks off conference play this weekend on the road against Idaho State. |
 | 2. South Dakota State | 3-1 | The Jackrabbits earned their bye week after blanking Southeastern Louisiana 41-0 on the road. Game time kickoff temperature was 90 degrees for a night game! Kudos to SDSU for their championship hydration levels. |
 | 3. Idaho | 3-1 | Defense saved the day for the Vandals, who traveled deep in the heart of Texas for a matchup against Abilene Christian. Forcing a late turnover helped them avoid the upset. |
 | 4. North Dakota State | 3-1 | The Bison allowed Towson to work itself back into the contest but regained control and still won 41-24. |
 | 5. Villanova | 3-1 | The Wildcats were no match for Maryland, but they get right back into FCS play this weekend against Long Island. |
 | 6. South Dakota | 2-1 | Love the secondary of South Dakota, it's arguably one of the best in the FCS. Led by NFL prospects Mike Reid and Dennis Shorter, the Coyotes are tough to move the ball against consistently. |
 | 7. Sacramento State | 2-2 | The Hornets have won back-to-back games by the combined score of 68-7. Now that they've finished dominating the Southland Conference, they turn their attention to Big Sky Conference play this week vs. Northern Arizona. |
 | 8. Central Arkansas | 3-1 | Central Arkansas probably should be undefeated heading into this big matchup vs. Lamar. It's great to see the defense tighten up over the last three games. |
 | 9. William & Mary | 3-1 | The Tribe look to make it three straight as they battle the Hampton Pirates on Saturday. This will be a great test for the Tribe's defensive line; Hampton has one of the better O-lines in the FCS. |
 | 10. North Dakota | 3-1 | Things looked shaky for the Fighting Hawks against San Diego, but thanks to a strong second half performance, they were able to escape with a win over the Toreros. |
 | 11. Mercer | 4-0 | When the Bears needed a long drive to close out the game, they got the job done. That 38-21 win over The Citadel was arguably their best performance of the season so far. |
 | 12. Montana | 3-1 | As impressive as some of the wins are on the Grizzlies' schedule, they can't continue to play with their food like they did against Western Carolina. Otherwise, they'll end up dropping a winnable game in the future. |
 | 13. Lamar | 3-1 | This upcoming matchup vs. Central Arkansas is a huge test for the Cardinals offense. Can they get off to a great start? Can they counterpunch when the Bears score? These are the questions we're about to find out the answers to this Saturday. |
 | 14. Tarleton State | 3-1 | After three straight road games, the Texans finally return to Stephenville to take on Southeastern Louisiana. |
 | 15. UC Davis | 3-1 | Huge matchup in the Big Sky this week as they take on Idaho. Expect to see a lot of RB Lan Larison early and often to try and shrink the ball game. |
 | 16. Florida A&M | 2-2 | The Rattlers had their chances against Troy, but undisciplined penalties, missed tackles and drops ultimately doomed them. They have to clean up the little things moving forward. |
 | 17. Southeast Missouri State | 3-1 | A big fourth quarter helped the Redhawks pull away from Southern Illinois. QB Paxton DeLaurent continues to show why he's a legit NFL-prospect. He finished with four touchdown passes on the day. |
 | 18. Incarnate Word | 2-2 | Nice to see a complete game from the Cardinals to get them back on the winning track against Northern Arizona. That's the type of game and victory you want heading into a bye week. |
 | 19. Illinois State | 3-1 | The Redbirds are as good as anyone in the Missouri Valley Conference and get their swing at the North Dakota State Bison at home. A true "where we stand" type of game. |
 | 20. Chattanooga | 0-3 | I need the Mocs to find a win or they will find themselves out of the top 25. |
 | 21. Southern Illinois | 2-2 | Defense was a letdown against Southeast Missouri State. SIU needs to get things shored up there if it wants to compete in the Missouri Valley this season |
 | 22. Northern Iowa | 2-2 | Panthers couldn't pull off the upset in Hawaii last weekend. They hit the field in two weeks to take on South Dakota State with a much needed break in between. |
 | 23. Wofford | 2-1 | With two weeks to prepare for Mercer, let's see if the Terriers can make a statement against the Bears. Their defense will definitely give them a puncher's chance. |
 | 24. New Hampshire | 3-1 | Wildcats are on a bye this week and a date with Harvard awaiting when they return on Oct. 4. |
 | 25. Columbia | 1-0 | The Lions are off to a great start to the season. Can they handle success at Georgetown in a battle for the Lou Little Trophy. |
