College football top 25: South Dakota State kicks off FCS Power Rankings at No. 1 eyeing three-peat

The Jackrabbits are still loaded with talent despite losing NFL Draft picks

You can smell the freshly cut natural grass and freshly painted field turf around the country. We've finally reached Week 0 of the college football season. 

As usual, there was never a quiet or dull moment during the offseason in college football, even at the FCS level, so let's get you up to speed, shall we?

Goodbye, Kennesaw State. The Owls are now out of the subdivision and playing as an FBS member this season in Conference USA. Also transitioning out of the FCS after this season are the Delaware Blue Hens, a blue-blood program, and Missouri State. Both teams will eventually move on to Conference USA as well, and as such they are ineligible for both their respective conference titles and the FCS playoffs this season.

It wasn't all departures at the subdivision. Mercyhurst and West Georgia are stepping up from the Division II ranks to join the FCS. The Lakers are joining the Northeast Conference, while the Wolves will find a new pack amongst the United Athletic Conference. 

And we're not done with the rearranging of teams. Both Merrimack and Sacred Heart are leaving the Northeast Conference, opting to play as FCS Independents this season. Richmond also has decided to leave the CAA in 2025 to join the Patriot League. 

There were also an eye-popping 30 new coaching hires as well.

Okay, you're now caught up on all of the moving and shaking within the FCS. Let's get to the football.

South Dakota State is your reigning Division I national champions, winning back-to-back titles and looking to make it three straight, which hasn't been done since North Dakota State did it from 2017-2019. 

Needless to say, the Jackrabbits lead off our CBS Sports FCS Power Rankings heading into Week 0. 

FCS Power Rankings

Team	Rank	Record	Breakdown
	1. South Dakota State	0-0	Despite losing some NFL Draft picks along the offensive line and in the backfield, the Jackrabbits still are stocked with talent, led by reigning Payton Award winning QB Mark Gronowski.
	2. Villanova	0-0	I'm probably more bullish on the Wildcats than many, but this is a strong Villanova team on both sides of the ball. The conference schedule sets up beautifully for them as well, avoiding both William & Mary and Albany.
	3. Montana State	0-0	QB Tommy Mellott and the Bobcats are always a team built to make a deep December run. How talented are they this season? Well, they enter Week 0 as 10.5-point favorites against New Mexico.
	4. Montana	0-0	It'll be interesting to see how the Grizzlies fare with Keali'i Ah Yat at QB this season after last year's starter Clifton McDowell decided to hit the transfer portal despite leading them to the national title game.
	5. North Dakota State	0-0	The Bison kick off their 2024 campaign against Deion Sanders' Colorado Buffaloes. Strides in the passing game could determine if the Bison head to Frisco, Texas, this year.
	6. Sacramento State	0-0	We've watched the Hornets become a model of consistency in the FCS and Big Sky Conference over the last five or so years, and this season's squad should continue to bring the sting on game day.
	7. South Dakota	0-0	I feel like we'll see a lot of the Coyotes in The Hunt Report throughout the season. They have a bevy of NFL Draft prospects, led by TE JJ Galbreath.
	8. William & Mary	0-0	Getting RB Bronson Yoder back is huge for the Tribe. Having him run behind an offensive line, led by Charles Grant, that's arguably the best in the FCS is even better.
	9. Idaho	0-0	The Vandals lost some key pieces to last year's 9-4 team. Replacing QB Gevani McCoy, who left for Oregon State, will be key.
	10. Chattanooga	0-0	Chattanooga is my dark horse team to make a run this season. I'm a big fan of QB Chase Artopoeus and what he does leading this offense.
	11. Incarnate Word	0-0	Snubbed for the playoffs last year despite their 9-2 record. UIW will look to run it back with a talented squad that did some really good things defensively last season
	12. Central Arkansas	0-0	Keep an eye on RB ShunDerrick Powell. He could easily find himself in Frisco, Texas, for the Payton Award by season's end. Such an explosively talented runner who helps spearhead this Bears offense.
	13. Lafayette	0-0	The Leopards were one of the great stories of the 2023 season. They were solid on both sides of the ball and really could beat you any type of way. Leopards look to be the favorite to win the Patriot League this year.
	14. Southern Illinois	0-0	Always competitive, always entertaining are the Salukis. What a great job coach Nick Hill has done with this program since taking over in 2016.
	15. Illinois State	0-0	Brock Spack enters his 16th year as the Redbirds coach and is looking to get his team back to the postseason for the first time since 2019. I like how they are built along the line of scrimmage, which will always give them a chance to compete.
	16. Elon	0-0	Transfer RB Rushawn Baker (Bucknell) should set the pace for the Phoenix running game this year. Elon was 6-2 in conference play last season and is looking to be much better outside of the CAA in 2024.
	17. Richmond	0-0	You don't have enough defensive backs to cover the Spiders passing game, which gives them a chance to really thrive this season. WR Nick DeGennaro leads a talented group.
	18. Eastern Illinois	0-0	Look for QB Pierce Holley to stack back-to-back strong seasons. The balance in which the Panthers play with on offense makes them a tough opponent every week.
	19. Weber State	0-0	Might be a bit too low here on Weber State, but the Wildcats always seem to be in the mix for an at-large bid by late October.
	20. Furman	0-0	The Paladins beat Chattanooga twice last season, so they know what it takes to get it done vs. the Mocs. But can they get it done with new starting quarterback Carson Jones?
	21. UC Davis	0-0	Tim Plough takes over as coach of the Aggies, and he has one of the best backs in the country in Lan Larison, who can legitimately affect the game in a multitude of ways.
	22. Florida A&M	0-0	New Rattlers coach James Colzie taps former FBS transfer Daniel Richardson to lead what looks to be a talented squad. The Rattlers are poised to make a return trip to the Celebration Bowl as the SWAC representative.
	23. Mercer	0-0	One of the bigger offseason acquisitions for the Bears was former Lenoir Rhyne star RB Dwayne McGee, who ran for more than 1,500 yards last season.
	24. Nicholls	0-0	You can never count out coach Tim Rebowe's Colonels. They play team defense and are always able to control the point of attack with their running game offensively.
	25. Albany	0-0	Despite losing a ton of star power on both sides of the ball, coach Greg Gattuso doesn't rebuild, he reloads. This Great Danes team will still have a say in the CAA race this season.