We are in store for some excellent conference races as we enter Week 5 of the college football season in the Football Championship Subdivision. Some conferences seem to be more of a two-team race as opposed to others, but there are going to be some heavyweight fights popping up on the schedule with some starting this weekend.
In the Big Sky, Colonial Athletic Association, Missouri Valley Football Conference and Southern Conference, you already see some key matchups that could alter the standings in a big way. This weekend alone, Furman vs. Samford and Richmond vs. Elon should create some separation and offer clarity in conference races.
It is also no surprise that this week's power rankings are littered with teams from the aforementioned conferences. In total, there are 18 teams coming from the Big Sky, CAA, MVFC and SoCon, which just tells you both the depth and strength of each conference as a whole.
Here's how the rest of the FCS Power Rankings look:
Biggest Riser: Austin Peay -- No. 13 (Last Week: 18)
New this Week: Southern Illinois, Southeastern Louisiana
Dropped Out: Eastern Kentucky, Rhode Island
On the Cusp: Idaho (2-2), Youngstown State (2-1), Southeast Missouri State (3-1), Harvard (2-0)
| Team | Rank | Record | Breakdown |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 1. Montana | 4-0 | The Grizzlies have a suffocating defense; just issuing out bear hugs each week. Opposing offenses have averaged only 2.2 yards per carry and thrown one touchdown pass against them. |
 | 2. North Dakota State | 3-1 | No team makes better in-game adjustments than the Bison. Last weekend vs. South Dakota was a great example of that second-half domination. |
 | 3. South Dakota State | 3-1 | Winners of three straight games, the Jackrabbits look to be back in stride again after their victory over a top-five Missouri State team. |
 | 4. Sacramento State | 3-0 | Watching that Colorado State game last weekend, you would think the Hornets were the FBS team in that matchup. They straight-up dominated the Rams. |
 | 5. Delaware | 4-0 | The Blue Hens have proven to be a disciplined group on defense, and they'll get another defensive test this week against Towson. |
 | 6. Holy Cross | 4-0 | The Crusaders travel to Cambridge this weekend to take on Harvard as they look avenge last year's 38-13 loss. |
 | 7. Missouri State | 2-2 | At times, it felt like the Week 3 loss to Arkansas crept into the game against South Dakota State. The Bears have to learn how to finish. |
 | 8. Jackson State | 4-0 | While the Heisman Trophy may not be a realistic option for QB Shedeur Sanders, the Walter Payton Award most definitely is. He's playing out of his mind right now. |
 | 9. Weber State | 4-0 | One of the more dominant defenses in the FCS gets a well-deserved bye. The Wildcats haven't allowed an opponent to score more than 14 points in a game so far. |
 | 10. Montana State | 3-1 | The Bobcats will always have a shot in games because of their ability to score. That offense allows them to play any type of game on any given Saturday. |
 | 11. Richmond | 3-1 | I like how the Spiders are stacking excellent performances on top of one another. They have a pivotal conference matchup this weekend against Elon. |
 | 12. Chattanooga | 3-1 | Last week's loss to Illinois is the classic "burn the tape" type game. The good news is that gave the Mocs an extended prep time for this week's tilt vs. East Tennessee State. |
 | 13. Austin Peay | 4-1 | The Governors passed a big-time test last week against Eastern Kentucky, setting the table for another big one on the road against Central Arkansas. |
 | 14. Fordham | 3-1 | Say it with me ... Foe-tis Co-co-sue-liss ... as in game-breaking WR Fotis Kokosioulis, who racked up 320 yards and four touchdowns on 13 catches last weekend vs. Ohio. Get used to the name, he's a superstar. |
 | 15. Incarnate Word | 3-1` | High-scoring games, while fun, can bite you in the end. The Cardinals will have to start playing much better defense the rest of the way following a 41-35 loss to Southeastern Louisiana. |
 | 16. Mercer | 3-1 | The Bears boast back-to-back impressive victories, and they are playing some of their best ball over the last three to four years. They have a chance to make some noise in the SoCon. |
 | 17. Elon | 3-1 | Elon's defense stepped up big in the fourth quarter last week against William & Mary. We know the offense can score, but if the defense can continue to get better, look out. |
 | 18. William & Mary | 3-1 | The Tribe couldn't maintain the early success they had vs. Elon last weekend. It'll be interesting to see if they allow that to affect them this week vs. Stony Brook. |
 | 19. Villanova | 2-2 | The Wildcats have allowed 40 points in back-to-back games. The defense has to tighten up as they jump into the heart of CAA play. |
 | 20. North Carolina Central | 4-0 | The Eagles had a nice tune-up game vs. Virginia-Lynchburg and face their strongest test yet against Campbell this weekend. |
 | 21. Samford | 3-1 | The Bulldogs have a big SoCon matchup on Saturday vs. Furman. I love the RB duo of Jay Stanton and Jaylan Thomas. |
 | 22. Southern Illinois | 2-2 | It's good to see the Salukis back in the top 25, earning their way back in with much better defensive play over the last two games. |
 | 23. Furman | 3-1 | The Paladins will need to bring their A-game offensively against a great Samford team. |
 | 24. New Hampshire | 3-1 | It was good to see the Wildcats bounce back in a big way against Towson last week. That's the type of effort they are going to need when they dive back into conference play after this weekend. |
 | 25. Southeastern Louisiana | 2-2 | The Lions have built some momentum with back-to-back wins. They'll need it as they take on Murray State this weekend. |
