The following weekly polls make up the2012 NCAA Division I FCS football rankings which determine the top 25 teams in theNCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision level ofcollege football for the2012 season.The Sports Network poll is voted on by media members while theCoaches' Poll is determined by coaches at the FCS level.
| Increase in ranking | ||
| Decrease in ranking | ||
| Not ranked previous week | ||
| Italics | Number of first place votes | |
| (#–#) | Win–loss record | |
| т | Tied with team above or below also with this symbol |
| Preseason Aug 13[1] | Week 1 Sept 3 | Week 2 Sept 10 | Week 3 Sept 17 | Week 4 Sept 24 | Week 5 Oct 1 | Week 6 Oct 8 | Week 7 Oct 15 | Week 8 Oct 22 | Week 9 Oct 29 | Week 10 Nov 5 | Week 11 Nov 12 | Week 12 Nov 19 | Week 13 (Final) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Sam Houston State79 | Sam Houston State87 (0–0) | North Dakota State94 (2–0) | North Dakota State140 (2–0) | North Dakota State154 (3–0) | North Dakota State156 (4−0) | North Dakota State164 (5–0) | Eastern Washington92 (5–1) | Eastern Washington125 (6–1) | North Dakota State59 (7–1) | North Dakota State120 (8–1) | North Dakota State121 (9–1) | North Dakota State126 (10–1) | North Dakota State (14–1) | 1. |
| 2. | North Dakota State59 | North Dakota State65 (1–0) | Sam Houston State61 (1–0) | Montana State9 (3–0) | Montana State5 (4–0) | Montana State6 (5−0) | Montana State3 (6–0) | James Madison42 (5–1) | Georgia Southern14 (6–1) | Georgia Southern76 (7–1) | Montana State17 (8–1) | Montana State20 (9–1) | Montana State12 (10–1) | Sam Houston State (11–4) | 2. |
| 3. | Georgia Southern6 | Georgia Southern4 (1–0) | Montana State1 (2–0) | Sam Houston State8 (1–1) | Youngstown State10 (4–0) | Youngstown State7 (4−0) | Old Dominion (5–0) | Georgia Southern9 (5–1) | North Dakota State13 (6–1) | Montana State9 (7–1) | Sam Houston State14 (7–2) | Sam Houston State14 (8–2) | Old Dominion6 (10–1) | Georgia Southern (10–4) | 3. |
| 4. | Montana State3 | Montana State1 (1–0) | James Madison1 (2–0) | Youngstown State7 (3–0) | Old Dominion (4–0) | Old Dominion (5−0) | James Madison (4–1) | North Dakota State12 (5–1) | Montana State5 (6–1) | Sam Houston State9 (6–2) | Old Dominion2 (8–1) | Old Dominion3 (9–1) | Eastern Washington (9–2) | Eastern Washington (11–3) | 4. |
| 5. | James Madison3 | James Madison (1–0) | Youngstown State4 (2–0) | Old Dominion (3–0) | James Madison (3–1) | James Madison (3−1) | Wofford (5–0) | Montana State (6–1) | Sam Houston State5 (5–2) | Old Dominion2 (7–1) | Eastern Washington (7–2) | Eastern Washington (8–2) | Sam Houston State3 (8–3) | Montana State (11–2) | 5. |
| 6. | Appalachian State1 | Youngstown State7 (1–0) | Old Dominion (2–0) | James Madison (2–1) | Wofford (3–0) | Wofford (4−0) | Eastern Washington (4–1) | Sam Houston State2 (4–2) | Old Dominion (6–1) | Wofford (7–1) | Stony Brook4 (9–1) | Georgia Southern (8–2) | Georgia Southern (8–3) | Old Dominion (11–2) | 6. |
| 7. | Towson | Old Dominion (1–0) | Northern Iowa (1–1) | Wofford1 (3–0) | Eastern Washington (2–1) | Eastern Washington (3−1) | Georgia Southern (4–1) | Old Dominion (5–1) | Wofford (6–1) | Eastern Washington (6–2) | Georgia Southern1 (7–2) | New Hampshire1 (8–2) | Appalachian State (8–3) | Wofford (9–4) | 7. |
| 8. | Old Dominion | Northern Iowa (0–1) | Appalachian State (1–1) | Northern Iowa (1–2) | Delaware (4–0) | Georgia Southern (3−1) | Youngstown State (4–1) | Wofford (5–1) | Lehigh3 (8–0) | Lehigh4 (8–0) | Lehigh4 (9–0) | Appalachian State (8–3) | Central Arkansas (9–2) | Illinois State (9–4) | 8. |
| 9. | Northern Iowa | Eastern Washington (1–0) | Wofford (2–0) | Eastern Washington (1–1) | Sam Houston State (1–2) | Illinois State (5−0) | Sam Houston State (3–2) | Lehigh3 (7–0) | James Madison (5–2) | Stony Brook4 (8–1) | James Madison1 (7–2) | Wofford (8–2) | Wofford (8–3) | Appalachian State (8–4) | 9. |
| 10. | Wofford | Wofford (1–0) | Eastern Washington (1–1) | The Citadel (3–0) | Georgia Southern (2–1) | Sam Houston State (2−2) | Lehigh (6–0) | Stony Brook1 (6–1) | Stony Brook1 (7–1) | James Madison (6–2) | New Hampshire1 (8–2) | Central Arkansas (8–2) | Stony Brook (9–2) | Central Arkansas (9–3) | 10. |
| 11. | Montana | Appalachian State (0–1) | Georgia Southern (1–1) | Georgia Southern (1–1) | The Citadel (3–1) | Lehigh (5−0) | Stony Brook (5–1) | Illinois State (6–1) | Cal Poly3 (7–0) | New Hampshire (7–2) | Northern Arizona2 (8–1) | Illinois State (8–2) | New Hampshire (8–3) | Stony Brook (10–3) | 11. |
| 12. | Eastern Washington | Montana (1–0) | Towson (0–1) | Delaware (3–0) | Towson (2–1) | Towson (2−2) | New Hampshire (4–2) | New Hampshire (5–2) | New Hampshire (6–2) | Northern Arizona2 (7–1) | Appalachian State (7–3) | Stony Brook (9–2) | Cal Poly (9–2) | Cal Poly (9–3) | 12. |
| 13. | Youngstown State1 | Towson (0–1) | Delaware (2–0) | Towson (1–1) | Illinois State (4–0) | Stony Brook (4−1) | Appalachian State (4–2) | Appalachian State (5–2) | Northern Arizona (6–1) | Central Arkansas (7–2) | Wofford (7–2) | James Madison (7–3) | Lehigh (10–1) | New Hampshire (8–4) | 13. |
| 14. | New Hampshire | New Hampshire (1–0) | Montana (1–1) | Montana (2–1) | Northern Iowa (1–3) | New Hampshire (3−2) | Illinois State (5–1) | Cal Poly3 (6–0) | Central Arkansas (6–2) | Indiana State (7–2) | Central Arkansas (8–2) | Lehigh (9–1) | Villanova (8–3) | South Dakota State (9–4) | 14. |
| 15. | Delaware | Delaware (1–0) | Illinois State (2–0) | Illinois State (3–0) | Lehigh (4–0) | Appalachian State (3−2) | Cal Poly (5–0) | Youngstown State (4–2) | Indiana State (6–2) | Appalachian State (6–3) | Illinois State (8–2) | Northern Arizona (8–2) | Towson (7–4) | Villanova (8–4) | 15. |
| 16. | Lehigh | Lehigh (1–0) | Lehigh (2–0) | Lehigh (3–0) | Central Arkansas (3–1) | Delaware (4−1) | Northern Arizona (4–1) | Northern Arizona (5–1) | Appalachian State (5–3) | Cal Poly (7–1) | South Dakota State (7–2) | Villanova (7–3) | Illinois State (8–3) | Lehigh (10–1) | 16. |
| 17. | Stony Brook | Stony Brook (1–0) | Stony Brook (2–0) | Appalachian State (1–2) | Appalachian State (2–2) | Eastern Kentucky (4−1) | Towson (2–3) | Tennessee State (7–0) | Illinois State (6–2) | Illinois State (7–2) | Towson (5–4) | Cal Poly (8–2) | James Madison (7–4) | Towson (7–4) | 17. |
| 18. | Eastern Kentucky | Illinois State (1–0) | New Hampshire (1–1) | New Hampshire (2–1) | Stony Brook (3–1) | Northern Arizona (4−1) | Tennessee State (6–0) | Towson (3–3) | Eastern Kentucky (6–2) | Tennessee State (8–1) | Indiana State (7–3) | Indiana State (7–3) | Richmond (8–3) | Richmond (8–3) | 18. |
| 19. | Illinois State | Stephen F. Austin (1–0) | McNeese State (2–0) | McNeese State (3–0) | Eastern Kentucky (3–1) | The Citadel (3−2) | McNeese State (4–1) | Central Arkansas (5–2) | Villanova (6–2) | Towson (4–4) | Cal Poly (7–2) | Towson (6–4) | South Dakota State (8–3) | James Madison (7–4) | 19. |
| 20. | Stephen F. Austin | Maine (0–0) | Eastern Kentucky (1–1) | Stony Brook (2–1) | New Hampshire (2–2) | Cal Poly (4−0) | South Dakota State (4–1) | South Dakota State (5–1) | Delaware (5–2) | Albany (7–1) | Richmond (6–3) | Richmond (7–3) | Northern Arizona (8–3) | Northern Arizona (8–3) | 20. |
| 21. | Maine | Eastern Kentucky (0–1) | The Citadel (2–0) | Eastern Kentucky (2–1) | Montana (2–2) | McNeese State (4−1) | Central Arkansas (4–2) | Indiana State (5–2) | Tennessee State (7–1) | South Dakota State (6–2) | Villanova (6–3) | South Dakota State (7–3) | Eastern Kentucky (8–3) | Wagner (9–4) | 21. |
| 22. | Jacksonville State | McNeese State (1–0) | Indiana State (1–1) | Indiana State (2–1) | Northern Arizona (3–1) | Northern Iowa (1−4) | Harvard (4–0) | Harvard1 95–0) | Youngstown State (4–3) | Richmond (5–3) | Eastern Kentucky (7–3) | Eastern Kentucky (8–3) | Bethune-Cookman (9–2) | Bethune-Cookman (9–3) | 22. |
| 23. | Indiana State | Indiana State (0–1) | Stephen F. Austin (1–1) | Maine (1–1) | Cal Poly (3–0) | South Dakota State (4−1) | Eastern Kentucky (4–2) | Eastern Kentucky (5–2) | Towson (3–4) | Delaware (5–3) | UT Martin (7–2) | Tennessee State (8–2) | Indiana State (7–4) | Eastern Kentucky (8–3) | 23. |
| 24. | Central Arkansas | Jacksonville State (0–1) | Jacksonville State (1–1) | Jacksonville State (1–1) | McNeese State (3–1) | Central Arkansas (3−2) | Delaware (4–2) | Villanova (5–2) | Albany (6–1) | Villanova (6–3) | Tennessee State (8–2) | Bethune-Cookman (8–2) | Colgate (8–3) | Coastal Carolina (8–4) | 24. |
| 25. | Harvard | Central Arkansas (0–1) | Maine (0–1) | Central Arkansas (2–1) | South Dakota State (3–1) | Harvard (3−0) | Samford (5–1) | Delaware (4–2) | Richmond (5–3) | Eastern Kentucky (6–3) | Harvard (8–1) | Eastern Illinois (7–3) | Eastern Illinois (7–4) | Colgate (8–4) | 25. |
| Preseason Aug 13[1] | Week 1 Sept 3 | Week 2 Sept 10 | Week 3 Sept 17 | Week 4 Sept 24 | Week 5 Oct 1 | Week 6 Oct 8 | Week 7 Oct 15 | Week 8 Oct 22 | Week 9 Oct 29 | Week 10 Nov 5 | Week 11 Nov 12 | Week 12 Nov 19 | Week 13 (Final) | ||
| Dropped: 25 Harvard | Dropped: 25 Central Arkansas | Dropped: 23 Stephen F. Austin | Dropped:
| Dropped: 21 Montana | Dropped:
| Dropped:
| Dropped:
| Dropped: 22 Youngstown State | Dropped:
| Dropped:
| Dropped: 23 Tennessee State | Dropped: 23 Indiana State 25 Eastern Illinois | |||
| Preseason Aug 22[1] | Week 1 Sept 3 | Week 2 Sept 10 | Week 3 Sept 17 | Week 4 Sept 24 | Week 5 Oct 1 | Week 6 Oct 8 | Week 7 Oct 15 | Week 8 Oct 22 | Week 9 Oct 29 | Week 10 | Week 11 | Week 12 | Week 13 | Week 14 | Week 15 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | North Dakota State19 | North Dakota State23 (1–0) | North Dakota State24 (2–0) | North Dakota State25 (2–0) | North Dakota State25 (3–0) | North Dakota State26 (4−0) | North Dakota State26 (5−0) | Eastern Washington11 (5–1) | Eastern Washington22 (6–1) | North Dakota State | 1. | ||||||
| 2. | Sam Houston State6 | Sam Houston State2 (0–0) | Sam Houston State2 (1–0) | Montana State1 (3–0) | Montana State1 (4–0) | Montana State (5−0) | Montana State (6−0) | James Madison7 (5–1) | Georgia Southern1 (6–1) | Sam Houston State | 2. | ||||||
| 3. | Georgia Southern1 | Georgia Southern (1–0) | Montana State (2–0) | Sam Houston State (1–1) | Youngstown State (4–0) | Youngstown State (4−0) | Old Dominion (5−0) | Georgia Southern2 (5–1) | North Dakota State3 (6–1) | Georgia Southern | 3. | ||||||
| 4. | Montana State | Montana State (1–0) | Old Dominion (2–0) | Youngstown State (3–0) | Old Dominion (4–0) | Old Dominion (5−0) | Wofford (5−0) | North Dakota State4 (5–1) | Montana State (6–1) | Eastern Washington | 4. | ||||||
| 5. | Appalachian State | Old Dominion (1–0) | James Madison (2–0) | Old Dominion (3–0) | Wofford (3–0) | Wofford (4−0) | James Madison (4−1) | Montana State1 (6–1) | Sam Houston State (5–2) | Montana State | 5. | ||||||
| 6. | Old Dominion | James Madison (1–0) | Northern Iowa (1–1) | Wofford (3–0) | James Madison (3–1) | James Madison (3−1) | Eastern Washington (4−1) | Sam Houston State1 (4–2) | Lehigh (8–0) | Old Dominion | 6. | ||||||
| 7. | Northern Iowa | Northern Iowa (0–1) | Appalachian State (1–1) | James Madison (2–1) | Eastern Washington (2–1) | Eastern Washington (3−1) | Georgia Southern (4−1) | Lehigh (7–0) | Old Dominion (6–1) | Wofford | 7. | ||||||
| 8. | James Madison | Appalachian State (0–1) | Youngstown State (2–0) | Northern Iowa (1–2) | Delaware (4–0) | Georgia Southern (3−1) | Sam Houston State (3−2) | Old Dominion (5–1) | Wofford (6–1) | Appalchian State | 8. | ||||||
| 9. | Towson | Montana (1–0) | Wofford (2–0) | Eastern Washington (1–1) | Georgia Southern (2–1) | Sam Houston State (2−2) | Youngstown State (4−1) | Wofford (5–1) | Stony Brook (7–1) | Illinois State | 9. | ||||||
| 10. | Montana | Youngstown State (1–0) | Georgia Southern (1–1) | Georgia Southern (1–1) | Sam Houston State (1–2) | Lehigh (5−0) | Lehigh (6−0) | Stony Brook (6–1) | James Madison (5–2) | Central Arkansas | 10. | ||||||
| 11. | Lehigh | Eastern Washington (1–0) | Eastern Washington (1–1) | Montana (2–1) | Lehigh (4–0) | Illinois State (5−0) | Stony Brook (5−1) | Appalachian State (5–2) | Cal Poly (7–0) | Cal Poly | 11. | ||||||
| 12. | New Hampshire | New Hampshire (1–0) | Montana (1–1) | Delaware (3–0) | Illinois State (4–0) | Towson (2−2) | Appalachian State (4−2) | Cal Poly (6–0) | New Hampshire (6–2) | Stony Brook | 12. | ||||||
| 13. | Wofford | Wofford (1–0) | Lehigh (2–0) | Lehigh (3–0) | Towson (2–1) | Stony Brook (4−1) | New Hampshire (4−2) | Illinois State (6–1) | Northern Arizona (6–1) | New Hampshire | 13. | ||||||
| 14. | Delaware | Lehigh (1–0) | Delaware (2–0) | The Citadel (3–0) | Central Arkansas (3–1) | Appalachian State (3−2) | Cal Poly (5−0) | New Hampshire (5–2) | Central Arkansas (6–2) | Lehigh | 14. | ||||||
| 15. | Eastern Washington | Delaware (1–0) | Towson (0–1) | Illinois State (3–0) | The Citadel (3–1) | Delaware (4−1) | McNeese State (4−1) | Northern Arizona (5–1) | Appalachian State (5–3) | Towson | 15. | ||||||
| 16. | Maine | Towson (0–1) | Stony Brook (2–0) | Towson (1–1) | Appalachian State (2–2) | Eastern Kentucky (4−1) | Illinois State (5−1) | Youngstown State (4–2) | Delaware (5–2) | Villanova | 16. | ||||||
| 17. | Stony Brook | Stony Brook (1–0) | Illinois State (2–0) | McNeese State (3–0) | Northern Iowa (1–3) | New Hampshire (3−2) | Central Arkansas (4−2) | Central Arkansas (5–2) | Illinois State (6–2) | South Dakota State | 17. | ||||||
| 18. | Youngstown State | Maine (0–0) | New Hampshire (1–1) | Appalachian State (1–2) | Stony Brook (3–1) | McNeese State (4−1) | Northern Arizona (4−1) | Tennessee State (7–0) | Eastern Kentucky (6–2) т | Richmond | 18. | ||||||
| 19. | Central Arkansas | Illinois State (1–0) | McNeese State (2–0) | New Hampshire (2–1) | Eastern Kentucky (3–1) | Cal Poly (4−0) | Towson (2−3) | Towson (3–3) | Indiana State (6–2) т | Eastern Kentucky | 19. | ||||||
| 20. | Illinois State | Central Arkansas (0–1) | Central Arkansas (1–1) | Stony Brook (2–1) | Montana (2–2) | Central Arkansas (3−2) | Tennessee State (6−0) | Harvard (5–0) | Albany (6–1) | Northern Arizona | 20. | ||||||
| 21. | Eastern Kentucky | McNeese State1 (1–0) т | Maine (1–1) | Central Arkansas (2–1) | McNeese State (3–1) | Northern Arizona (4−1) | Harvard (4−0) | McNeese State (4–2) | Tennessee State (7–1) т | James Madison | 21. | ||||||
| 22. | Harvard | Stephen F. Austin (1–0) т | Norfolk State (2–0) | Maine (2–1) | New Hampshire (2–2) | The Citadel (3−2) | Delaware (4−2) | Delaware (4–2) т | Youngstown State (4–3) т | Wagner | 22. | ||||||
| 23. | Norfolk State | Harvard (0–0) | The Citadel (2–0) | Eastern Kentucky (2–1) | Cal Poly (3–0) | Harvard (3−0) | Eastern Kentucky (4−2) | Albany (6–1) т | Villanova (6–2) | Bethune-Cookman | 23. | ||||||
| 24. | Stephen F. Austin | Norfolk State (1–0) | Harvard (0–0) | Harvard (1–0) | Harvard (2–0) | Tennessee State (5−0) | Albany (5−1) | Eastern Kentucky (5–2) | Harvard (5–1) | Coastal Carolina | 24. | ||||||
| 25. | Indiana State | Eastern Kentucky (0–1) | Eastern Kentucky (1–1) | Indiana State (2–1) | Samford (4–0) | Northern Iowa (1−4) | Alabama A&M (6−0) | Indiana State (5–2) | Towson (3–4) | Eastern Illinois | 25. | ||||||
| Preseason Aug 22[1] | Week 1 Sept 3 | Week 2 Sept 10 | Week 3 Sept 17 | Week 4 Sept 24 | Week 5 Oct 1 | Week 6 Oct 8 | Week 7 Oct 15 | Week 8 Oct 22 | Week 9 Oct 29 | Week 10 | Week 11 | Week 12 | Week 13 | Week 14 | Week 15 | ||
| Dropped: 25 Indiana State | Dropped: 21 Stephen F. Austin | Dropped: 22 Norfolk State | Dropped:
| Dropped:
| Dropped:
| Dropped: 25 Alabama A&M | Dropped: 21 McNeese State | None | None | None | None | None | None | None | |||