Defending SWAC and HBCU National Champion Jackson State opens the 2025 season ranked 17th in the AFCA FCS Top 25 Rankings.
Last season JSU recorded a 12-2 overall record and a perfect 8-0 record within the Southwestern Athletic Conference. Jackson State received a total of 200 votes. Other HBCUs receiving votes included South Carolina State with 25, Tennessee State got 14 votes and North Carolina Central received 13 votes.
Jackson State opens up the defense of its championship on August 30 at home against Hampton.
AFCA FCS Preseason Top 25 {August 11, 2025}
(2024 Record in Parentheses)
| Rk | Team | Record | Pts |
| 1 | North Dakota State | 14-2 | 650 |
| 2 | Montana State | 15-1 | 612 |
| 3 | South Dakota State | 12-3 | 581 |
| 4 | UIW | 11-3 | 541 |
| 5 | South Dakota | 11-3 | 521 |
| 6 | Illinois State | 10-4 | 466 |
| 7 | UC Davis | 11-3 | 456 |
| 8 | Tarleton State | 10-4 | 454 |
| 9 | Montana | 9-5 | 447 |
| 10 | Rhode Island | 11-3 | 416 |
| 11 | Mercer | 11-3 | 396 |
| 12 | Idaho | 10-4 | 371 |
| 13 | Villanova | 10-3 | 338 |
| 14 | Sacramento State | 3-9 | 265 |
| 15 | Lehigh | 9-4 | 207 |
| 16 | Abilene Christian | 9-5 | 203 |
| 17 | Jackson State | 12-2 | 200 |
| 18 | Northern Arizona | 8-5 | 168 |
| 19 | Western Carolina | 7-5 | 147 |
| 20 | Southern Illinois | 4-8 | 132 |
| 21 | Monmouth (NJ) | 6-6 | 116 |
| 22 | Richmond | 10-3 | 111 |
| 23 | Tennessee Tech | 7-5 | 111 |
| 24 | Stephen F. Austin | 7-5 | 82 |
| 25 | Stony Brook | 8-4 | 69 |
Others Receiving Votes: UT Martin, 50; Harvard, 40; Southeastern Louisiana, 36; South Carolina St., 25; Southeast Missouri St., 25; East Tennessee St., 24; New Hampshire, 21; Eastern Kentucky, 19; North Dakota, 19; Youngstown St., 16; Chattanooga, 14; Tennessee St., 14; Dartmouth, 13; North Carolina Central, 13; Central Connecticut St., 11; Southern Utah, 9; Lafayette, 6; Central Arkansas, 5; Northern Iowa, 5; San Diego, 5; Indiana St., 4; Lindenwood, 4; Lamar, 3; Holy Cross, 2; Southern, 2; Yale, 2; Bucknell, 1; Eastern Washington, 1; Samford, 1.
