(Stats Perform) - Two games into being an NCAA Division I program, Tarleton gained a national ranking in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 on Monday.

The No. 22 Texans routed New Mexico State 43-17 on Sunday, meaning their first win as an FCS program also occurred in their first matchup against an FBS program.

Tarleton is playing its inaugural FCS season as an independent, but it will be a part of the Western Athletic Conference's return to football in 2022. The Texans fell to McNeese 40-37 in two overtimes on Feb. 13 in the first game of the FCS spring season. McNeese is three spots higher in the initial in-season national media rankings at No. 19.

North Dakota State, the three-time defending national champion, was a unanimous No. 1 after beating Youngstown State for its 39th straight win, an FCS record. James Madison remained No. 2 after shutting out Morehead State, and South Dakota State took over at No. 3 after beating Northern Iowa, which previously held the spot.

A national panel selects the Stats Perform FCS Top 25, which this spring includes only schools that have committed to playing a regular schedule. A first-place vote is worth 25 points, a second-place vote 24 points, all the way down to one point for a 25th-place vote.

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STATS PERFORM FCS TOP 25 (FEB. 22)

1. North Dakota State (2-0, 1-0 MVFC), 1,000 points (40 first-place votes)

Previous Ranking: 1; Last Week's Result: 25-7 win over Youngstown State

2. James Madison (1-0, 0-0 CAA), 952

Previous Ranking: 2; Last Week's Result: 52-0 win over Morehead State

3. South Dakota State (1-0 Missouri Valley), 918

Previous Ranking: 5; Last Week's Result: 24-20 win over No. 3 Northern Iowa

4. Weber State (0-0 Big Sky), 882

Previous Ranking: 4; Last Week's Result: No game

5. Northern Iowa (0-1 Missouri Valley), 785

Previous Ranking: 3; Last Week's Result: 24-20 loss to No. 5 South Dakota State

6. Villanova (0-0 CAA), 782

Previous Ranking: 8; Last Week's Result: No game

7. Illinois State (0-0 Missouri Valley), 730

Previous Ranking: 9; Last Week's Result: Postponed vs. Missouri State

8. Kennesaw State (0-0 Big South), 686

Previous Ranking: 10; Last Week's Result: No game

9. Nicholls (1-0, 0-0 Southland), 665

Previous Ranking: 14; Last Week's Result: 87-3 win over Lincoln (Mo.)

10. Furman (1-0 Southern), 658

Previous Ranking: 15; Last Week's Result: 35-7 win over Western Carolina

11. Wofford (1-0 Southern), 565

Previous Ranking: 16; Last Week's Result: 31-14 win over Mercer

12. Eastern Washington (0-0 Big Sky), 502

Previous Ranking: 18; Last Week's Result: No game

13. Albany (0-0 CAA), 475

Previous Ranking: 17; Last Week's Result: No game

14. North Dakota (1-0 Missouri Valley), 401

Previous Ranking: Unranked; Last Week's Result: 44-21 win over Southern Illinois

15. New Hampshire (0-0 CAA), 392

Previous Ranking: 20; Last Week's Result: No game

16. Jacksonville State (3-1, 0-0 Ohio Valley), 347

Previous Ranking: Unranked; Last Week's Result: Postponed at Tennessee State

17. Sam Houston (0-0 Southland), 326

Previous Ranking: 22; Last Week's Result: Postponed at UIW

18. Southeastern Louisiana (0-0 Southland), 322

Previous Ranking: 21; Last Week's Result: No game

19. McNeese (1-0, 0-0 Southland), 220

Previous Ranking: Unranked; Last Week's Result: No game

20. Monmouth (0-0 Big South), 212

Previous Ranking: 23; Last Week's Result: No game

21. Southeast Missouri (0-1, 0-0 Ohio Valley), 161

Previous Ranking: 25; Last Week's Result: Postponed vs. Eastern Illinois

22. Tarleton (1-1 Independent), 159

Previous Ranking: Unranked; Last Week's Result: 43-17 win at New Mexico State

23. Tennessee Tech (1-0 Ohio Valley), 132

Previous Ranking: Unranked; Last Week's Result: 27-21 win over Austin Peay

24. Elon (1-0, 0-0 CAA), 129

Previous Ranking: Unranked; Last Week's Result: 26-23 win over Davidson

25. Delaware (0-0 CAA), 126

Previous Ranking: Unranked; Last Week's Result: No game

Other Vote Totals (schools listed on two or more ballots): Austin Peay 125, Southern Illinois 83, The Citadel 42, Youngstown State 32, ETSU 23, Jackson State 22, Chattanooga 21, San Diego 19, Richmond 18, South Carolina State 14, UC Davis 13, Idaho 12, Stony Brook 11, Maine 7, UT Martin 7