The South Dakota State University football team holds a spot in the top 20 of both major season-ending Football Championship Subdivision polls.

The Jackrabbits, who posted an 8-4 overall record and made their fourth consecutive appearance in the FCS playoffs, were ranked 15th in the final STATS media poll and 16th by the FCS coaches. SDSU, coached by John Stiegelmeier, has been ranked in both polls every week since midway through the 2012 campaign, and finished a season ranked in the top 25 seven of the past 10 seasons, including each of the last four.

Three Missouri Valley Football Conference teams ranked in the top ten with North Dakota State topping both lists as the five time national champs.

Illinois State was fifth in both polls and Northern Iowa finishes sixth in the coaches ratings and eighth in the STATS poll.