By Alex Boggis, UT Martin Assistant Sports Information Director
MARTIN, Tenn. – Hot off the team’s win over Western Illinois in the season opener, the University of Tennessee at Martin football program moved up in the weekly national polls, ranking No. 14 in both the AFCA FCS Coaches’ Top 25 and the Stats Perform FCS Top 25.
The Skyhawks posted a 42-25 win over the Leathernecks in last week’s season opener to catapult their ascension in both weekly polls. UT Martin moved up one spot from the AFCA FCS Coaches’ Top 25 preseason poll while climbing four spots from their preseason ranking in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 to sit No. 14 in both.
After the first week, UT Martin ranks in the top-25 in 19 different team categories and 16 individual categories. The squad sits amongst the nation’s top 10 teams in redzone defense (0.00, first), sacks allowed (0, first), winning percentage (1.000, first), blocked kicks (2, first), blocked kicks allowed (0, first), blocked punts allowed (0, first), fumbles lost (0, first), total offense (577.0, sixth), first down offense (30, 10th), passes intercepted (2, 10th) and tackles for loss allowed (3.0, 10th).
Individually, Zak Wallace ranks first in the nation in scoring (18.0), second in rushing touchdowns (3) and third in total touchdowns (3) while EJ Smoot ranks fifth in receiving touchdowns (2) and Shaun Lewis ranks first in interceptions per game (2.0).
AFCA FCS Coaches’ Top 25
- North Dakota State (26) | 1-0 | 698
- Montana (1) | 1-0 | 666
- South Dakota State (1) | 0-1 | 634
- Montana State | 1-0 | 624
- Villanova | 1-0 | 586
- Sacramento State | 1-0 | 539
- Missouri State | 1-0 | 506
- East Tennessee State | 1-0 | 417
- UIW | 1-0 | 410
- Chattanooga | 1-0 | 405
- Eastern Washington | 1-0 | 390
- Stephen F. Austin | 1-1 | 368
- Delaware | 1-0 | 354
- UT Martin | 1-0 | 346
- Jackson State | 1-0 | 343
- Holy Cross | 1-0 | 244
- Weber State | 1-0 | 225
- Kennesaw State | 0-1 | 216
- Southern Illinois | 0-1 | 175
- Rhode Island | 1-0 | 160
- Southeastern Louisiana | 0-1 |160
- William & Mary | 1-0 | 124
- Mercer | 1-1 | 84
- Northern Iowa | 0-1 | 72
- UC Davis | 0-1 | 67
Stats Perform FCS Top 25
- North Dakota State (52) | 1-0 | 1,348
- South Dakota State (2) | 0-1 | 1,259
- Montana | 1-0 | 1,244
- Montana State | 1-0 | 1,210
- Missouri State | 1-0 | 1,065
- Villanova | 1-0 | 1,064
- Sacramento State | 1-0 | 1,009
- UIW | 1-0 | 899
- ETSU | 1-0 | 815
- Delaware | 1-0 | 768
- Chattanooga | 1-0 | 752
- Eastern Washington | 1-0 | 719
- Jackson State | 1-0 | 700
- UT Martin | 1-0 | 518
- Holy Cross | 1-0 | 495
- Weber State | 1-0 | 451
- Southern Illinois | 0-1 | 450
- Stephen F. Austin | 1-1 | 394
- Kennesaw State | 0-1 | 379
- William & Mary | 1-0 | 350
- Southeastern Louisiana | 0-1 | 348
- Rhode Island | 1-0 | 324
- Mercer | 1-1 | 206
- Northern Iowa | 0-1 | 187
- Samford | 1-0 | 162
Graphic courtesy of UT Martin Sports Information