Another week in the books and another week of turnover in the FCS.

Five of the Top 10 teams lost this week, causing for some shakeup in the rankings.

Below is my ballot for The Sports Network Top 25. The number in the (xx) is if the team is located in a different place in the poll than where I have them.

1. North Dakota State
2. Sam Houston State
3. Northern Iowa (4)
4. Towson (3)
5. Eastern Illinois
6. Montana State (8)
7. Coastal Carolina (9)
8. Lehigh (13)
9. Northern Arizona (15)
10. Fordham (12)
11. Maine (23)
12. Cal Poly (18)
13. William & Mary (NR)
14. Bethune-Cookman (21)
15. Gardner-Webb (25)
16. South Dakota State (7)
17. Eastern Washington (6)
18. McNeese State (11)
19. Villanova (20)
20. Delaware (24)
21. Montana (10)
22. Wofford (17)
23. Youngstown State (NR)
24. UT Martin (22)
25. Georgia Southern (16)

Ranked, but not on my ballot
14. Central Arkansas
19. New Hampshire

Others receiving votes: Youngstown State 555, James Madison 544, William & Mary 235, Southern Utah 180, North Carolina A&T 126, Richmond 83, Tennessee State 59, Samford 46, Illinois State 45, Charleston Southern 41, Southeastern Louisiana 33, Harvard 31, Jacksonville State 27, Chattanooga 27, Stony Brook 17, Western Illinois 9, South Carolina State 7, Murray State 6, Portland State 6, Liberty 4, Sacred Heart 3

For the first weekend of the season, most of the local college football excitement is happening outside of the Capital District.

Here are the game capsules Union, RPI and the University at Albany.

The Great Danes head south to take on its first ever FBS opponent, in Old Dominion.

Here is a link to live stats for the WPI/RPI game, which is a battle for the coveted Transit Trophy. 

J.S. Carras/The Record

The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute football team is off to a great start at 3-0.

Ralph Isernia (left) hasn't lost yet as the Engineers head coach. That doesn't mean he thinks the team needs to continue getting better. That's the premise of the story in Thursday's paper, which talks about how Isernia wants his team to keep getting better every day.

RPI kicks off Liberty League play, when they take on rival WPI on Saturday, for possession of the Transit Trophy. The game is at 1 p.m., at Alumni Field in Worcester, Mass.

The Engineers have possession of the trophy after a 39-17 victory last year at East Campus Stadiu.

Also of note, senior defensive end Arthur Kuyan was named to the D3Football.com Team of the Week.

Here is a link to game notes, live stats and the radio broadcast.

Things are starting to sort themselves out as we head into the official beginning of Fall and the beginning of conference play.

The University at Albany continues to struggle, falling at home to Central Connecticut State, 20-17.

The Great Danes (1-3) next head to Old Dominion, a former Colonial Athletic Association team that is transitioning to FBS.

Here is the next poll and how things are shaking out in The Sports Network Top 25.

Below is my ballot. The number in the (xx) is where the team is located on the poll.

1. North Dakota State
2. Towson (3)
3. Eastern Washington (2)
4. Sam Houston State
5. Northern Iowa
6. Montana (7)
7. New Hampshire (10)
8. McNeese State (9)
9. James Madison (14)
10. Eastern Illinois (8)
11. William & Mary (NR)
12. Montana State (11)
13. Cal Poly (18)
14. Coastal Carolina (12)
15. Fordham (16)
16. Maine (NR)
17. Bethune-Cookman (20)
18. Gardner-Webb (25)
19. Central Arkansas (13)
20. Villanova (19)
21. Wofford (17)
22. Northern Arizona (24)
23. Youngstown State (NR)
24. UT Martin (23)
25. Delaware (NR)

Ranked, but not on my ballot
6. South Dakota State
15. Georgia Southern
21. Lehigh
22. Richmond

Others receiving votes: Youngstown State 452, Stony Brook 329, Maine 271, Illinois State 260, William & Mary 235, Jacksonville State 193, Delaware 162, Southern Utah 154, North Carolina A&T 99, Chattanooga 89, Stephen F. Austin 53, Samford 37, Southeastern Louisiana 34, Eastern Kentucky 32, South Carolina State 30, Harvard 25, Tennessee State 17, Penn 13, Charleston Southern 12, Southern Illinois 7, Western Illinois 6, Northwestern State 6, Jackson State 5, Indiana State 4, Portland State 4, Appalachian State 2, Liberty 2, Sacred Heart 1, Alcorn State 1

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute kicker Andrew Franks has gotten off to a quick start this season.

Franks kicked five field goals in a 24-21 victory over Alfred last Saturday.

Here is Thursday's main story on Franks, who is from Carmel, Calif., and kind of ended up at RPI by chance.

Franks and the Engineers are 2-0, and host Castleton State on Saturday in Troy.

Below is Franks kicking in practice, with snapper Jim Krecek and holder Jessie Maynard.

Here is the new Sports Network FCS Top 25 poll.

Things are starting to settle down. But with some FCS teams still playing FBS team, it's hard to figure out who is better than who.

The University at Albany lost to Rhode Island on Saturday, in the first game on brand new Bob Ford Field.

Below is my ballot. The number in the (xx) is where the team is located in the poll, if it's different from where I have them.

1. North Dakota State
2. Eastern Washington
3. Towson (3)
4. Montana State (4)
5. Sam Houston State
6. South Dakota State
7. Northern Iowa
8. New Hampshire (11)
9. Montana
10. Wofford
11. Eastern Illinois (8)
12. McNeese State
13. Georgia Southern (14)
14. James Madison (17)
15. William & Mary (NR)
16. Cal Poly (18)
17. Coastal Carolina (15)
18. Bethune-Cookman (19)
19. Fordham (21)
20. Stony Brook (16)
21. UT Martin (24)
22. Central Arkansas (13)
23. Northern Arizona (25)
24. Youngstown State (NR)
25. Maine (NR)

Ranked, but not on my ballot
20. Villanova
22. Lehigh
23. Richmond

Others receiving votes: Illinois State 493, Youngstown State 370, Samford 281, Maine 255, William & Mary 155, North Carolina A&T 118, Southern Utah 114, Delaware 113, Jacksonville State 111, Gardner-Webb 100, Chattanooga 85, Eastern Kentucky 29, Appalachian State 28, Southeastern Louisiana 24, Liberty 24, South Carolina State 22, Penn 21, South Dakota 19, Tennessee State 18, Harvard 18, Southern Illinois 10, Western Illinois 10, Murray State 5, Indiana State 4, Tennessee Tech 3, Northwestern State 2, Sacred Heart 1

There was a lot of shakeup in Week 2 in the FCS.

A lot of highly-ranked teams went down and that means The Sports Network FCS Top 25 poll looks different than it did a week ago.

Probably the biggest drops were Villanova, which lost to Fordham and Appalachian State, which fell out of the poll for the first time since Sept. 25, 2005, a span of 108 consecutive polls. 

Below is my ballot. The number in the (xx) is where the team is located in the poll, if it's different from where I have them.

1. North Dakota State
2. Eastern Washington
3. Georgia Southern (10)
4. Towson
5. Montana State (3)
6. Sam Houston State (5)
7. South Dakota State (6)
8. Northern Iowa (7)
9. New Hampshire (12)
10. Montana (11)
11. Cal Poly (14)
12 Eastern Illinois (9)
13. Richmond (15)
14. Central Arkansas (8)
15. McNeese State (13)
16. Stony Brook (17)
17. James Madison (20)
18. William & Mary (NR)
19. Youngstown State (24)
20. Coastal Carolina (21)
21. Delaware  (NR)
22. Illinois State (18)
23. Northern Arizona (25)
24. Fordham  (NR)
25. Villanova (19)

Ranked, but not on my ballot.
16. Wofford
22. Lehigh
23. Bethune-Cookman

Others receiving votes: Delaware 269, Samford 206, Southern Utah 185, Eastern Kentucky 159, Fordham 122, William & Mary 101, North Carolina A&T 81, Maine 66, UT Martin 64, Jacksonville State 62, Chattanooga 43, Appalachian State 40, Penn 38, Southern Illinois 29, Southeastern Louisiana 28, North Dakota 24, South Dakota 19, Harvard 18, UALBANY 15, Western Illinois 14, Northwestern State 14, Tennessee State 14, Liberty 10, Nicholls 9, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 8, Indiana State 6, Gardner-Webb 4, Murray State 2, The Citadel 1, South Carolina State 1, Sacramento State 1, Portland State 1

Mike McMahon - The Record

On Monday, University at Albany running back Omar Osbourne earned a conference honor from the Colonial Athletic Association.

Osbourne (right) was named CAA Offensive Player of the Week, following a career-high 252-yard rushing effort in the 37-34 victory over Colgate.  Osbourne also rushed for two touchdowns.

The UAlbany football team is still receiving votes in The Sports Network Top 25.

The Great Danes play their first CAA game against Rhode Island, on Saturday. The game will be the first contest on brand new Bob Ford Field.

The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute football team knocked off Norwich 20-7 on Saturday, in the season-opener.

The Engineers have now won 12 of the past 13 openers, losing only in 2011, against Alfred.

Here is a link to the game story.

Senior Jessie Maynard helped lead RPI from behind to pull out the win. The Engineers trailed 7-6, when Maynard fired a touchdown pass to Pat Hogan.

Maynard, who came in to replace fellow senior Brendan McGlynn (knee), iced the game, with a 91-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter.

RPI wore its new white jerseys, shown below from running back Andrew Armato. 

Mike McMahon - The Record

Coach Ralph Isernia had the team sing the fight song following the game. Turns out that none of the players knew the words, when Isernia asked in the preseason. He thought this would be a nice way to bring back some school spirit.

“These kids have been through a lot," Isernia said. "And we wanted to bring back a sense of community, a sense of pride. This isn’t just the football team — this is for the school."

Mike McMahon - The Record

Another college football season is upon us. I still can't believe summer is over.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute kicks off the 2013 season, when they host Norwich. Here is a story on senior quarterback Brendan McGlynn, who gets his first career start today.

Also, the University at Albany is on the road today, looking for its first victory, when they take on Colgate. They are looking to even their record, following last week's loss at Duquesne.

Follow me on twitter @AndrewSantillo for updates on the RPI game.

Former UAlbany standout Drew Smith has been released by the Buffalo Bills.

Here is the team's release.

This is what Smith tweeted on Thursday afternoon.

Thanks again @buffalobills, for making this one hell of a year. Goodluck in the playoffs this year 😉! http://t.co/VF26S0Q29Z
— andrew smith (@isayaaa10) September 5, 2013

Smith suffered a finger injury late in training camp and was placed on Injured Reserve.

For Smith to make it as far as he did, as an undrafted free agent, speaks volumes for how much he accomplished. 

The past two years have started slow for the Union College football team.

Back-to-back 0-3 starts have ultimately turned into respectable 6-4 seasons and strong Liberty League play. .

This year's team is hoping for a quick start and a even stronger year.

Here is the story from Thursday's paper, following Wednesday's Media Day event.

Jeff Couch - The Record

The first week of the college football season is in the books.

What a week for the FCS, with so many upsets of FBS teams.

However, for the University at Albany, it was a disappointment. The Great Danes lost 35-24 to Duquesne and now have to bounce back before heading to Colgate on Saturday.

Despite the loss, UAlbany is still receiving votes in the Top 25. The Great Danes are still ahead of the Dukes in the poll, despite losing to them by 11. 

Here is the new FCS Top 25 poll.

Below is my ballot. The number in (xx) is where the team is located in the actual poll.

1. North Dakota State
2. Eastern Washington
3. Georgia Southern (10)
4. Montana State (3)
5. Sam Houston State (4)
6. Towson (5)
7. South Dakota State
8. Villanova
9. Central Arkansas (7)
10. New Hampshire (11)
11. Wofford (16)
12. Northern Iowa (9)
13. Montana
14. Cal Poly (12)
15. Richmond
16. James Madison (20)
17. Eastern Illinois (14)
18. McNeese State
19. Stony Brook (17)
20. Illinois State (19)
21. William & Mary (NR)
22. Appalachian State (21)
23. Youngstown State (NR)
24. Northern Arizona (22)
25. Coastal Carolina (24) 

Ranked, but not on my ballot
23. Lehigh
25. Bethune-Cookman

Others receiving votes: Eastern Kentucky 374, Youngstown State 338, Samford 226, Delaware 179, UT Martin 108, Southern Utah 106, Southern Illinois 89, William & Mary 71, Wagner 51, Penn 42, Southeastern Louisiana 41, Colgate 34, Chattanooga 27, Jacksonville State 21, South Dakota 19, Tennessee State 19, Sacramento State 15, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 14, Indiana State 14, Harvard 13, Gardner-Webb 10, The Citadel 10, UAlbany 9, Tennessee Tech 8, Liberty 7, Weber State 5, Western Illinois 5, Northwestern State 5, Duquesne 5, South Carolina State 4, Prairie View A&M 3, Charleston Southern 2, Florida A&M 1