The final weekend of non-conference action finished around the Southland Conference and some teams are beginning to show who they are. While it's early and remains difficult to gauge the league powers prior to head-to-head matches, it's not too soon to identify some overachievers and disappoint-ers.
With no further ado, here's where everyone stands headed into the opening weekend of league battle:
These are not standings, but rather, an indication of weekly momentum. Follow us all season as we reveal our weekly rankings each Tuesday. Be sure to sign up for a free account right here and join the conversation below.
1. Sam Houston State
2017 record: 2-0 | Last week's rank: 1
Three weeks in and no changes atop this list. The Sam Houston State Bearkats could have handled Prairie View A&M more convincingly and if I had a rooting interest in Huntsville I'd remain concerned about their passing defense. But the Bearkats will continue to play as if they can outscore anyone and so far in the early season that's not a ridiculous predicament.
Quarterback Jeremiah Briscoe could be the best player in FCS college football for a second straight year and, although it remains to be seen if the 2017 version of his team is better than the one that fell apart against James Madison in the playoffs last year, he'll have an early chance to prove they remain on top of the SLC as they face a red hot Nicholls squad at home this weekend.
2. Central Arkansas
2017 record: 1-1 | Last week's rank: 2
The Bears were as advertised in their week two smack down of the Murray State Racers. Folks in Conway will continue to contend that they are worthy of consideration for the top spot on this list and they'll get their crack at the Bearkats in just over a week. But first, UCA has to deal with Southeastern Louisiana in what could be one of the early upsets of the young season.
If Briscoe is the best player at the FCS level in college football, Hayden Hildebrand isn't giving him a whole lot of separation. It helps when you have a multi-faced running attack that racked up 200 yards this past weekend and a suffocating defense on the other side of the ball.
3. Nicholls
2017 record: 1-1 | Last week's rank: 6
Our biggest mover this week actually took a loss. What a loss, though. Nicholls State has started the season by flying up our list from eight to third with an impressive victory over McNeese and a shocking battle with Texas A&M in College Station this past weekend.
The Colonels battled back to tie the game in the 4th quarter, sending Aggies fans across the nation into fits and continuing their two-year reputation of terrifying the SEC. If I'm being honest, I was pretty low on Nicholls in the preseason, but led by Tim Rebowe, this group may actually end up being the most underrated in the field.
An upset over Sam Houston State this weekend would immediately vault the Colonels into a place owned by bonafide contenders.
4. Houston Baptist
2017 record: 1-1 | Last week's rank: 4
It wasn't a convincing win or even a particularly impressive one when the Huskies snuck past Texas Southern this last weekend. It was a win, though, in a game the Huskies are not accustomed to winning. I remain high on Houston Baptist despite the general narrative that they'll find their way toward the basement by the conclusion of the season and, frankly, through a couple weeks, I'm starting to feel some validation.
They'll get a really nice test this weekend in Abilene as ACU christens its brand new on-campus facility in front of what should be a nice crowd. If Houston Baptist can handle the environment and pull out any kind of win this weekend, it'll be time to start taking them seriously as a legitimate factor in the 2017 SLC picture.
5. McNeese
2017 record: 1-1 | Last week's rank: 5
It's not like we learned a whole lot about the Cowboys in their 42-21 romping of Division II Florida Tech. The fact that McNeese stays put at number five this weekend says a lot more about the teams around them than anything they showed during a tune-up game that really wasn't totally in hand until the 4th quarter.
I continue to give McNeese some benefit of the doubt because their opening performance at Nicholls probably didn't deserve a loss. Because of that premature league game, though, they'll actually get one more non-conference bout before moving into the Southland schedule. They'll draw Alcorn State of the SWAC this weekend in Florida.
6. Southeastern Louisiana
2017 record: 0-1 | Last week's rank: 7 
After the most spirited FCS on FBS game in the Southland's first weekend, Southeastern came back to earth with a loss to Bethune-Cookman at home. The Lions have a quarterback problem and their nearly 200 yards of rushing could not disguise it.
We know offense is going to be hard to find some weeks for SELA and their one-dimensional attack. Against what should probably be considered an inferior team in Bethune-Cookman, the Lions were outgained almost 2-to-1 while SELA's signal caller, Donovan Isom, completed just 11 of 23 attempts with three interceptions.
The Lions' path isn't going to get any easier this weekend as they'll travel to Conway to take on Central Arkansas.
7. Abilene Christian
2017 record: 0-2 | Last week's rank: 8
ACU did nothing this week to justify a bump on this list as they were mauled by an FBS opponent for the second straight week. What they didn't do, however, was give a vibe more incompetent than the teams around them. Based on the week of others, they'll take our seventh spot today.
The unfortunate part of a all-FBS non-conference is that we really still have no idea who Abilene Christian is. With a new coaching staff, so many new players, new philosophies on both ends of the ball, we really won't get our first glimpse of what they have up there until they open their new stadium and battle HBU this weekend. Until then, they sit here largely by default.
8. Lamar
2017 record: 1-1 | Last week's rank: 10
Yes, it was a win over a DII team. I realize it means largely nothing about who Lamar is or will be in 2017. Truth is, though, it was the best of the worst this past weekend as the Cardinals rolled all over UT Permian Basin by a final score of 72-6. Sometimes a huge lopsided victory over an inferior opponent can jump start a team who needs it badly. Again, based largely on the performances of the teams around them, Lamar gets a bump this week.
Lamar draws a very winnable opening game against Northwestern State on the road to open the league portion of their schedule. It won't be an easy road, but albeit against a DII team, fans in Beaumont may have gotten a preview of what this defense is capable of once its various pieces mature.
9. Stephen F. Austin
2017 record: 0-2 | Last week's rank: 7
For the second straight week, the Lumberjacks looked hapless and hopeless. They got somewhat of a pass for defecating the bed during their opening match against SMU, but their 51-14 loss at home to Southern Utah has SFA fans in a fit.
This remains one of the top five most talented teams in the Southland Conference and so there is reason to believe this is their low-water mark on the season. As bad as the product has looked through a couple weeks, though, even their coming match with Incarnate Word looks like no guarantee. SFA will face the Cardinals at home before embarking on a brutal stretch that will see them play ACU, McNeese, Sam Houston State, and UCA over four straight weeks.
10. Northwestern State
2017 record: 0-2 | Last week's rank: 9
The Demons fell to the SWAC favorites in a generally lopsided match as Grambling State took the battle 23-10. If you're looking for a bright spot in this one, J.D. Almond looked improved on his first week mess and the final score was probably closer than deserved.
It still looks like it's going to be a long season for the folks in Natchitoches but at least the Demons get a winnable opening game. They'll host an upstart Lamar team in an effort to do what they could not do even once in 2016 - earn victory in a league game.
11. Incarnate Word
2017 record: 0-2 | Last week's rank: 11
The Cardinals faced their first FCS opponent in the second week and the results generally didn't change. Sacramento State exploded for a 56-22 victory (14 of UIW's points game in the fourth quarter with the game already out of reach) and Larry Kennan's team right now looks squarely in the basement of the Southland Conference.
They'll travel to Stephen F. Austin to face off with the underachieving Lumberjacks. It's a game that few would have given them any chance in during the preseason, but with SFA's start you never really know. A win would be a big step forward in cementing UIW's legitimacy as a Division I program and the fate of SFA's 2017 season.
