NCAA.com –
| 2021 Stats Perform FCS Preseason Top 25 | ||
| Team (First-Place Votes) | W-L | Pts |
| 1. Sam Houston (39) | 10-0 | 1228 |
| 2. James Madison (8) | 7-1 | 1180 |
| 3. South Dakota State (3) | 8-2 | 1156 |
| 4. North Dakota State | 7-3 | 1116 |
| 5. Delaware | 7-1 | 1017 |
| 6. Weber State | 5-1 | 927 |
| 7. Southern Illinois | 6-4 | 888 |
| 8. North Dakota | 5-2 | 886 |
| 9. Montana | 2-0 | 778 |
| 10. Jacksonville State | 10-3 | 744 |
| 11. Eastern Washington | 5-2 | 659 |
| 12. Montana State | 11-4* | 654 |
| 13. Monmouth | 3-1 | 618 |
| 14. Central Arkansas | 5-4 | 561 |
| 15. Southeastern Louisiana | 4-3 | 559 |
| 16. Villanova | 2-2 | 440 |
| 17. VMI | 6-2 | 397 |
| 18. Chattanooga | 3-2 | 295 |
| 19. Kennesaw State | 4-1 | 255 |
| 20. Austin Peay | 4-5 | 227 |
| 21. Northern Iowa | 3-4 | 219 |
| 22. Nicholls | 4-3 | 173 |
| 23. UC Davis | 3-2 | 172 |
| 24. Missouri State | 5-5 | 168 |
| 25. North Carolina A&T | 9-3* | 159 |