Bobcats 14th, Griz 25th in preseason football poll

by The Daily Inter Lake
| August 6, 2019 1:13 AM

Montana State is ranked 14th and Montana 25th in the STATS FCS Preseason Top 25 football poll released Tuesday.

Montana State received 1,866 points in the poll.

The Bobcats, 8-5, advanced to the FCS playoffs last fall, winning their first-round game over Incarnate Word 25-14. MSU lost in the next round at North Dakota State 52-10.

Montana, 6-5 last year, totaled 413 poll points.

The Big Sky Conference has five teams ranked, led by Eastern Washington University at No. 4 (3.594 points). UC Davis is fifth (3,210) and Weber State eighth (2,827).

EWU lost in the NCAA Division FCS championship game last year to North Dakota State 38-24 to finish 12-3.

UC Davis, 10-3, lost in the playoff quarterfinals a year ago as did Weber State, 10-3.

Also receiving poll votes from the Big Sky were Northern Arizona and Idaho State.

North Dakota State (15-0 last year) is No. 1 (3,971) with James Madison (9-4) second (3,635) and South Dakota State (10-3) third (3,631).

Stats Fcs Preseason Top 25

1. North Dakota State (15-0), 3,971 points (142 first-place votes); Final 2018 Ranking: 1

2. James Madison (9-4), 3,635 (14); Final 2018 Ranking: 9

3. South Dakota State (10-3), 3,631 (1); Final 2018 Ranking: 3

4. Eastern Washington (12-3), 3,594 (3); Final 2018 Ranking: 2

5. UC Davis (10-3), 3,210; Final 2018 Ranking: 7

6. Jacksonville State (9-4), 3,004; Final 2018 Ranking: 10

7. Maine (10-4), 2,891; Final 2018 Ranking: 4

8. Weber State (10-3), 2,827; Final 2018 Ranking: 6

9. Wofford (10-3), 2,522; Final 2018 Ranking: 13

10. Kennesaw State (11-2), 2,361; Final 2018 Ranking: 5

11. Towson (7-5), 2,330; Final 2018 Ranking: 20

12. Nicholls (9-4), 2,156; Final 2018 Ranking: 14

13. Colgate (10-2), 1,892; Final 2018 Ranking: 8

14. Montana State (8-5), 1,866; Final 2018 Ranking: 17

15. Illinois State (6-5), 1,432; Final 2018 Ranking: NR

16. Indiana State (7-4), 1,192; Final 2018 Ranking: NR

17. Southeast Missouri (9-4), 1,166; Final 2018 Ranking: 15

18. Northern Iowa (7-6), 1,136; Final 2018 Ranking: 23

19. Furman (6-4), 1,074; Final 2018 Ranking: NR

20. North Carolina A&T (10-2), 885; Final 2018 Ranking: 12

21. Elon (6-5), 870; Final 2018 Ranking: 19

22. Delaware (7-5), 798; Final 2018 Ranking: 24

23. Sam Houston State (6-5), 564; Final 2018 Ranking: NR

24. Princeton (10-0), 432; Final 2018 Ranking: 11

25. Montana (6-5), 413; Final 2018 Ranking: NR

Others Receiving Votes: ETSU (8-4) 323, Stony Brook (7-5) 257, Duquesne (9-4) 235, San Diego (9-3) 209, Eastern Kentucky (7-4) 175, Dartmouth (9-1) 149, Central Arkansas (6-5) 125, McNeese (6-5) 110, Monmouth (8-3) 110, IUW (6-5) 108, Alcorn State (9-4) 85, Yale (5-5) 52, New Hampshire (4-7) 42, Chattanooga (6-5) 38, South Dakota (4-7) 27, Northern Arizona (4-6) 16, Lamar (7-5) 14, Villanova (5-6) 14, Richmond (4-7) 8, The Citadel (5-6) 7, Mercer (5-6) 7, Rhode Island (6-5) 7, Abilene Christian (6-5) 6, Southeastern Louisiana (4-7) 6, 5, Idaho State (6-5) 5, Youngstown State (4-7) 4, Southern (7-4) 3, Samford (6-5) 2, North Dakota (6-5) 1, Sacred Heart (7-4) 1, Wagner (4-7) 1, Western Illinois (5-6) 1