Sports Network Top 25 Poll

PHILADELPHIA – After a double overtime loss at No. 15 Illinois State on Saturday afternoon, Eastern Illinois remained among the teams also receiving votes in the Sports Network Top 25 poll.  The Panthers were among three teams currently ranked at No. 37 in the poll.

Eastern Illinois will open Ohio Valley Conference play this Saturday hosting Murray State at 6:30 p.m. at O'Brien Field.  EIU still has three ranked teams remaining on its 2012 schedule with road games at No. 21 Eastern Kentucky and No. 25 Central Arkansas along with an Oct. 13 homecoming contest with No. 24 Jacksonville State.  OVC teams UT Martin, Tennessee State and Tennessee Tech are also listed among the schools receiving votes.

North Dakota State remained ranked first in the FCS Sports Network poll receiving 140 first place votes.  Montana State moved up to No. 2 in the poll improving to 3-0.  Sam Houston State which lost its first regular season game since the 2010 season fell to third following a loss at Baylor.  Youngstown State and Old Dominion rounded out the top five.

James Madison led off the next ten schools in sixth followed by Wofford, Northern Iowa, Eastern Washington, The Citadel, Georgia Southern, Delaware, Towson, Montana and Illinois State.

Lehigh was ranked 16th followed by Appalachian State, New Hampshire, McNeese State, Stony Brook, Eastern Kentucky, Indiana State, Maine, Jacksonville State and Central Arkansas.