SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Eastern Illinois closed the 2009 season ranked No. 15 in the FCS Coaches Poll following an 8-4 season and 13th appearance in the NCAA FCS playoffs. This season EIU will open the year one spot lower as the Panthers were ranked No. 16 in the preseason FCS Coaches Poll released on Monday afternoon.
The Panthers are one of two teams ranked from the Ohio Valley Conference with Jacksonville State coming in one spot behind EIU at No. 17 in the preseason rankings. EIU and JSU have been selected as the top two teams to watch in most of the FCS preseason publications and rankings.
EIU will open the season in 12 days at Iowa which was ranked No. 9 in the Associated Press poll released over the weekend. The home opener for EIU is on Sept. 11 against Central Arkansas. Season and single game tickets are on sale by calling 217-581-2106 or online at www.eiupanthertickets.com Tickets for the season opener at Iowa are also on sale through the EIU ticket office until Noon on Wednesday.
Defending National Champion Villanova was the preseason No. 1 with the Wildcats securing 22 of 28 first place votes. Montana was second in the poll with two first place votes while Appalachian State was third with four first place votes. William & Mary and Southern Illinois rounded out the top five.
Richmond headed up the next group of schools at number six followed by Elon, Stephen F. Austin, New Hampshire and South Dakota State in the top ten. McNeese State was number eleven with South Carolina State, Northern Iowa, Eastern Washington and James Madison filling in the top 15.
Eastern Illinois led the final ten schools at No. 16 followed by fellow OVC member Jacksonville State. Weber State was 18th with Delaware and Liberty rounding out the top twenty. Prairie View A&M, Colgate, Northern Arizona, Montana State, Cal Poly and Holy Cross completed the poll. Cal Poly and Holy Cross tied for the 25th spot with both schools receiving 66 points.
FCS Coaches Poll is based exclusively on a voting panel of head coaches in the FCS under the cooperation of the Collegiate Commissioners Association (CCA) and the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) and is administered by the Southern Conference.
2010 FCS Coaches Preseason Poll (August 23, 2010)
Team (No. 1 Votes) 2009 Record Points 2009 Final Ranking
1. Villanova (22) 14-1 667 1
2. Montana (2) 14-1 632 2
3. Appalachian State (4) 11-3 622 T3
4. William & Mary 11-3 587 T3
5. Southern Illinois 11-2 551 6
6. Richmond 11-2 484 5
7. Elon 9-3 474 10
8. Stephen F. Austin 10-3 413 9
9. New Hampshire 10-3 409 7
10. South Dakota State 8-4 403 11
11. McNeese State 9-3 376 12
12. South Carolina State 10-2 341 8
13. Northern Iowa 7-4 333 18
14. Eastern Washington 8-4 327 13
15. James Madison 6-5 290 NR
16. Eastern Illinois 8-4 236 15
17. Jacksonville State 8-3 208 16
18. Weber State 7-5 186 17
19. Delaware 6-5 185 NR
20. Liberty 8-3 171 21
21. Prairie View A&M 9-1 135 19
22. Colgate 9-2 98 20
23. Northern Arizona 5-6 87 NR
24. Montana State 7-4 85 NR
T25. Cal-Poly 4-7 66 NR
T25. Holy Cross 9-3 66 14
Others receiving votes (points in parentheses): Penn (60), Illinois State (54), Texas State (53), Florida A&M (44), Furman (36), Eastern Kentucky (35), Wofford (35), UC Davis (32), Massachusetts (24), Georgia Southern (23), Alabama A&M (22), Jackson State (19), Maine (19), Alcorn State (17), Southeastern Louisiana (16), Arkansas-Pine Bluff (16), Southern (15), Central Arkansas (14), Morgan State (14), Hampton (12), Bethune-Cookman (11), Harvard (10), Missouri State (10), Nicholls State (10), Sam Houston State (9), Grambling (8), Alabama State (6), Lehigh (8), Youngstown State (6), Texas Southern (5), Albany (4), Lafayette (4), Butler (3), Mississippi Valley State (3), Southern Utah (3), Central Connecticut State (2), Stony Brook (2), Chattanooga (1), Gardner-Webb (1)
