South Dakota State Cracks Top 25 in Pair of FCS Pre-Season Polls

Four straight playoff appearances have solidified South Dakota State as a top ten team in the nation, at least according to Football Championship Series (FCS) media and sports information directors.

The Jackrabbits, who return 15 starters from last season's 8-4 team, check in at number eight in the pre-season STATS FCS rankings. Fellow Missouri Valley Conference  teams North Dakota State (1st) and Northern Iowa (5th) are ranked ahead of SDSU. Illinois State (10th) and Western Illinois (20th) are also in the top 25.

South Dakota grabbed 17 points in the voting.

STATS FCS Poll

1. North Dakota State
2. Sam Houston State
3. Jacksonville State
4. Richmond
5. Northern Iowa
6. Chattanooga
7. Charleston Southern
8. South Dakota State
9. William & Mary
10. Illinois State
11. McNeese State
12. James Madison
13. Montana
14. Eastern Washington
15. Citadel
16. Coastal Carolina
17. Portland State
18. Northern Arizona
19. North Dakota
20. Western Illinois
21. Colgate
22. New Hampshire
23. Villanova
24. Towson
25. North Carolina A&T

In the FCS Coaches Poll, SDSU is 14th, one of five MFC ranked schools. For the second straight year, NDSU is a unanimous pre-season #1, after winning the last five national championships.

USD grabbed three points in the coaches poll.

The Big Sky Conference has six teams in the top 25, the Colonial Athletic Association has four.

2016 Preseason FCS Coaches Poll

1. North Dakota State
2. Sam Houston State
3. Jacksonville State
4. Richmond
5. Northern Iowa
6. Charleston Southern
7. Chattanooga
8. Illinois State
9. McNeese State
10. William & Mary
11. James Madison
12. Portland State
13. Montana
14. South Dakota State
15. The Citadel
16. Colgate
17. Eastern Washington
18. Northern Arizona
19. Harvard
20. Fordham
21. North Dakota
22. Villanova
23. Southern Utah
24. Western Illinois
25. North Carolina A&T