With nine defensive starters returning, MSU is seen as the most likely team to win the 2012 Big Sky title
Photo by: R. Dean Hendrickson
Bobcats Tabbed First in Preseason Football Polls
7/17/2012 4:25:00 PM | Football
MSU lands at top of league coach, media polls
BOZEMAN, Mont. – If Bobcat fans hadn't circled the second Saturday in October and the last two games of the regular season on their calendars by Tuesday, they will probably do so shortly.
Those are the dates that MSU, chosen by both Big Sky coaches and media as the league's preseason favorite on Tuesday, play the teams chosen to finish immediately behind the Cats – Eastern Washington (picked second) on October 13, Portland State (chosen fourth) on November 10, and the annual showdown with Montana (selected third) on November 17.
Back-to-back Big Sky titlesand the return of 16 starters was enough to boost Montana State into the catbird's seat in the 2012 preseason rankings, which Bobcat coach Rob Ash takes in stride. “It's a great compliment to our program,” said MSU's fifth-year head coach. “It's a sign of the respect. But at the same time, when games begin it doesn't mean anything.”
Conference coaches and media member chose MSU as the favorite to win the league for the first time in at least two decades. In the league's newly-expanded 13-team format, each team misses five league opponents per season. Montana State plays the three teams directly below it in the preseason rankings.
Since Montana State's first Big Sky title of the 21st century in 2002, the Bobcats earned the nod for honors in the top three in every season except 2007, the year Rob Ash took over the Bobcat program in mid-summer. In fact, the top three teams in this year's poll – MSU, Montana and Eastern Washington – have landed in the top three of four of the last five preseason polls. Only in 2009 did a different school, when Weber State was picked second, was another school slated for the top three.
BIG SKY FOOTBALL PRESEASON POLLS
Head Coaches
1. Montana State (7 first-place votes), 136 points
2. Eastern Washington (4), 131
3. Montana (1), 126
4. Portland State, 90
5. Cal Poly, 86
6. Weber State, 81
7. Northern Arizona, 75
8. Southern Utah (1), 74
9. Sacramento State, 71
10. North Dakota, 68
11. Idaho State, 31
12. UC Davis, 30
13. Northern Colorado, 14
Media
1. Montana State (30), 502
2. Eastern Washington (3), 453
3. Montana (5), 442
4. Portland State, 334
5. Cal Poly (1), 323
6. North Dakota, 295
7. Weber State (1), 284
8. Southern Utah, 258
9. Northern Arizona, 242
10. Sacramento State, 191
11. UC Davis, 135
12. Idaho State, 115
13. Northern Colorado, 63
Those are the dates that MSU, chosen by both Big Sky coaches and media as the league's preseason favorite on Tuesday, play the teams chosen to finish immediately behind the Cats – Eastern Washington (picked second) on October 13, Portland State (chosen fourth) on November 10, and the annual showdown with Montana (selected third) on November 17.
Back-to-back Big Sky titlesand the return of 16 starters was enough to boost Montana State into the catbird's seat in the 2012 preseason rankings, which Bobcat coach Rob Ash takes in stride. “It's a great compliment to our program,” said MSU's fifth-year head coach. “It's a sign of the respect. But at the same time, when games begin it doesn't mean anything.”
Conference coaches and media member chose MSU as the favorite to win the league for the first time in at least two decades. In the league's newly-expanded 13-team format, each team misses five league opponents per season. Montana State plays the three teams directly below it in the preseason rankings.
Since Montana State's first Big Sky title of the 21st century in 2002, the Bobcats earned the nod for honors in the top three in every season except 2007, the year Rob Ash took over the Bobcat program in mid-summer. In fact, the top three teams in this year's poll – MSU, Montana and Eastern Washington – have landed in the top three of four of the last five preseason polls. Only in 2009 did a different school, when Weber State was picked second, was another school slated for the top three.
BIG SKY FOOTBALL PRESEASON POLLS
Head Coaches
1. Montana State (7 first-place votes), 136 points
2. Eastern Washington (4), 131
3. Montana (1), 126
4. Portland State, 90
5. Cal Poly, 86
6. Weber State, 81
7. Northern Arizona, 75
8. Southern Utah (1), 74
9. Sacramento State, 71
10. North Dakota, 68
11. Idaho State, 31
12. UC Davis, 30
13. Northern Colorado, 14
Media
1. Montana State (30), 502
2. Eastern Washington (3), 453
3. Montana (5), 442
4. Portland State, 334
5. Cal Poly (1), 323
6. North Dakota, 295
7. Weber State (1), 284
8. Southern Utah, 258
9. Northern Arizona, 242
10. Sacramento State, 191
11. UC Davis, 135
12. Idaho State, 115
13. Northern Colorado, 63
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