Photo by: Garrett Becker
Montana State Ranked 9th by HERO Sports Preseason FCS Poll
5/27/2020 4:16:00 PM | Football
MSU opens the 2020 season in the top 10 for the first time since 2013
BOZEMAN, Montana – Montana State rode a wave of Big Sky Conference football teams crashing the HERO Sports Top 25 on Wednesday, landing at No. 9 in the organization's preseason poll.
The Bobcats' 2020 preseason ranking in the HERO poll is its highest to open a campaign since the team was ranked second to begin 2013. That capped a three-season run of Montana State opening the season ranked in the top 10. Dating to 1990, MSU have opened 15 seasons in at least one FCS poll.
Other Big Sky teams in the top 10 include No. 4 Sacramento State, No. 6 Weber State, and the seventh-ranked Grizzlies. Montana State and Weber State each advanced to the FCS Playoffs Semifinals last season. Eastern Washington, ranked 18th, gives the Big Sky five teams in the HERO Sports Poll.
HERO SPORTS FCS Preseason Top 25
1 North Dakota State
2 South Dakota State
3 Northern Iowa
4 Sacramento State
5 James Madison
6 Weber State
7 Montana
8 Villanova
9 Montana State
10 Central Arkansas
11 Kennesaw State
12 Illinois State
13 Austin Peay
14 Furman
15 Delaware
16 Princeton
17 New Hampshire
18 Eastern Washington
19 North Carolina A&T
20 Florida A&M
21 The Citadel
22 Southern Illinois
23 Sam Houston State
24 Albany
25 Yale
The Bobcats' 2020 preseason ranking in the HERO poll is its highest to open a campaign since the team was ranked second to begin 2013. That capped a three-season run of Montana State opening the season ranked in the top 10. Dating to 1990, MSU have opened 15 seasons in at least one FCS poll.
Other Big Sky teams in the top 10 include No. 4 Sacramento State, No. 6 Weber State, and the seventh-ranked Grizzlies. Montana State and Weber State each advanced to the FCS Playoffs Semifinals last season. Eastern Washington, ranked 18th, gives the Big Sky five teams in the HERO Sports Poll.
HERO SPORTS FCS Preseason Top 25
1 North Dakota State
2 South Dakota State
3 Northern Iowa
4 Sacramento State
5 James Madison
6 Weber State
7 Montana
8 Villanova
9 Montana State
10 Central Arkansas
11 Kennesaw State
12 Illinois State
13 Austin Peay
14 Furman
15 Delaware
16 Princeton
17 New Hampshire
18 Eastern Washington
19 North Carolina A&T
20 Florida A&M
21 The Citadel
22 Southern Illinois
23 Sam Houston State
24 Albany
25 Yale
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