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Bobcats Open 2023 Ranked No. 3 in Stats Perform FCS Preseason Poll Presented by FedEx Ground
8/7/2023 5:04:00 PM | Football
MSU gains its highest preseason ranking in a decade
South Dakota State Unanimous No. 1 in FCS Preseason Top 25 | The Analyst
BOZEMAN, Montana – Montana State enters the 2023 season ranked third in the Stats Perform FCS Preseason Poll Presented by FedEx Ground, that organization announced Monday. No. 3 stands as MSU's highest preseason ranking since the Cats began the 2013 season ranked second.
"Preseason rankings are based on what you did last year and what you have returning," said Bobcat coach Brent Vigen. "In that way it's better to have these expectations and we appreciate the respect. But it doesn't mean anything for this year."
The 2023 season marks the 19th season the Bobcats have opened a season ranked since 1980, and the fourth in the past five seasons.
Stats Perform FCS Preseason Top 25 Poll
Presented by FedEx Ground (2022 Record in Parentheses)
1. South Dakota State (14–1, 8–0 Missouri Valley), 1,400 points (56 first-place votes) - 2023 Season Opener: Aug. 31 vs. Western Oregon
2. North Dakota State (12–3, 7–1 Missouri Valley), 1,329 - 2023 Season Opener: Sept. 2 vs. Eastern Washington (in Minneapolis)
3. Montana State (12–2, 8–0 Big Sky), 1,294 - 2023 Season Opener: Sept. 2 vs. Utah Tech
4. William & Mary (11–2, 7–1 CAA), 1,172 - 2023 Season Opener: Aug. 31 at Campbell
5. Holy Cross (12–1, 6–0 Patriot), 1,113 - 2023 Season Opener: Sept. 2 vs. Merrimack
6. Furman (10–3, 7–1 Southern), 1,035 - 2023 Season Opener: Aug. 31 vs. Tennessee Tech
7. UIW (12–2, 5–1 Southland), 935 - 2023 Season Opener: Sept. 2 at UTEP.
8. Idaho (7–5, 6–2 Big Sky), 932 - 2023 Season Opener: Aug. 31 at Lamar
9. Samford (11–2, 8–0 Southern), 885 - 2023 Season Opener: Aug. 31 vs. Shorter
10. Sacramento State (12–1, 8–0 Big Sky), 881 - 2023 Season Opener: Aug. 31 at Nicholls
11. New Hampshire (9–4, 7–1 CAA), 798 - 2023 Season Opener: Sept. 2 at Stonehill
12. Southeast Missouri (9-3, 5–0 Ohio Valley), 768 - 2023 Season Opener: Sept. 2 at Kansas State
13. Weber State (10–3, 6–2 Big Sky), 744 - 2023 Season Opener: Aug. 31 vs. Central Washington
14. Montana (8–5, 4–4 Big Sky), 711 - 2023 Season Opener: Sept. 2 vs. Butler
15. Southeastern Louisiana (9–4, 5–1 Southland), 710 - 2023 Season Opener: Sept. 2 at Mississippi State
16. UC Davis (6–5, 5–3 Big Sky), 513 - 2023 Season Opener: Aug. 31 at Texas A&M-Commerce
17. North Dakota (7–5, 5–3 Missouri Valley), 479 - 2023 Season Opener: Sept. 2 vs. Drake
18. Richmond (9–4, 6–2 CAA), 387 - 2023 Season Opener: Sept. 2 vs. Morgan State
19. North Carolina Central (10–2, 4–1 MEAC), 330 - 2023 Season Opener: Sept. 2 vs. Winston Salem State
20. Mercer (7–4, 5–3 Southern), 293 - 2023 Season Opener: Aug. 26 vs. North Alabama
21. Rhode Island (7–4, 5–3 CAA), 169 - 2023 Season Opener: Aug. 31 at Georgia State
22. Delaware (8-5, 4-4 CAA), 166 - 2023 Season Opener: Aug. 31 at Stony Brook
23. Northern Iowa (6-5, 5-3 Missouri Valley), 155 - 2023 Season Opener: Sept. 2 at Iowa State
24. Eastern Kentucky (7-5, 3-2 ASUN), 137 - 2023 Season Opener: Sept. 2 at Cincinnati
25. Gardner-Webb (7-6, 5-0 Big South), 129 - 2023 Season Opener: Sept. 2 at Appalachian State
Others Receiving Votes (schools listed on two or more ballots): Central Arkansas (5–6, 3–2 ASUN) 110, Chattanooga (7-4, 5-3 Southern) 84, Jackson State (12-1, 8-0 SWAC) 71, Southern Illinois (5–6, 4–4 Missouri Valley) 66, Youngstown State (7-4, 5-3 Missouri Valley) 66, Florida A&M (9-2, 7-1 SWAC) 65, UT Martin (7–4, 5–0 Ohio Valley) 65, Elon (8-4, 6-2 CAA) 61, Austin Peay (7-4, 3-2 ASUN) 40, Fordham (9-3, 5-1 Patriot) 28, Yale (8-2, 6-1 Ivy) 18, Villanova (6-5, 4-4 CAA) 8, McNeese (4-7, 2-4 Southland) 7, Abilene Christian (7-4, 3-1 WAC) 6, St. Thomas (10-1, 8-0 Pioneer) 6, Saint Francis (9-3, 7-0 NEC) 5
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Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Voters – Stats Perform: Craig Haley, Gary Reasons. Big Sky Conference: Doug Kelly, Tyson Rodgers, Larry Weir. Big South-OVC Football Association: Mike Bradd, Brian Cleary, Kyle Schwartz, Mark Simpson. CAA Football: Matt Harmon, Scott Klatzkin, Rob Washburn. Ivy League: Rick Bender, Craig Larson. Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference: Kendrick Lewis, Patricia Porter-Mayfield. Missouri Valley Football Conference: Dom Izzo, Mike Kern, Randy Reinhardt. Northeast Conference: Sarah Boissonneault, Randy Brochu. Patriot League: Eric Malanoski, Ryan Sakamoto. Pioneer Football League: Cody Bush, Jack Cronin. Southern Conference: Scott Keeler, Andrew Miller, Ralan Wardlaw. Southland Conference: Matthew Bonnette, James Dixon, James Hill. Southwestern Athletic Conference: Ronnie Johnson, Joshua Padilla. United Athletic Conference: Steve East, Tony Jones, Brian Morgan, Jake Withee. National Representatives: Sean Anderson, Zack Carlton, Riley Corcoran, Joe DeLeone, Steven J. Gaither, Sam Herder, Emory Hunt, Kyle Kensing, Brandon Lawrence, Zach McKinnell, Brian McLaughlin, Jon Passman, Omar Rashon Borja, Ryan Roberts, Kent Schmidt, Phil Sokol, Reggie Thomas, Ralph Ventre, Jamie Williams.
BOZEMAN, Montana – Montana State enters the 2023 season ranked third in the Stats Perform FCS Preseason Poll Presented by FedEx Ground, that organization announced Monday. No. 3 stands as MSU's highest preseason ranking since the Cats began the 2013 season ranked second.
"Preseason rankings are based on what you did last year and what you have returning," said Bobcat coach Brent Vigen. "In that way it's better to have these expectations and we appreciate the respect. But it doesn't mean anything for this year."
The 2023 season marks the 19th season the Bobcats have opened a season ranked since 1980, and the fourth in the past five seasons.
Stats Perform FCS Preseason Top 25 Poll
Presented by FedEx Ground (2022 Record in Parentheses)
1. South Dakota State (14–1, 8–0 Missouri Valley), 1,400 points (56 first-place votes) - 2023 Season Opener: Aug. 31 vs. Western Oregon
2. North Dakota State (12–3, 7–1 Missouri Valley), 1,329 - 2023 Season Opener: Sept. 2 vs. Eastern Washington (in Minneapolis)
3. Montana State (12–2, 8–0 Big Sky), 1,294 - 2023 Season Opener: Sept. 2 vs. Utah Tech
4. William & Mary (11–2, 7–1 CAA), 1,172 - 2023 Season Opener: Aug. 31 at Campbell
5. Holy Cross (12–1, 6–0 Patriot), 1,113 - 2023 Season Opener: Sept. 2 vs. Merrimack
6. Furman (10–3, 7–1 Southern), 1,035 - 2023 Season Opener: Aug. 31 vs. Tennessee Tech
7. UIW (12–2, 5–1 Southland), 935 - 2023 Season Opener: Sept. 2 at UTEP.
8. Idaho (7–5, 6–2 Big Sky), 932 - 2023 Season Opener: Aug. 31 at Lamar
9. Samford (11–2, 8–0 Southern), 885 - 2023 Season Opener: Aug. 31 vs. Shorter
10. Sacramento State (12–1, 8–0 Big Sky), 881 - 2023 Season Opener: Aug. 31 at Nicholls
11. New Hampshire (9–4, 7–1 CAA), 798 - 2023 Season Opener: Sept. 2 at Stonehill
12. Southeast Missouri (9-3, 5–0 Ohio Valley), 768 - 2023 Season Opener: Sept. 2 at Kansas State
13. Weber State (10–3, 6–2 Big Sky), 744 - 2023 Season Opener: Aug. 31 vs. Central Washington
14. Montana (8–5, 4–4 Big Sky), 711 - 2023 Season Opener: Sept. 2 vs. Butler
15. Southeastern Louisiana (9–4, 5–1 Southland), 710 - 2023 Season Opener: Sept. 2 at Mississippi State
16. UC Davis (6–5, 5–3 Big Sky), 513 - 2023 Season Opener: Aug. 31 at Texas A&M-Commerce
17. North Dakota (7–5, 5–3 Missouri Valley), 479 - 2023 Season Opener: Sept. 2 vs. Drake
18. Richmond (9–4, 6–2 CAA), 387 - 2023 Season Opener: Sept. 2 vs. Morgan State
19. North Carolina Central (10–2, 4–1 MEAC), 330 - 2023 Season Opener: Sept. 2 vs. Winston Salem State
20. Mercer (7–4, 5–3 Southern), 293 - 2023 Season Opener: Aug. 26 vs. North Alabama
21. Rhode Island (7–4, 5–3 CAA), 169 - 2023 Season Opener: Aug. 31 at Georgia State
22. Delaware (8-5, 4-4 CAA), 166 - 2023 Season Opener: Aug. 31 at Stony Brook
23. Northern Iowa (6-5, 5-3 Missouri Valley), 155 - 2023 Season Opener: Sept. 2 at Iowa State
24. Eastern Kentucky (7-5, 3-2 ASUN), 137 - 2023 Season Opener: Sept. 2 at Cincinnati
25. Gardner-Webb (7-6, 5-0 Big South), 129 - 2023 Season Opener: Sept. 2 at Appalachian State
Others Receiving Votes (schools listed on two or more ballots): Central Arkansas (5–6, 3–2 ASUN) 110, Chattanooga (7-4, 5-3 Southern) 84, Jackson State (12-1, 8-0 SWAC) 71, Southern Illinois (5–6, 4–4 Missouri Valley) 66, Youngstown State (7-4, 5-3 Missouri Valley) 66, Florida A&M (9-2, 7-1 SWAC) 65, UT Martin (7–4, 5–0 Ohio Valley) 65, Elon (8-4, 6-2 CAA) 61, Austin Peay (7-4, 3-2 ASUN) 40, Fordham (9-3, 5-1 Patriot) 28, Yale (8-2, 6-1 Ivy) 18, Villanova (6-5, 4-4 CAA) 8, McNeese (4-7, 2-4 Southland) 7, Abilene Christian (7-4, 3-1 WAC) 6, St. Thomas (10-1, 8-0 Pioneer) 6, Saint Francis (9-3, 7-0 NEC) 5
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Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Voters – Stats Perform: Craig Haley, Gary Reasons. Big Sky Conference: Doug Kelly, Tyson Rodgers, Larry Weir. Big South-OVC Football Association: Mike Bradd, Brian Cleary, Kyle Schwartz, Mark Simpson. CAA Football: Matt Harmon, Scott Klatzkin, Rob Washburn. Ivy League: Rick Bender, Craig Larson. Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference: Kendrick Lewis, Patricia Porter-Mayfield. Missouri Valley Football Conference: Dom Izzo, Mike Kern, Randy Reinhardt. Northeast Conference: Sarah Boissonneault, Randy Brochu. Patriot League: Eric Malanoski, Ryan Sakamoto. Pioneer Football League: Cody Bush, Jack Cronin. Southern Conference: Scott Keeler, Andrew Miller, Ralan Wardlaw. Southland Conference: Matthew Bonnette, James Dixon, James Hill. Southwestern Athletic Conference: Ronnie Johnson, Joshua Padilla. United Athletic Conference: Steve East, Tony Jones, Brian Morgan, Jake Withee. National Representatives: Sean Anderson, Zack Carlton, Riley Corcoran, Joe DeLeone, Steven J. Gaither, Sam Herder, Emory Hunt, Kyle Kensing, Brandon Lawrence, Zach McKinnell, Brian McLaughlin, Jon Passman, Omar Rashon Borja, Ryan Roberts, Kent Schmidt, Phil Sokol, Reggie Thomas, Ralph Ventre, Jamie Williams.
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