Bobcats Stand No. 2 in Hero Sports FCS Preseason Top 25
5/28/2025 9:02:00 AM | Football
Familiar faces dot preseason poll
HERO Sports Preseason Poll story: https://herosports.com/fcs-football-2025-preseason-top-25-bzbz/
BOZEMAN, Montana – On the heels of a 15-1 season in 2024 and the program's second appearance in the FCS Championship game in four years, Montana State was tabbed second in the 2025 Hero Sports FCS Preseason Top 25 Media Poll.
One of six Big Sky Conference teams in the Hero Sports poll, the Cats face third-ranked South Dakota State in this year's Gold Rush game on Sept. 6. Montana (tied for seventh, Nov. 22), UC Davis (Nov. 15, No. 11), and Northern Arizona (Oct. 4, No. 19) also loom on MSU's 2025 schedule.
Montana State's most recent two opponents bookend the Bobcats and Jackrabbits in the poll's top four. Reigning national champion North Dakota State claims the top spot in the Hero Sports preseason poll, while South Dakota, who the Cats beat in the semifinals last season, is fourth. UIW rounds out the top five.
The complete poll is below:
1. North Dakota State (4 1st-place votes)
2. Montana State
3. South Dakota State
4. South Dakota
5. UIW
6. Tarleton State
t7. Illinois State
t7. Montana
9. Rhode Island
10. Idaho
11. UC Davis
t12. Mercer
t12. Sacramento State
14. Villanova
15. Jackson State
16. Southern Illinois
17. Lehigh
18. Western Carolina
19. Northern Arizona
20. Tennessee Tech
t21. Monmouth
t21. Stephen F. Austin
23. Harvard
24. Abilene Christian
25. Stony Brook
Received votes (ordered from most voting points to least): Richmond, Chattanooga, East Tennessee State, North Dakota, Southern Utah, North Carolina Central, UT Martin
#GoCatsGo
BOZEMAN, Montana – On the heels of a 15-1 season in 2024 and the program's second appearance in the FCS Championship game in four years, Montana State was tabbed second in the 2025 Hero Sports FCS Preseason Top 25 Media Poll.
One of six Big Sky Conference teams in the Hero Sports poll, the Cats face third-ranked South Dakota State in this year's Gold Rush game on Sept. 6. Montana (tied for seventh, Nov. 22), UC Davis (Nov. 15, No. 11), and Northern Arizona (Oct. 4, No. 19) also loom on MSU's 2025 schedule.
Montana State's most recent two opponents bookend the Bobcats and Jackrabbits in the poll's top four. Reigning national champion North Dakota State claims the top spot in the Hero Sports preseason poll, while South Dakota, who the Cats beat in the semifinals last season, is fourth. UIW rounds out the top five.
The complete poll is below:
1. North Dakota State (4 1st-place votes)
2. Montana State
3. South Dakota State
4. South Dakota
5. UIW
6. Tarleton State
t7. Illinois State
t7. Montana
9. Rhode Island
10. Idaho
11. UC Davis
t12. Mercer
t12. Sacramento State
14. Villanova
15. Jackson State
16. Southern Illinois
17. Lehigh
18. Western Carolina
19. Northern Arizona
20. Tennessee Tech
t21. Monmouth
t21. Stephen F. Austin
23. Harvard
24. Abilene Christian
25. Stony Brook
Received votes (ordered from most voting points to least): Richmond, Chattanooga, East Tennessee State, North Dakota, Southern Utah, North Carolina Central, UT Martin
#GoCatsGo
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