Illinois State is ranked No. 5 in the first Sports Network poll of hte 2000 season. The Redbirds are one of four Gateway Football Conference schools ranked among the top 25.
Georgia Southern begins the 2000 season where it
began and ended the 1999 season -- as the number one-ranked team. The defending national champion Eagles, who have taken home five I-AA titles in their storied history, have been again named the preseason favorite to win the national championship in Chattanooga,
Tennessee, on December 16.
Standing in second place is another team with a rich history in both the playoffs and national poll, as the Montana Grizzlies begin the season ranked second. The two-time defending Big Sky champion Griz have
appeared in seven consecutive I-AA playoffs, including a national title
in 1995. Last season, Montana was upset in the first round by Youngstown State, 30-27. The team will be coached by new head man Joe Glenn this season, and received five first place votes.
Defending Southland co-champion Troy State is third with four
first-place votes and 1,497 points, followed by Massachusetts, a
national quarterfinalist last season and the 1998 national champion at
No. 4. Illinois State, the 1999 Gateway champ and national semifinalist
rounds out the top five after receiving four first-place votes and 1,451 points.
Rounding out the Top 10 is No. 6 Appalachian State, No. 7 Youngstown
State, No. 8 Florida A&M, No. 9 Furman, and No. 10 Northern Iowa.
In at No. 11 is Hofstra, followed by Portland State at No. 12, Southern
at No. 13, Villanova at No. 14 and North Carolina A&T at the No. 15
spot.
Delaware is No. 16, Stephen F. Austin is No. 17, James Madison is No.
18, with Ohio Valley Conference members Tennessee State at No. 19 and
Eastern Kentucky ranked 20th.
Finishing out the Top 25 is Jackson State at No. 21, Northern Arizona at No. 22, Western Illinois at No. 23, and Patriot League teams Lehigh at No. 24 and Colgate at No. 25.
The Southern Conference and Gateway Football Conference are each
represented with three teams in the Top 10, while the Gateway and
Atlantic 10 lead the way with four ranked teams apiece. The SoCon and
Big Sky place three teams in the Top 25, and the MEAC, OVC, Patriot,
Southland, and SWAC have two each.
The Sports Network 2000 Preseason I-AA College Football Poll
Team (First-place votes) 1999 Record Points 1999 Final Rank
1. Georgia Southern (66) 13-2 1,788 1
2. Montana (5) 9-3 1,579 8
3. Troy State (4) 11-2 1,497 6
4. Massachusetts 9-4 1,484 7
5. Illinois State (4) 11-3 1,451 3
6. Appalachian State 9-3 1,332 t9
7. Youngstown State 12-3 1,322 2
8. Florida A&M 10-4 1,216 4
9. Furman 9-3 1,162 12
10. Northern Iowa 8-3 1,052 15
11. Hofstra 11-2 858 5
12. Portland State 8-3 769 20
13. Southern 11-2 703 17
14. Villanova 7-4 622 24
15. North Carolina A&T 11-2 612 t9
16. Delaware 7-4 592 NR
17. Stephen F. Austin 8-3 578 22
18. James Madison 8-4 576 13
19. Tennessee State 11-2 563 11
20. Eastern Kentucky 7-4 460 NR
21. Jackson State 9-3 433 19
22. Northern Arizona 8-4 390 16
23. Western Illinois 7-4 297 NR
24. Lehigh 10-2 284 14
25. Colgate 10-2 276 18
Others receiving votes (in order of points, minimum of five required):
William & Mary, Sacramento State, Elon, Eastern Washington, Hampton,
McNeese State, Murray State, Northwestern State, Wofford, Grambling, SW
Missouri State, Cal-State Northridge, Brown, Cornell, Southern Utah,
Western Kentucky, Eastern Illinois, Towson, Richmond, Chattanooga, Sam
Houston State, Duquesne, Howard, Yale, Southwest Texas State, Alabama
A&M, Bethune-Cookman, Montana State, Robert Morris, Cal Poly, Penn,
Alabama State
