Marching into the 2001 campaign with a six-game winning streak in tow, Illinois State is ranked No. 16 in the first ESPN/USA Today poll of the season. The Redbirds are one of five Gateway Football Conference schools ranked among the top 25.
Although he likes the recognition, Illinois State head coach Denver Johnson does not put much credence into preseason polls.
I dont pay too much attention to polls at this time of the year, Johnson said. These things play themselves out over the course of the season and the only poll that Im concerned with is the one that comes out when its all said and done.
Georgia Southern begins the 2001 season where it started and finished the 1999 and 2000 seasons as the number one-ranked team. The defending national champion Eagles, who have taken home six I-AA titles in their storied history, have been again named the preseason favorite to win the national championship in Chattanooga, Tennessee, on December 14.
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 eight consecutive 1-AA playoffs, including a national title in 1995. Last season, Montana gave Georgia Southern all it could handle in the championship game, before succumbing to the Eagles 27-25.
Hofstra checks in at third followed by a pair of Gateway schools in Youngstown State and Western Kentucky, who rank fourth and fifth, respectively.
Rounding out the Top 10 is No. 6 Appalachian State, No. 7 Delaware, No. 8 Furman, No. 9 McNeese State, and No. 10 Eastern Illinois.
In at No. 11 is Lehigh, followed by Florida A&M at No. 12, Richmond at No. 13, Gateway member Western Illinois at No. 14 and Grambling at No. 15.
Illinois State, which is gunning for its fourth consecutive winning season, checks in at No. 16 with a head full of steam after rounding out the 2000 campaign with six consecutive victories after a 1-4 start.
Portland State is No. 17, Gateway member Northern Iowa is No. 18, Southwest Texas State is No. 19 while Massachusetts and Bethune Cookman are tied for the No. 20 spot in the poll.
Finishing the Top 25 is Troy State at No. 22, Villanova at No. 23, Tennessee Tech at No. 24 and Wofford at No. 25.
In addition to facing I-A Western Michigan to start the season, Illinois States tough slate feature matchups with No. 10 Eastern Illinois, No. 5 Western Kentucky, No. 14 Western Illinois, No. 4 Youngstown State and No. 18 Northern Iowa. Additionally, the Birds will face Murray State, which finished just out of the Top 25 with 90 points.
ESPN/USA Today Division I-AA Top 25 Poll
------------------------------------------
The ESPN/USA Today Division I-AA Top 25 college football
coaches poll, with number of first-place votes, total points
and last year's ranking:
TEAM PTS PVS
---- --- ---
1. Geo Southern (35) 969 3
2. Montana (3) 913 1
3. Hofstra 727 12
4. Youngstown St 726 9
5. Western Ky 724 6
6. Appalachian St 720 12
7. Delaware 717 2
8. Furman (1) 649 5
9. Mcneese St 529 16
10. Eastern Ill 494 17
11. Lehigh 485 10
12. Florida A&M 455 14
13. Richmond 427 8
14. Western Ill 409 6
15. Grambling 348 11
16. Illinois St 276 NR
17. Portland St 263 15
18. Northern Iowa 224 21
19. Sw Texas St 206 25
20. (tie) Massachusetts 182 NR
20. (tie) Bethune Cookman 182 19
22. Troy St 173 4
23. Villanova 158 NR
24. Tennessee Tech 149 22
25. Wofford 136 24
Others Receiving Votes: Eastern Wash 135, No Carolina A&T 119, Northwestern St 100, Weber St 96, Murray St 90, Sam Houston St 85, Elon 72, Southern 70, SFA 69, Eastern Ky 65, Pennsylvania 51, Sacramento St. 46, William & Mary 44, James Madison 43, Jackson St 39, Southern Utah 27, Duquesne 22, Robert Morris 21, Davidson 20, Alabama A&M 20, Sacred Heart 19, Northern Arizona 18, Montana St 18, Holy Cross 18, Chattanooga 16, New Hampshire 15, Idaho St 14, Hampton 14, Fairfield 12, Texas Southern 11, Tennessee St 8, East Tenn St 7, Colgate 7, Alabama St 7, Jacksonville St 5, Bucknell 3, Ark Pine Bluff 3, Nicholls St 2, Miss Valley St 1, Harvard 1, Delaware St 1.
