NORMAL, Ill. - With just a few days left before the Illinois State football team reports for fall camp, the Redbirds were ranked as the No. 18 team in the country Tuesday on the 2012 NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision preseason poll conducted by the staff of College Sporting News.
Reigning Missouri Valley Football Conference champion and FCS national champion North Dakota State was ranked No. 1 in the poll. In all, five league schools are ranked in the poll, including Northern Iowa (9), Youngstown State (17), Illinois State (18) and Indiana State (22), while Southern Illinois also received votes.
Finishing a close second to the Bison in the preseason poll was last year's runner-up in Sam Houston State. 2011 playoff semifinalist Georgia Southern wound up in the third position, while Big Sky Conference co-champion and 2011 playoff quarterfinalist Montana State was in the four spot. Colonial Athletic Association playoff quarterfinalist and 2004 champion James Madison rounded out the top five.
The remainder of the Top 10 had three-time national champion Appalachian State in the No. 6 position, 2011 CAA champion Towson at No. 7, fellow CAA and recent FCS newcomer Old Dominion at No. 8, MVFC co-champion Northern Iowa at No. 9, and 2011 FCS playoff semifinalist and two-time FCS champion Montana rounding out the top 10.
The Redbirds (7-4, 5-3 MVFC) finished the 2011 season ranked No. 18 in The Sports Network/Fathead.com FCS Top 25 poll and No. 22 in the final FCS Coaches Poll. Both of those organization's preseason polls will be announced later in August.
The Redbirds will open fall training camp Saturday, Aug. 4, in preparation for the season-opener Saturday, Sept.1, against Dayton at Hancock Stadium.
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