Three-time defending OVC champion Jacksonville State
was ranked No. 5 in the FCS Coaches Preseason Top 25 poll released on Tuesday.
The Gamecocks were ranked No. 6 in the STATS poll at the conclusion of the 2016
season. JSU was tabbed No. 6 in the Preseason 2017 STATS Top 25 which was
released on Monday.
Defending national champion James Madison collected 20 of the 26 first-place
votes and 642 points to be ranked first. North Dakota State was second and
followed by Sam Houston State and Eastern Washington.
The Gamecocks received 493 points in being tabbed fifth.
Two other OVC teams were among the "others receiving votes" in the FCS Coaches
poll including Tennessee State (26 points) and Eastern Illinois (2).
The FCS Coaches Poll is based exclusively on a voting panel of head coaches in
the FCS under the cooperation of the Collegiate Commissioners Association (CCA)
and the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) and is administered by the
Southern Conference.
Preseason FCS Coaches Top 25 Poll
1. James Madison
2. North Dakota State
3. Sam Houston State
4. Eastern Washington
5. Jacksonville State
6. South Dakota State
7. Richmond
8. Youngstown State
9. Villanova
10. North Dakota
11. Wofford
12. The Citadel
13. Chattanooga
14. Charleston Southern
15. Central Arkansas
16. New Hampshire
17. Lehigh
18. Illinois State
19. Samford
20. Northern Iowa
21. Grambling State
22. Weber State
23. Cal Poly
24. North Carolina Central
25. North Carolina A&T
Others Receiving Votes: Fordham (63), Albany (62), Western Illinois (54),
Montana (51), Northern Arizona (42), McNeese State (34), San Diego (33),
Tennessee State (26), Kennesaw State (17), William & Mary (16), Harvard (16),
South Dakota (14), Saint Francis (8), Southeastern Louisiana (7), Dayton (7),
Nicholls State (6), Princeton (5), Prairie View A&M (5), Colgate (5), Towson
(2), Eastern Illinois (2), Southern (2), Southern Utah (2), Mercer (1).