SPORTING NEWS CFB FCS Overview

[jstclmet]

On page 158

Top 25

1. Villanova
2. Montana
3. Appalachian State
4. Southern Illinois
5. Richmond
6. Stephen F. Austin
7. South Dakota State
8. James Madison
9. Elon
10. New Hampshire
11. Prairie View A&M
12. Montana State
13. William & Mary
14. Holy Cross
15. South Carolina State
16. Illinois State
17. Samford
18. Delaware
19. Eastern Kentucky
20 Colgate
21. Eastern Washington
22. Wofford
23. Penn
24. Cal Poly
25. Northern Iowa

FCS AA Team on page 159

Offense
QB: Jeremy Moses, SFA
RB: Chase Reynolds, MT
RB: Kyle Minett, SDSU
OL: Ben Ijalana, Nova
OL: David Pickard, S. Ill
OL: Johnny Culbreath, SCSU
OL: David Arkin, Mo St.
OL: D.J. Hall, Tx St.
TE: Stephen Skelton, Fordham
WR: Matt Sczcur, Nova
WR: Tysson Poots, So. Utah
K: Matt Bevins, Liberty
RS: Mareo Howard, Ark Pine Bluff

Defense
DL: Christian Clark, Sac State
DL: Martin Parker, Richmond
DL: Christian Anthony, Grambling
DL: Malcolm Taylor, Alcorn State
LB: J.C. Sherritt, EWU
LB: D.J. Smith, App State
LB: Terence Thomas, Nova
DB: Korey Lindsey, S. Ill
DB: Mark LeGree, App State
DB: Jason House, Southern
DB: T.J. Heath, Jacksonville St.
P: Jonathan Plisco, ODU

[dbackjon]

Not a bad poll

[kuntryboimike]

wow liberty not even ranked? strugglin. theyll def. be top 25 this year

[uofmman1122]

Maybe a Montana State fan can fill me in....Are the Bobcats a #12 team?

I'd be ecstatic if they were, but I haven't seen any indication that they really are...

[Silenoz]

QB and playcalling has been holding them back. Sounds like the new guys could finally get them to breakthrough...

Or not. Again.

[Libertine]

The Sporting News must have an extremely large dartboard on the premises.

[JALMOND]

Maybe a Montana State fan can fill me in....Are the Bobcats a #12 team?

I'd be ecstatic if they were, but I haven't seen any indication that they really are...

Here is the writeup on Montana State in TSN, provided by Mike Sorensen of the Deseret News (take it however way you want)...

"If anyone is going to challenge the Grizzlies, it could be in-state rival Montana State, which returns 17 starters from last season, including nine on the defensive side, where the Bobcats led the league by allowing 343.9 yards per game. It will be tough to replace All-American end Dane Fletcher, but the rest of the line returns along with the secondary. On offense, Cody Kempt is back at quarterback, while C.J. Palmer is the top returning running back. A deep corps of receivers returns as well, including Elvis Akpla and Everette Gilbert."

I, too, think the Bobcats may be ranked a little bit too high, but I do respect Sorensen's picks. Many questions surround all the teams in the conference, more so this year than in years past. I don't think I could place the Bobcats in second in the conference right now, or in the top 20 nationally, but there is a good argument here for inclusion.

[CatMom]

Who do they put in place of Szczur now?

[SpeedkingATL]

I was surprised to see SoCons Samford and Wofford listed. Samford is very experienced but took a step back last year and Wofford had a disaster of a year caused somewhat by injury but still see no logic behind their ranking. I would rank Furman of SoCon ahead of either but that's why they play the games.

[SUUTbird]

I think the picks are decent but like a few of you i have some skeptiscism on some of the teams on the list such as Wofford who was quite horrible last year and Holy Cross just because they lost their stud QB. Having read this myself i noticed in the article on the Great West they think that UC-Davis and Cal Poly are the frontrunners of the conference but with the recentl loss of Denham for the Aggies (though talking to their fans on AGS they are convinced UC-Davis and their offense will be BETTER after losing their top player ) and the Mustangs brutal schedule i think the other three teams in the conference have a better shot. Also hoping that my Thunderbirds will get their first winning season in FCS history this year .

[tampajag]

On page 158

Top 25

1. Villanova
2. Montana
3. Appalachian State
4. Southern Illinois
5. Richmond
6. Stephen F. Austin
7. South Dakota State
8. James Madison
9. Elon
10. New Hampshire
11. Prairie View A&M
12. Montana State
13. William & Mary
14. Holy Cross
15. South Carolina State
16. Illinois State
17. Samford
18. Delaware
19. Eastern Kentucky
20 Colgate
21. Eastern Washington
22. Wofford
23. Penn
24. Cal Poly
25. Northern Iowa

FCS AA Team on page 159

Offense
QB: Jeremy Moses, SFA
RB: Chase Reynolds, MT
RB: Kyle Minett, SDSU
OL: Ben Ijalana, Nova
OL: David Pickard, S. Ill
OL: Johnny Culbreath, SCSU
OL: David Arkin, Mo St.
OL: D.J. Hall, Tx St.
TE: Stephen Skelton, Fordham
WR: Matt Sczcur, Nova
WR: Tysson Poots, So. Utah
K: Matt Bevins, Liberty
RS: Mareo Howard, Ark Pine Bluff

Defense
DL: Christian Clark, Sac State
DL: Martin Parker, Richmond
DL: Christian Anthony, Grambling
DL: Malcolm Taylor, Alcorn State
LB: J.C. Sherritt, EWU
LB: D.J. Smith, App State
LB: Terence Thomas, Nova
DB: Korey Lindsey, S. Ill
DB: Mark LeGree, App State
DB: Jason House, Southern
DB: T.J. Heath, Jacksonville St.
P: Jonathan Plisco, ODU

I think PV is way too high, not sold on them at all

[ISUBirds89]

On page 158

Top 25

1. Villanova
2. Montana
3. Appalachian State
4. Southern Illinois
5. Richmond
6. Stephen F. Austin
7. South Dakota State
8. James Madison
9. Elon
10. New Hampshire
11. Prairie View A&M
12. Montana State
13. William & Mary
14. Holy Cross
15. South Carolina State
16. Illinois State
17. Samford
18. Delaware
19. Eastern Kentucky
20 Colgate
21. Eastern Washington
22. Wofford
23. Penn
24. Cal Poly
25. Northern Iowa

I love my Redbirds and all, but they are too high in this poll. They should pick off where they left off last year (big win against UNI), but are given way too much love in this poll.