Kats No. 3 in Sports Network Preseason FCS Poll
8/13/2013 3:17:00 PM | Football
After back-to-back trips to the FCS Championship game, Sam Houston State sits No. 3 in the 2013 Sports Network Preseason FCS Poll.
The team that defeated the Bearkats in back-to-back FCS title games, North Dakota State is ranked No. 1. The Bison received 127 of the 134 first-place votes and 3,340 points. Montana State follows NDSU with the No. 2 preseason ranking.
Sam Houston State (11-4), the two-time defending Southland Conference champion, had the No. 3 ranking despite having more first-place votes (five) than Montana State (one).
Coach Willie Fritz's Bearkats also have eliminated Montana State in the FCS quarterfinals the last two seasons on their way to back-to-back championship game appearances. They return one of the more dangerous offenses in the FCS, led by seniors, Brian Bell, Timothy Flanders and Richard Sincere.
The Bearkats will open the season at home against Houston Baptist Aug. 31. This season's schedule includes seven home games at Bowers Stadium and the annual Battle of the Piney Woods game against Stephen F. Austin at Reliant Stadium.
Season tickets and single game tickets for Sam Houston State football are on sale online at www.gobearkats.com/tickets or at the SHSU athletic ticket office. The ticket office is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The ticket office telephone is (936) 294-1729.
The Sports Network FCS Top 25
Team (First-place votes) 2012 Record Points Previous Rank
1. North Dakota State Bison (127) 14-1 3340 1
2. Montana State Bobcats (1) 11-2 3079 5
3. Sam Houston State Bearkats (5) 11-4 2941 2
4. Eastern Washington Eagles 11-3 2873 4
5. Villanova Wildcats 8-4 2334 15
6. South Dakota State Jackrabbits 9-4 2268 14
7. Central Arkansas Bears 9-3 2244 10
8. Wofford Terriers 9-4 2089 7
9. Georgia Southern Eagles (1) 10-4 2002 3
10. New Hampshire Wildcats 8-4 1920 13
11. Towson Tigers 7-4 1871 17
12. App State Mountaineers 8-4 1696 9
13. Illinois State Redbirds 9-4 1657 8
14. Cal Poly Mustangs 9-3 1646 12
15. Richmond Spiders 8-3 1384 18
16. Stony Brook Seawolves 10-3 1178 11
17. Northern Iowa Panthers 5-6 1106 NR
18. Northern Arizona Lumberjacks 8-3 988 20
19. James Madison Dukes 7-4 964 19
20. Montana Grizzlies 5-6 813 NR
21. Eastern Illinois Panthers 7-5 686 NR
22. Lehigh Mountain Hawks 10-1 587 16
23. Bethune-Cookman Wildcats 9-3 514 22
24. Chattanooga Mocs 6-5 505 NR
25. Coastal Carolina Chanticleers 8-5 489 24
Others receiving votes: Eastern Kentucky 468, Youngstown State 463, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 174, Colgate 174, Tennessee State 151, Wagner 140, Delaware 130, The Citadel 100, Indiana State 90, Penn 57, McNeese State 46, Sacramento State 44, Samford 39, Southern Illinois 39, Harvard 35, South Carolina State 32, Southeastern Louisiana 30, Tennessee-Martin 29, Stephen F. Austin 17, San Diego 15, Albany 13, Liberty 12, Bucknell 11, Grambling State 8, North Carolina Central 8, Tennessee Tech 6, Jackson State 6, Furman 4, Alabama A&M 4, Alabama State 4, Alcorn State 4, William & Mary 4, Jacksonville State 3, Missouri State 3, Weber State 2, Murray State 2, Butler 2, Elon 2, Florida A&M 2, Northwestern State 1, Duquesne 1, Drake 1.
