DEFENDING CHAMP APPALACHIAN STATE OPENS 2006 AS NO. 1 in I-AA
New Hampshire, Montana Round Out the Top Three

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. (Sports Network)—With 17 starters returning from last year’s national championship squad, the Appalachian State Mountaineers begin the 2006 season as the number one team in The Sports Network Top 25. The Mountaineers garner the top spot in the preseason poll for the first time in school history. The only other time that Appalachian State reached the top spot was after last season’s title game. This season, a national panel of media and sports information directors has predicted that the Mountaineers can win two in a row. The NCAA I-AA championship will be played in Chattanooga, TN on December 15.

Last season, head coach Jerry Moore led the Mountaineers to an 8-3 regular season mark and the Southern Conference title before advancing to the I-AA title game for the first time in school history. After earning the No. 2 seed in the I-AA playoffs, the Mountaineers knocked off Lafayette, Southern Illinois and Furman before defeating Northern Iowa, 21-16, in the title game. The Mountaineers’ No. 1 selection marks the sixth time in the past seven seasons, and third year in a row, that the defending champion earned the top spot in the preseason rankings. Appalachian State received 68 of a possible 94 first-place votes and 2,306 points overall to earn the No. 1 ranking.

New Hampshire picked up 14 first-place votes and 2,153 points to claim the No. 2 position heading into the 2006 campaign. The Wildcats fell, 24-21, to Northern Iowa in last year’s quarterfinals and finished the season ranked No. 5. New Hampshire held the No. 1 ranking for five weeks during the 2005 season and earned the top seed in the playoffs.

Montana claimed the No. 3 spot in the preseason for the third year in a row, and placed in the preseason top five for the 13th consecutive year. The Grizzlies picked up five first-place votes and 1,954 points. After last year’s run to the title game, Northern Iowa is at No. 4 with three first-place votes and 1,936 points. Furman came in just behind the Grizzlies and Panthers, as the Paladins landed at No. 5 with 1,928 points.

After advancing to last year’s quarterfinals, Cal Poly begins the season at No. 6. The Mustangs are followed by Youngstown State at No. 7, James Madison at No. 8, Illinois State at No. 9 and Massachusetts at No. 10.

Southland Conference preseason favorite McNeese State starts at No. 11, with Georgia Southern at No. 12, Hampton at No. 13, Eastern Illinois at No. 14 and Richmond at No. 15.

The next five positions are occupied by Delaware at No. 16, Southern Illinois at No. 17, Texas State at No. 18, North Dakota State at No. 19 and Eastern Kentucky at No. 20.

Rounding out the top 25 is UC Davis at No. 21, Montana State at No. 22, Grambling State at No. 23, Nicholls State at No. 24 and Coastal Carolina at No. 25.

The Atlantic 10 leads all I-AA leagues with five teams in the Top 25, while the Gateway Conference placed four teams in the rankings. Each league placed three teams in the top 10. The Southland, Southern and Great West Football Conferences each notched three selections, and 10 conferences were represented by at least one team in the rankings.

The first Sports Network I-AA Top 25 poll of the regular season will be announced Monday, September 4th.

The Sports Network 2006 Preseason I-AA College Football Poll

Team (First-place votes) 2005 Record Points 2005 Final Rank
1. Appalachian State (68) 12-3 2,306 1
2. New Hampshire (14) 11-2 2,153 5
3. Montana (5) 8-4 1,954 12
4. Northern Iowa (3) 11-4 1,936 2
5. Furman (1) 11-3 1,928 3
6. Cal Poly (3) 9-4 1,846 6
7. Youngstown State 8-3 1,446 14
8. James Madison 7-4 1,338 25
9. Illinois State 7-4 1,297 22
10. Massachusetts 7-4 1,170 19
11. McNeese State 5-4 1,006 NR
12. Georgia Southern 8-4 967 9
13. Hampton 11-1 939 10
14. Eastern Illinois 9-3 865 16
15. Richmond 9-4 835 8
16. Delaware 6-5 815 NR
17. Southern Illinois 9-4 809 7
18 Texas State 11-3 770 4
19. North Dakota State 7-4 713 NR
20. Eastern Kentucky 7-4 709 NR
21. UC Davis 6-5 576 NR
22. Montana State 7-4 550 18
23. Grambling State 11-1 511 11
24. Nicholls State 6-4 378 17
25. Coastal Carolina 9-2 356 24

Others receiving votes (in order of points, minimum of five required): Eastern Washington 307, Colgate 292, Idaho State 244, South Carolina State 233, Lafayette 228, Western Kentucky 179, Brown 149, Lehigh 100, Harvard 96, Portland State 92, Hofstra 91, Northwestern State 68, Southeastern Louisiana 37, Weber State 29, Alabama A & M 27, William & Mary 25, Jacksonville State 24, Missouri State 18, Penn 17, Southern 14, Chattanooga 13, Stephen F. Austin 12, Mississippi Valley State 11, South Dakota State 10, Wofford 9, Jackson State 8, Western Illinois 8, Alcorn State 7, Western Carolina 7, Murray State 6, Maine 5.