EIU Football Team Moves Up In Poll

PHILADELPHIA – The top five teams in the Sports Network FCS football poll remained unchanged as the Eastern Illinois Panthers moved up considerably in the other teams receiving votes category following the season opening 49-28 win over Southern Illinois.

EIU is 36th in this week’s FCS poll, the 11th team also receiving votes after a solid weekend by FCS teams.  The Panthers return to action this Saturday when they visit Western Michigan for a 6 p.m. game which will be televised on ESPN3.  EIU leads the all-time series 1-0 after beating the Broncos 28-20 back in 1996.  WMU lost its season opener 24-7 at Illinois.

Sam Houston State remained the number one team in the FCS poll despite not playing during the opening week.  The Bearkats received 87 first place votes.  Defending national champion North Dakota State collected 65 first place votes to rank second after a season opening win.  Georgia Southern was third and Montana State fourth in the poll both receiving first place votes.  James Madison was fifth.

Youngstown State had the remaining seven first place votes after the Penguins beat Pittsburgh of the Big East Conference to move from 13th in the preseason poll to sixth.  Old Dominion, Northern Iowa, Eastern Washington and Wofford rounded out the top ten.

Appalachian State headed the next group of ranked teams in 11th followed by Montana, Towson, New Hampshire, Delaware, Lehigh, Stony Brook, Illinois State, Stephen F. Austin and Maine.  EIU will play at No. 18 Illinois State on Sept. 15 in the 101st playing of the Mid-America Classic.

The final five teams rounding out the poll are Eastern Kentucky, McNeese State, Indiana State, Jacksonville State and Central Arkansas.  EIU will play EKU and UCA on the road while JSU will visit O’Brien Field later this year.

UT Martin which upset Memphis was the third team listed also receiving votes joined by Tennessee Tech which was one spot higher than Eastern Illinois among teams receiving votes.

Team                               (First-place votes)   2012 Record   Points   Previous Rank  
1.      Sam Houston State Bearkats         (87)         0-0                3,985            1      
2.      North Dakota State Bison              (65)         1-0                 3,947            2      
3.      Georgia Southern Eagles                  (4)         1-0                 3,651            3      
4.      Montana State Bobcats                    (1)        1-0                 3,457            4      
5.      James Madison Dukes                                   1-0                 3,269            5      
6.      Youngstown State Penguins              (7)        1-0                 2,988          13     
7.      Old Dominion Monarchs                                 1-0                 2,842            8      
8.      Northern Iowa Panthers                                 0-1                 2,727            9      
9.      Eastern Washington Eagles                            1-0                 2,505           12     
10.     Wofford Terriers                                           1-0                 2,488           10     
11.     Appalachian State Mountaineers                    0-1                 2,484             6      
12.     Montana Grizzlies                                         1-0                 2,240            11     
13.     Towson Tigers                                              0-1                 2,236              7      
14.     New Hampshire Wildcats                               1-0                 2,063            14     
15.     Delaware Blue Hens                                      1-0                 1,779            15     
16.     Lehigh Mountain Hawks                                 1-0                 1,530            16     
17.     Stony Brook Seawolves                                1-0                  1,484            17     
18.     Illinois State Redbirds                                    1-0                   1,229           19     
19.     Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks                      1-0                   1,082           20     
20.     Maine Black Bears                                         0-0                      743           21     
21.     Eastern Kentucky Colonels                             0-1                     689           18     
22.     McNeese State Cowboys                               1-0                      594           NR     
23.     Indiana State Sycamores                               0-1                      531           23     
24.     Jacksonville State Gamecocks                        0-1                     443            22     
25.     Central Arkansas Bears                                  0-1                     356            24     
Others receiving votes: Harvard 327, Liberty 213, UT Martin 173, South Carolina State 169, William & Mary 168, Norfolk State 146, Bethune-Cookman 134, Cal Poly 84, Chattanooga 76, Tennessee Tech 52, Eastern Illinois 48, Northern Arizona 43, North Dakota 43, Murray State 40, Albany 38, Portland State 34, South Dakota State 34, Penn 17, Samford 17, Alabama State 16, Tennessee State 16, Dayton 12, Morgan State 9, SE Missouri State 8, Idaho State 7, Southern Utah 7, Duquesne 7, Richmond 5, Georgetown 4, Furman 4, Alabama A&M 3, Alcorn State 3, Jackson State 3, Villanova 2, The Citadel 2, Cornell 2, San Diego 2, Western Illinois 1, Drake 1, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 1, UC Davis 1.