EIU Football Will Open Season Outside Top 25 Polls

Eastern Illinois football will open the 2016 season just outside the Top 25 polls after advancing to the FCS playoffs for the 16th time in school history.  The Panthers are among the teams also receiving votes in both FCS Top 25 polls that were released on Monday, August 8.
 
EIU was the first team also receiving votes in the FCS Coaches Top 25 poll (ranking No. 26 in the preseason poll).   The Panthers were the sixth team also receiving votes (ranking No. 31) in the FCS STATS Media FCS Top 25.     Last season EIU was 7-5 overall finishing the year ranked No. 23 in the FCS Coaches poll and No. 25 in the FCS STATS Media poll.
 
The Panthers will have early chances to move into the FCS Top 25 as they will host nationally ranked Western Illinois in the season opener on Sept. 1 at O’Brien Field.  Single game tickets and season ticket packages are available by calling 217-581-2106 or online at www.eiupanthertickets.com   WIU is 20th in the STATS FCS Media Poll and 24th in the FCS Coaches rankings.
 
EIU will also face two teams in the preseason top ten this year.  The annual Mid-America Classic against Illinois State will feature an ISU team ranked eighth by the FCS Coaches and tenth by the FCS Media.  EIU plays at ISU on Sept. 17.   Preseason OVC favorite Jacksonville State was picked third in both preseason polls.  The Panthers visit JSU on Oct. 29.
 
Five-time defending National Champion North Dakota State was the preseason favorite in both polls followed by Sam Houston State, Jacksonville State, Richmond and Northern Iowa.
 
Charleston Southern was picked sixth in the FCS Coaches Top 25 with Chattanooga, Illinois State, McNeese State and William & Mary rounding out the top ten.  James Madison was 11th followed by Portland State, Montana, South Dakota State, The Citadel, Colgate, Eastern Washington, Northern Arizona, Harvard and Fordham in the top twenty.  North Dakota, Villanova, Southern Utah, Western Illinois and North Carolina A&T were the final five ranked teams in the FCS Coaches Top 25.   EIU was the first team also receiving votes with OVC members Eastern Kentucky and Southeast Missouri also listed.
 
Chattanooga was sixth in the FCS STATS Media Top 25 with Charleston Southern, South Dakota State, William & Mary and Illinois State in the top ten.  McNeese State was 11th followed by James Madison, Montana, Eastern Washington, The Citadel, Coastal Carolina. Portland State, Northern Arizona, North Dakota and Western Illinois in the top twenty.  Colgate, New Hampshire, Villanova, Towson and North Carolina A&T were the final five ranked teams in the FCS Coaches Top 25.  Eastern Kentucky, Eastern Illinois, UT Martin, Southeast Missouri and Tennessee State were all among the schools from the OVC that also received top 25 votes.