EIU Closing In On Football Polls

CHARLESTON, Ill. – Eastern Illinois is closing in on both FCS Top 25 football polls following the Panthers 31-24 road win at Tennessee Tech.  EIU remained in a first place tie for the Ohio Valley Conference lead at 5-1 and can win at least a share of the OVC title with a win over Southeast Missouri this Saturday.  The Panthers are among the first teams also receiving votes in both the FCS Coaches poll and Sports Network poll.

EIU will host SEMO this Saturday with an 11 a.m. kickoff at O’Brien Field.  The game will be televised nationally on FOX College Sports.  The game is fan appreciation day with $7 general admission tickets for adults and $5 admission for children.  Tickets can be purchased by calling 217-581-2106 or online at www.eiupanthertickets.com

EIU has won three straight games to improve to 6-3 overall with back-to-back road wins at No. 17 Eastern Kentucky and defending OVC Champion Tennessee Tech.  The Panthers are the second team also receiving votes in the Sports Network poll to rank No. 27 in the nation.  EIU is the fourth team also receiving votes in the FCS Coaches poll to rank No. 29.

North Dakota State is No. 1 in both polls with 21 first place votes in the FCS Coaches poll and 120 first place votes in the Sports Network poll.  Montana State, Sam Houston and Old Dominion are ranked second through fourth.  Lehigh, the only undefeated team in the FCS ranks, is fifth in the FCS Coaches poll and eighth in the Sports Network poll.

Eastern Washington is fifth in the Sports Network poll followed by Stony Brook, Georgia Southern, Lehigh, James Madison and New Hampshire in the top ten.  Northern Arizona is 11th followed by Appalachian State, Wofford, Central Arkansas, Illinois State, South Dakota State, Towson, Indiana State, Cal Poly and Richmond in the top twenty.

Three OVC schools rank in the final five in the Sports Network poll.  Villanova is 21st followed by Eastern Kentucky, UT Martin and Tennessee State.  Harvard is 25th in the poll.  In the FCS Coaches poll Bethune-Cookman is ranked 22nd and Tennessee State is not ranked.

Sports Network Top 25 - http://www.sportsnetwork.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=sportsnetwork&;page=cfoot2/misc/cfoot225poll.aspx

FCS Coaches Top 25 - http://www.soconsports.com/fls/4000/socon/FCS/polls/2012/2012_FCS_Coaches_Poll/index.html