Fans of NCAA Division II football are lighting up message boards discussing the USA Today Division II Preseason Poll as posted on D2Football.com. As we know, it's all speculation at this early point. It is fairly difficult to truly appreciate what other Division II football programs truly have, from coast to coast, with virtually no television coverage and little national newspaper recognition. So, we have to take preseason rankings for whatever their worth as we inch closer and closer to the start of preseason camps and, later, the first week of the Division II football season.
USA TODAY SPORTS WEEKLY COLLEGE FOOTBALL DIVISION II PRESEASON TOP 25
1. Grand Valley State - GLIAC
2. NW Missouri State - MIAA
3. Delta State - GSC
4. Abilene Christian - LSC
5. North Alabama - GSC
6. California(Pa.) - PSAC
7. Pittsburg State - MIAA
8. West Texas A&M - LSC
9. Ashland - GLIAC
10. Minnesota-Duluth - NSIC
11. Valdosta State - GSC
12. Minnesota State - NSIC
13. Chadron State - RMAC
14. Tuskegee - SIAC
15. Bloomsburg - PSAC
16. Central Washington - GNAC
17. TAMU-Kingsville - LSC
18. Carson-Newman - SAC
19. Central MO - MIAA
20. Michigan Tech - GLIAC
21. Wayne State (NE) - NSIC
22. Edinboro - PSAC
23. Catawba - SAC
24. Indiana (PA) - PSAC
25. Southern Conn - NE10
It's probably not a huge surprise Grand Valley is ranked No. 1 in the nation since it had a lot of talent scheduled to return and the Lakers have added some high-profile transfers that could help push GVSU even deeper into the playoffs.
One aspect of the poll that is a bit interesting is defending national champion Minnesota Duluth is picked 10th. Perhaps the Bulldogs lost a lot, but who knows with polls. On a later D2Football.com thread, some fans seem to question this as well as some ranked Duluth higher (some significantly so).
Time will tell if the pollsters have it right or not, but typically we see a lot of shuffling in these polls (so much so that the final one barely resembles its preseason version).
Representing the GLIAC, Grand Valley is first, Ashland is ninth and Michigan Tech is 20th.
Time will tell if the pollsters have it right or not, but typically we see a lot of shuffling in these polls (so much so that the final one barely resembles its preseason version).
Representing the GLIAC, Grand Valley is first, Ashland is ninth and Michigan Tech is 20th.
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