FOOTBALL: Ferris Picked Seventh In GLIAC Preseason Poll

BAY CITY - In what is not much of a surprise, Ferris State University's football team was picked to finish seventh in the 2009 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches Poll as revealed Monday during Media Day activities at the Doubletree Hotel in Bay City.

Media Day is the big event where the coaches get together and briefly discuss their teams while chatting with members of local, statewide and regional media who make the trip to Bay City to talk a little football prior to preseason training camps beginning.

Here is the poll:

2009 GLIAC Football Preseason Coaches’ Poll

School (first-place votes) Points

1. Grand Valley State (11) 121
2. Ashland (1) 107
3. Michigan Tech 94
4. Wayne State 89
5. Saginaw Valley State 85
6. Hillsdale 71
7. Ferris State 66
8. Indianapolis 51
9. Findlay 38
10.Northern Michigan 33
11.Northwood 24
12.Tiffin 13

There are not a whole lot of surprises. Grand Valley was a runaway choice to win the conference title with 121 points and 11 of 12 first-place votes (the maximum). Grand Valley, Ashland and Michigan Tech are considered the top three teams with Wayne not too far off Tech's pace.

In the middle, Saginaw Valley, Hillsdale and Ferris are considered interchangeable in spots five, six and seven.

With Indianapolis, Findlay and Northern Michigan there could be some high points and low points in the season to come. You could maybe slip Northwood in there, too.

Tiffin could struggle this season, but teams in the middle to bottom half of the conference better be on upset alert playing the Dragons. Ferris found that out last year when Tiffin nearly sprung an upset against the Bulldogs in Ohio.