The North Dakota State Bison are No. 1 in the AFCA/FCS Preseason Coaches Poll. (RoadTripSports.com photo by Matthew Postins)
WACO, TEX. – When you have won seven national championships in eight years, including last year, it’s pretty easy to figure out where North Dakota State will start the 2019 season. The Bison are the preseason favorites to win it all again, as voted on by the coaches in the AFCA FCS Coaches’ Top 25 Poll.
Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence.
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James Madison, who made it to the second round of the FCS playoffs in 2018, comes in at the No. 2 spot. The Dukes are followed by last season’s national runner-up, Eastern Washington at No. 3, South Dakota State at No. 4 and UC Davis at No. 5.
No. 14 Colgate starts the FCS season off early as they host Villanova this coming Saturday, August 24. The Raiders went 10-2 last year with an appearance in the FCS quarterfinals. There is only one Top 25 matchup during the first full week of action as No. 19 North Carolina A&T plays host to No. 21 Elon. No. 24 Princeton, the only other undefeated team in FCS last year besides North Dakota State, begins defense of its 2018 IVY League title on September 21 versus Butler.
2019 American Football Coaches Association FCS Coaches’ Poll — Preseason
TEAM |
PTS. | PREV* |
| 1. North Dakota State (23) (15-0) | 644 | 1 |
| 2. James Madison (1) (9-4) | 597 | 10 |
| 3. Eastern Washington (2) (12-3) | 588 | 2 |
| 4. South Dakota State (10-3) | 579 | 3 |
| 5. UC Davis (10-3) | 537 | 8 |
| 6. Jacksonville State (9-4) | 500 | 13 |
| 7. Maine (10-4) | 473 | 5 |
| 8. Wofford (9-4) | 437 | 12 |
| 9. Weber State (10-3) | 432 | 6 |
| 10. Kennesaw State (11-2) | 404 | 4 |
| 11. Nicholls State (9-4) | 385 | 14 |
| 12. Towson (7-5) | 349 | 22 |
| 13. Illinois State (6-5) | 290 | NR |
| 14. Colgate (10-2) | 272 | 7 |
| 15. Montana State (8-5) | 271 | 17 |
| 16. Indiana State (7-4) | 192 | 25 |
| 17. Furman (6-4) | 183 | NR |
| 18. SE Missouri (9-4) | 178 | 16 |
| 19. North Carolina A&T (10-2) | 158 | 11 |
| 20. Northern Iowa (7-6) | 157 | NR |
| 21. Elon (KY) (6-5) | 155 | 19 |
| 22. Sam Houston State (6-5) | 117 | NR |
| 23. Delaware (7-5) | 87 | 23 |
| 24. Princeton (10-0) | 85 | 9 |
| 25. Central Arkansas (6-5) | 66 | NR |
*– Ranking in final FCS Poll of 2018; Records from 2018
Others Receiving Votes: Montana, 52; Yale, 41; Incarnate Word, 31; East Tennessee St., 23; Tennessee-Chattanooga, 23; Northern Arizona, 20; Idaho, 18; North Dakota, 17; Alcorn St., 16; Monmouth (N.J.), 13; Eastern Kentucky, 12; Dartmouth, 11; South Dakota, 9; Duquesne, 7; Stony Brook, 7; McNeese, 4; San Diego, 3; New Hampshire, 2; Southern, 2; The Citadel, 2; Lamar, 1.
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