By Tyler Wooten
GoSycamores.com
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Indiana State Sycamores will open the 2015 season ranked No. 20 in the FCS Preseason Coaches Poll.
The Sycamores are coming off of one of their best seasons in recent memory after going 8-6 in 2014, which included their first FCS playoff berth since 1984 and first playoff victory since 1983. Most recently, Indiana State was tabbed to finish sixth in the Missouri Valley Football Conference this season, but were tied for the most Preseason All-MVFC selections with four (long snapper Joshua Appel, safety Mark Sewall, cornerback Travis Starks and All-American linebacker Connor Underwood).
Indiana State returns nine starters to its staunch defense, as well as six to its offense with the likes of Preseason Honorable Mention honorees LeMonte Booker and Jamar Brown, and 2014 All-Newcomer team member Gary Owens.
ISU is one of six Valley teams ranked in the poll, all of which are in the top-20, four of which are in the top-15 and three of which are in the top-10 – including the top-two spots held by four-time defending national champion North Dakota State and 2014 runner-up Illinois State. NDSU is also the first unanimous preseason favorite since Appalachian State in 2008.
The FCS Coaches Poll is based exclusively on a voting panel of head coaches in the FCS under the cooperation of the Collegiate Commissioners Association (CCA) and the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) and is administered by the Southern Conference.
Indiana State opens its season at home on Sept. 5 against Butler at Memorial Stadium.
| Team (First-Place Votes) |
2014 Record |
Points |
2014 Final |
| 1. North Dakota State (24) |
15-1 |
600 |
1 |
| 2. Illinois State |
13-2 |
551 |
2 |
| 3. Villanova |
11-3 |
512 |
7 |
| 4. Sam Houston State |
11-5 |
511 |
6 |
| 5. Coastal Carolina |
12-2 |
502 |
5 |
| 6. Eastern Washington |
11-3 |
481 |
4 |
| 7. New Hampshire |
12-2 |
445 |
3 |
| 8. Chattanooga |
10-4 |
409 |
8 |
| 9. Jacksonville State |
10-2 |
396 |
9 |
| 10. Northern Iowa |
9-5 |
381 |
10 |
| 11. Montana State |
8-5 |
296 |
20 |
| 12. Montana |
9-5 |
278 |
11 |
| 13. James Madison |
9-3 |
272 |
19 |
| 14. Liberty |
9-5 |
256 |
17 |
| 15. South Dakota State |
9-5 |
215 |
13 |
| 16. Youngstown State |
7-5 |
205 |
25 |
| 17. Eastern Kentucky |
9-4 |
171 |
21 |
| 18. Richmond |
9-5 |
170 |
16 |
| 19. Southeastern Louisiana |
9-4 |
164 |
12 |
| 20. Indiana State |
8-6 |
106 |
18 |
| 21. Fordham |
11-3 |
103 |
14 |
| 22. Harvard |
10-0 |
99 |
15 |
| 23. McNeese State |
6-5 |
91 |
NR |
| 24. Idaho State |
8-4 |
82 |
NR |
| 25. Eastern Illinois |
5-7 |
73 |
NR |
Others receiving votes: Alcorn State 52, Stephen F. Austin 51, William & Mary 43, Cal Poly 42, Northern Arizona 34, Bethune-Cookman 25, North Carolina A&T 24, Jackson State 21, South Carolina State 21, Charleston Southern 14, Sacred Heart 14, Western Carolina 13, Furman 12, South Dakota 12, Maine 9, Bucknell 9, Lehigh 8, Towson 5, Samford 5, Bryant 4, San Diego 4, Yale 4, Central Arkansas 2, Duquesne 2, UT Martin 1
For the latest information on the Sycamore Football team, make sure to check out GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media including Facebook and Twitter.
