The Sports Network poll, widely accepted as the “official” FCS poll, consists of voting from FCS sports information directors and media members who cover the teams. It will issue a weekly poll throughout the regular season beginning Monday, Sept. 1.
Delaware earned 1,747 total points from 101 voters, becoming one of four Colonial Athletic Association teams in the top 10 and one of six CAA schools in the top 25. In addition, CAA members Hofstra and Maine also received votes but did not appear in the top 25.
Delaware ended the 2007 season No. 2 in the poll after being picked No. 19 in the pre-season rankings. UD has now appeared in the pre-season top 25 poll for 16 straight seasons.
The Blue Hens, who will open the season Saturday, Aug. 30, at the University of Maryland, return 14 starters from last year's team that went 11-4, won three NCAA playoff games, and was named the Lambert Cup Trophy champions and the Eastern College Athletic Conference Team of the Year. Maryland earned top 25 votes in the first Associated Press pre-season poll announced earlier this month. Kick-off will be at 3:45 p.m. at Byrd Stadium.
Appalachian State, the three-time defending national champion and a 49-21 winner over Delaware in the 2007 FCS national championship game, was the overwhelming pick at No. 1. The Mountaineers gained 97 first place votes and 2,546 points overall.
North Dakota State, which will be eligible for the NCAA tournament for the first time this season, was second with one first place vote and 2,275 points, and was followed by Northern Iowa, Richmond, Massachusetts, James Madison, Eastern Washington, Montana, Delaware and McNeese State in the top 10. James Madison also received three first place votes.
Southern Illinois was at No. 11, and was followed by Youngstown State, Wofford, Cal Poly, Elon, New Hampshire, Georgia Southern, Eastern Illinois, South Dakota State, Eastern Kentucky, Villanova, Central Arkansas, The Citadel, Harvard and Western Illinois.
Delaware, led by seventh-year Head Coach K.C. Keeler, will face eight teams that earned votes in the poll. The Blue Hens will face No. 4 Richmond on Nov. 16 at Richmond, No. 5 Massachusetts on Oct. 4 in Amherst, Mass., No. 6 James Madison on Nov. 1 in Harrisonburg, Va., and No. 21 Villanova on Nov. 23 at Delaware Stadium.
The Hens also will face Furman on Sept. 20 in Greenville, S.C., Albany on Sept. 29 at Delaware Stadium, Maine on Oct. 11 at Delaware Stadium and Hofstra on Nov. 25 in Hempstead, N.Y.
For more information on UD athletics, see [www.udel.edu/sportsinfo].
Photo by Mark Campbell
