VALDOSTA —
The first Division II football preseason poll was released earlier this week, and the Valdosta State Blazers received a high ranking.
The Blazers were tabbed the 8th-ranked team in the nation, according to the release of the American Football Coaches Association’s preseason poll.
From the Gulf South Conference, Delta State was ranked 14th, followed by West Alabama at 15th. West Georgia and North Alabama did not make the top 25, but received points (North Alabama got 128, West Georgia got 9).
The nation’s top-ranked preseason team is Pittsburg State (Kan.), which received 21 first place votes and racked up 720 points in the poll. Pittsburg State was 13-1 in 2011.
2010 national champion Minnesota-Duluth is ranked second, and received first place votes. Northwest Missouri State, Midwestern State, Wayne State and Winston-Salem State each received a first place vote. N.W. Missouri State ranked third in the preseason poll, followed by Midwestern State and Wayne State. Winston-Salem State ranked ninth.
Of the opponents on the Valdosta State schedule this season, only Delta State and West Alabama broke the top 25, although North Alabama, Saginaw Valley State, Texas A&M-Kingsville and West Georgia all received votes.
The Blazers open regular season play Sept. 1 at Saginaw Valley State.
in Saginaw Valley, Mich. The Blazers’ home opener is Sept. 8 against Fort Valley State, which did not receive any votes.
American Football Coaches Association Preseason Poll
1 Pittsburg State (21) 720
2 Minnesota-Duluth (5) 661
3 Northwest Missouri State (1) 613
4 Midwestern State (1) 582
5 Wayne State (Mich.) (1) 502
6 Colorado State-Pueblo 481
7 Grand Valley State 473
8 Valdosta State 415
9 Winston-Salem State (1) 386
10 Abilene Christian 367
11 California (Pa.) 347
12 Kutztown 329
13 New Haven 322
14 Delta State 290
15 West Alabama 274
16 St. Cloud State 266
17 Hillsdale 228
18 Missouri Western State 218
19 Shepherd 199
20 Washburn 187
21 Humboldt State 183
22 Albany State 149
23 North Greenville 139
24 West Texas A&M 132
25 Bloomsburg 129
Others receiving votes: Lenoir-Rhyne 128, North Alabama 128, Nebraska-Kearney 122, Saginaw Valley State 100, Ouachita Baptist 96, Central Missouri 72, Indianapolis 70, Mars Hill 57, Indiana (Pa.) 49, UNC-Pembroke 47, Elizabeth City State 44, Minnesota State-Mankato 41, Colorado Mines 40, East Central 33, Texas A&M-Kingsville 32, Slippery Rock 18, Miles 15, Concord 9, Tarleton State 9, West Georgia 9, Morehouse 7, Ashland 6, Michigan Tech 6, Southern Connecticut State 6, Central Washington 4, Henderson State 3, Assumption 2, West Virginia Wesleyan 2, Azusa Pacific 1, Carson-Newman 1, Harding 1.
