The South Dakota State University football team has attained its highest ranking in a Football Championship Subdivision poll, checking in at No. 4 in the STATS FCS Preseason Poll released Monday.
The defending Missouri Valley Football Conference co-champion Jackrabbits received two first-place votes in the balloting conducted among a national panel of sports information and media relations directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries. SDSU finished the 2016 season with a 9-4 record in making its fifth consecutive playoff appearance.
Defending national champion James Madison received 134 of 163 first-place votes to take the top spot with 4,034 points. Conference rival North Dakota State was second with 19 first-place votes and 3,874 points, with Sam Houston State third with seven first-place votes and 3,610 points. The Jackrabbits tallied 3,385 points, with Eastern Washington completing the top five with 3,270 points.
Four other MVFC squads were included in the top 25: Youngstown State (ninth), Northern Iowa (18th), Illinois State (20th) and Western Illinois (25th).
