The South Dakota State University football team will open the 2018 season ranked third in the inaugural AFCA Football Championship Subdivision Coaches’ Association Top 25 Poll, which was announced Monday.
The Jackrabbits, who compiled a single-season school record 11 wins against three losses in 2017, finished behind both national finalists from a year ago. Defending FCS champion North Dakota State garnered 23 of the 26 first-place votes to finish in the top spot with 647 points. Runner-up James Madison received the other three first-place votes to finish with 623 points, followed by SDSU with 579 points. Sam Houston State (557 points) and Kennesaw State (543) rounded out the top five.
SDSU’s third-place showing matches its highest-ever ranking in an FCS poll. The Jackrabbits also were tabbed third in this year’s preseason STATS FCS media poll.
The 2018 season kicks off Sept. 1, when the Jackrabbits travel to Iowa State.
