– The South Dakota State University football team will enter the 2014 season ranked 10th in the preseason FCS Coaches Poll, which was released Monday.
SDSU, which tallied 332 points, was one of four Missouri Valley Football Conference teams to appear in the preseason poll. Three-time defending national champion North Dakota State again topped the poll with 636 points and 18 of 26 first-place votes. SDSU was next in 10th place, followed by Northern Iowa at No. 15 and Youngstown State at No. 21. Three other conference members — Souuthern Illinois, Missouri State and Illinois State — received votes.
Big Sky Conference member Eastern Washington was second in the poll with 615 points and six first-place votes, followed by Southeastern Louisiana in third with 542 points and one first-place vote.
Two of SDSU’s non-conference opponents, Southern Utah and Cal Poly, also received votes in the coaches’ poll.
The Jackrabbits, coached by John Stiegelmeier, compiled a 9-5 overall record and made their second consecutive appearance in the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs during the 2013 campaign. SDSU opens the 2014 season Aug. 30 at Missouri — a game that will be televised nationally on ESPNU.
