More preseason recognition for Missouri football programs. Â bearcatsports.com
The Northwest Missouri State football team was picked for 8th and Central Missouri was picked 20th in the D2Football.com preseason poll.
Northwest was tabbed as the MIAA preseason favorite in 2015 by both the media and coaches. The Bearcats begin the season on Thursday, Sept. 3, against Nebraska-Kearney in Kearney, Neb., at 7 p.m. The 2015 home opener will be on Thursday, Sept. 10, at Bearcat Stadium against Missouri Southern at 7 p.m.
The Mules went 8-4 a season ago, including a win in the Texarkana Bowl, and they return 51 lettermen and 15 starters from that group. Minnesota State, last year’s national runner-up, is the top-ranked team in the poll with last year’s national champion Colorado State-Pueblo coming in second. Pittsburg State was ranked sixth in the poll with Northwest Missouri coming in at No. 8. There are nine Super Region 3 teams ranked in the top 25 poll.
1 Minnesota State 14-1
2 CSU-Pueblo 14-1
3 West Georgia 12-3
4 Ferris State 11-1
5 Ohio Dominican 11-2
6 Pittsburg State 11-2
7 Minnesota Duluth 13-1
8 Northwest Missouri 10-2
9 Lenoir-Rhyne 11-1
10 Sioux Falls 11-1
11 Delta State 9-2
12 Angelo State 9-3
13 North Alabama 9-2
14 Bloomsburg 11-2
15 Valdosta State 10-3
16 Concord 13-1
17 Colorado Mines 10-2
18 Ouachita Baptist 10-1
19 Harding 9-2
20 Central Missouri 8-4
21 Texas A&M-Commerce 9-3
22 West Chester 11-2
23 Azusa Pacific 10-1
24 Winston-Salem 9-2
25 Grand Valley 6-5
