Griz finish seventh in final I-AA poll
12/24/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Western Kentucky's 34-14 victory over McNeese State this past Friday night gave the Hilltoppers the national championship, and the No. 1 ranking that goes with it in the final Sports Network I-AA Top 25 poll. In the final poll, 12-3 WKU garnered 41 of 45 first-place votes and 1120 total points. Western finishes the year atop the rankings for the first time in its I-AA history, after winning the first national crown in school annals.
Behind Western Kentucky is No. 2 McNeese State, which finished second in the countrry for the first time since 1997.
Rounding out the top five are No. 3 Georgia Southern, No. 4 Villanova, and No. 5 Western Illinois. The third-ranked Eagles and fourth-ranked Wildcats each advanced to the semifinals, while the Leathernecks fell to Western Kentucky in the quarterfinals.
No. 6 Maine and No. 7 Montana were each quarterfinalists, while No. 8 Grambling State defeated Alabama A&M to win the SWAC Championship game on Dec. 14. Rounding out the Top 10 are No. 9 Furman, which was defeated by Villanova in the First Round, and No. 10 Appalachian State, which fell to Maine in round number one.
Completing the Top 15 are No. 11 Northeastern, No. 12 Fordham, No. 13 Eastern Illinois, No. 14 Wofford, and No. 15 Bethune-Cookman.
Filling out the Top 20 are No. 16 Northwestern State, No. 17 Pennsylvania, No. 18 Idaho State, No. 19 Montana State, and No. 20 Murray State.
Finishing out the poll are No. 21 Eastern Kentucky, No. 22 Gardner-Webb, No. 23 Nicholls State, No. 24 Southeast Missouri, and No. 25 Colgate.
The Ohio Valley, Southern, and Southland Conferences finished the season with a poll-high four selections in the Top 25, followed by the Atlantic 10 and Big Sky with three each.
Behind Western Kentucky is No. 2 McNeese State, which finished second in the countrry for the first time since 1997.
Rounding out the top five are No. 3 Georgia Southern, No. 4 Villanova, and No. 5 Western Illinois. The third-ranked Eagles and fourth-ranked Wildcats each advanced to the semifinals, while the Leathernecks fell to Western Kentucky in the quarterfinals.
No. 6 Maine and No. 7 Montana were each quarterfinalists, while No. 8 Grambling State defeated Alabama A&M to win the SWAC Championship game on Dec. 14. Rounding out the Top 10 are No. 9 Furman, which was defeated by Villanova in the First Round, and No. 10 Appalachian State, which fell to Maine in round number one.
Completing the Top 15 are No. 11 Northeastern, No. 12 Fordham, No. 13 Eastern Illinois, No. 14 Wofford, and No. 15 Bethune-Cookman.
Filling out the Top 20 are No. 16 Northwestern State, No. 17 Pennsylvania, No. 18 Idaho State, No. 19 Montana State, and No. 20 Murray State.
Finishing out the poll are No. 21 Eastern Kentucky, No. 22 Gardner-Webb, No. 23 Nicholls State, No. 24 Southeast Missouri, and No. 25 Colgate.
The Ohio Valley, Southern, and Southland Conferences finished the season with a poll-high four selections in the Top 25, followed by the Atlantic 10 and Big Sky with three each.
Thursday, June 11
Thursday, June 04
Friday, May 01
Monday, March 30
