Griz picked No. 2 in AFCA Preseason Poll
8/15/2022 9:34:00 AM | Football
The FCS football coaches around the nation have tabbed the Montana Grizzlies as the No. 2 team in the nation with the release of the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) preseason top-25, the organization announced Monday.
It's the highest preseason ranking the Grizzlies have received in the leadup to the 2022 season, having been picked No. 3 in the preseason media poll in recent weeks.
The Griz were also once again the highest ranked out of six Big Sky Conference teams in the AFCA poll, having received 567 total points in the voting. Montana edged out South Dakota State by a single point, with the Jackrabbits receiving 566 points.
With The South Dakota Coyotes sitting just outside of the AFCA's top 25 with 49 points, Montana is slated to face five of the top 26 teams in the nation during the regular season, three of which will be on the road.
Montana State slotted in at No. 4 on the poll, with Sacramento State at No. 7, Eastern Washington at No. 12, Weber State at No. 20, and South Dakota at No. 26.
Defending national champions North Dakota State were picked to repeat at No. 1 in the poll with 24 first-place votes. South Dakota State sits just behind Montana at No. 3, with Montana State and Villanova rounding out the top five.
Montana returns 18 starters from the 2021 FCS quarterfinal squad, nine on offense and nine on defense, with 38 total returning lettermen. The Griz also return seven All-Big Sky performers, including Newcomer of the Year and unanimous All-American cornerback Justin Ford. Buck Buchanan Award finalist linebacker Patrick O'Connell also returns for his senior campaign.
Earlier in the summer, Ford, O'Connell, and Robby Hauck were each named to the 2022 preseason watch list for the Buck Buchanan Award that goes to the nation's top defender.
Montana opens its highly-anticipated 2022 season on Sept. 3 at home against Northwestern State.
Season and single-game tickets are available now at GrizTix.com.
American Football Coaches Association FCS Coaches' Top 25 Poll – August 15, 2022
2021 2021
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. *Rank Season Opener Head Coach
1. North Dakota St. (24) 14-1 624 1 Sept. 3 vs. Drake Matt Entz
2. Montana 10-3 567 6 Sept. 3 vs. Northwestern St. Bobby Hauck
3. South Dakota St. (1) 11-4 566 5 Sept. 3 at Iowa John Stiegelmeier
4. Montana St. 12-3 560 2 Sept. 3 vs. McNeese St. Brent Vigen
5. Villanova 10-3 493 8 Sept. 2 vs. Lehigh Mark Ferrante
6. Kennesaw St. 11-2 453 10 Sept. 1 at Samford Brian Bohannon
7. Sacramento St. 9-3 452 11 Sept. 3 vs. Utah Tech Troy Taylor
8. Missouri St. 8-4 405 14 Sept. 1 at Central Arkansas Bobby Petrino
9. Southern Illinois 8-5 379 17 Sept. 3 at No. 14 UIW Nick Hill
10. Stephen F. Austin 8-4 362 18 Aug. 27 vs. Jacksonville St. Colby Carthel
11. East Tennessee St. 11-2 352 7 Sept. 1 vs. Mars Hill George Quarles
12. Eastern Washington 10-3 337 9 Sept. 3 vs. Tennessee St. Aaron Best
13. Chattanooga 6-5 294 NR Sept. 3 vs. Wofford Rusty Wright
14. UIW 10-3 277 13 Sept. 3 vs. No. 9 Southern Illinois G.J. Kinne
15. UT Martin 10-3 257 12 Sept. 1 vs. Western Illinois Jason Simpson
16. Southeastern Louisiana 9-4 254 15 Sept. 3 at Louisiana Frank Scelfo
17. Jackson St. 11-2 245 19 Sept. 4 vs. Florida A&M Deion Sanders
18. Holy Cross 10-3 184 22 Sept. 2 at Merrimack Bob Chesney
19. Delaware 5-6 172 NR Sept. 3 at Navy Ryan Carty
20. Weber St. 6-5 141 NR Sept. 1 vs. Western Oregon Jay Hill
21. Northern Iowa 6-6 119 25 Sept. 3 at Air Force Mark Farley
22. UC Davis 8-4 101 16 Sept. 3 at California Dan Hawkins
23. Mercer 7-3 78 NR Aug. 27 vs. Morehead St. Drew Cronic
24t. Rhode Island 7-4 66 NR Sept. 1 at Stony Brook Jim Fleming
24t. Richmond 6-5 66 NR Sept. 3 at Virginia Russ Huesman
*– Ranking in final AFCA FCS Coaches Spring Poll of 2021
Others Receiving Votes: South Dakota, 49; Florida A&M, 44; Harvard, 38; South Carolina St., 38; Princeton, 29; Central Arkansas, 23; Eastern Kentucky, 18; Dartmouth, 17; Nicholls, 8; Furman, 6; North Carolina A&T, 6; William & Mary, 6; Murray St., 5; Davidson, 3; Fordham, 3; Southeast Missouri St., 3; North Dakota, 2; Utah Tech, 2; Austin Peay, 1; Elon, 1.
It's the highest preseason ranking the Grizzlies have received in the leadup to the 2022 season, having been picked No. 3 in the preseason media poll in recent weeks.
The Griz were also once again the highest ranked out of six Big Sky Conference teams in the AFCA poll, having received 567 total points in the voting. Montana edged out South Dakota State by a single point, with the Jackrabbits receiving 566 points.
With The South Dakota Coyotes sitting just outside of the AFCA's top 25 with 49 points, Montana is slated to face five of the top 26 teams in the nation during the regular season, three of which will be on the road.
Montana State slotted in at No. 4 on the poll, with Sacramento State at No. 7, Eastern Washington at No. 12, Weber State at No. 20, and South Dakota at No. 26.
Defending national champions North Dakota State were picked to repeat at No. 1 in the poll with 24 first-place votes. South Dakota State sits just behind Montana at No. 3, with Montana State and Villanova rounding out the top five.
Montana returns 18 starters from the 2021 FCS quarterfinal squad, nine on offense and nine on defense, with 38 total returning lettermen. The Griz also return seven All-Big Sky performers, including Newcomer of the Year and unanimous All-American cornerback Justin Ford. Buck Buchanan Award finalist linebacker Patrick O'Connell also returns for his senior campaign.
Earlier in the summer, Ford, O'Connell, and Robby Hauck were each named to the 2022 preseason watch list for the Buck Buchanan Award that goes to the nation's top defender.
Montana opens its highly-anticipated 2022 season on Sept. 3 at home against Northwestern State.
Season and single-game tickets are available now at GrizTix.com.
American Football Coaches Association FCS Coaches' Top 25 Poll – August 15, 2022
2021 2021
Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts. *Rank Season Opener Head Coach
1. North Dakota St. (24) 14-1 624 1 Sept. 3 vs. Drake Matt Entz
2. Montana 10-3 567 6 Sept. 3 vs. Northwestern St. Bobby Hauck
3. South Dakota St. (1) 11-4 566 5 Sept. 3 at Iowa John Stiegelmeier
4. Montana St. 12-3 560 2 Sept. 3 vs. McNeese St. Brent Vigen
5. Villanova 10-3 493 8 Sept. 2 vs. Lehigh Mark Ferrante
6. Kennesaw St. 11-2 453 10 Sept. 1 at Samford Brian Bohannon
7. Sacramento St. 9-3 452 11 Sept. 3 vs. Utah Tech Troy Taylor
8. Missouri St. 8-4 405 14 Sept. 1 at Central Arkansas Bobby Petrino
9. Southern Illinois 8-5 379 17 Sept. 3 at No. 14 UIW Nick Hill
10. Stephen F. Austin 8-4 362 18 Aug. 27 vs. Jacksonville St. Colby Carthel
11. East Tennessee St. 11-2 352 7 Sept. 1 vs. Mars Hill George Quarles
12. Eastern Washington 10-3 337 9 Sept. 3 vs. Tennessee St. Aaron Best
13. Chattanooga 6-5 294 NR Sept. 3 vs. Wofford Rusty Wright
14. UIW 10-3 277 13 Sept. 3 vs. No. 9 Southern Illinois G.J. Kinne
15. UT Martin 10-3 257 12 Sept. 1 vs. Western Illinois Jason Simpson
16. Southeastern Louisiana 9-4 254 15 Sept. 3 at Louisiana Frank Scelfo
17. Jackson St. 11-2 245 19 Sept. 4 vs. Florida A&M Deion Sanders
18. Holy Cross 10-3 184 22 Sept. 2 at Merrimack Bob Chesney
19. Delaware 5-6 172 NR Sept. 3 at Navy Ryan Carty
20. Weber St. 6-5 141 NR Sept. 1 vs. Western Oregon Jay Hill
21. Northern Iowa 6-6 119 25 Sept. 3 at Air Force Mark Farley
22. UC Davis 8-4 101 16 Sept. 3 at California Dan Hawkins
23. Mercer 7-3 78 NR Aug. 27 vs. Morehead St. Drew Cronic
24t. Rhode Island 7-4 66 NR Sept. 1 at Stony Brook Jim Fleming
24t. Richmond 6-5 66 NR Sept. 3 at Virginia Russ Huesman
*– Ranking in final AFCA FCS Coaches Spring Poll of 2021
Others Receiving Votes: South Dakota, 49; Florida A&M, 44; Harvard, 38; South Carolina St., 38; Princeton, 29; Central Arkansas, 23; Eastern Kentucky, 18; Dartmouth, 17; Nicholls, 8; Furman, 6; North Carolina A&T, 6; William & Mary, 6; Murray St., 5; Davidson, 3; Fordham, 3; Southeast Missouri St., 3; North Dakota, 2; Utah Tech, 2; Austin Peay, 1; Elon, 1.
Players Mentioned
Monday, August 24
Monday, August 24
Saturday, August 22
Monday, August 17
