The first-ever American Football Coaches Association FCS Coaches Poll was released today (August 13th) and North Dakota State will enter the season ranked No. 1 overall.

The defending national champions from NDSU earned 23 of the 26 possible first-place votes. The other three went to last year's national runner-up, James Madison, which is ranked No. 2 at the start of the season. South Dakota State comes in just behind JMU to round out the top three.

The Missouri Valley Football Conference had five total teams ranked amongst the top 25 in the preseason coaches poll. The other three besides NDSU and SDSU are Northern Iowa (12th), Illinois State (20th), and Youngstown State (24th).

The is the first time the AFCA is administering the FCS Coaches Poll. The top 25 and other teams receiving votes can be seen below.

2018 AFCA FCS Coaches Preseason Poll
Team (First-Place Votes)W-LPtsPrev
1.North Dakota St. (23)14-16471
2.James Madison (3)14-16232
3.South Dakota St.11-35794
4.Sam Houston St.12-25573
5.Kennesaw St.12-25439
6.Jacksonville St.10-353010
7.Eastern Washington7-445422
8.Weber St.11-34465
9.New Hampshire9-543015
10.Samford8-439317
11.Wofford10-33407
12.Northern Iowa8-533819
13.Elon8-431921
14.North Carolina A&T12-02926
15.Central Arkansas10-22698
16.Delaware7-4257NR
17.Nicholls St.8-424123
18.McNeese St.9-218718
19.Villanova5-6165NR
20.Illinois St.6-5144NR
21.Furman8-512820
22.Stony Brook10-312011
23.Austin Peay8-4119NR
24.Youngstown St.6-588NR
25.Montana7-467NR

Others receiving votes: Idaho, 41; Northern Arizona, 36; Yale, 22; Grambling St., 14; Monmouth (N.J.), 12; Southern Utah, 11; Sacramento St., 9; Colgate, 8; South Dakota, 6; San Diego, 5; Richmond, 4; Western Illinois, 3; Western Carolina, 2; Lehigh, 1.

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