Eastern Washington ranked fifth in FCS preseason poll

The first major preseason poll of the year confirmed what Eastern Washington football fans already know: The Eagles have become a fixture among the FCS elite.

And Montana? Not so much.

Despite losing a head coach and star talent on both sides of the ball, the Eagles are ranked fifth in the STATS FCS Top 25 preseason poll released Monday.

Eastern will chase its fifth Big Sky Conference title in six seasons as another of the national title contenders. The Eagles (12-2 and a playoff semifinalist last year ) no longer have Beau Baldwin leading the way, but former offensive line coach Aaron Best has taken over in a mostly seamless transition.

Meanwhile, Montana, a longtime Big Sky and FCS power, is unranked in a preseason poll for the first time since 1991. The Eagles open Big Sky play Sept. 23 in Missoula.

The Eagles lost all-star receivers Cooper Kupp, Kendrick Bourne and Shaq Hill, as well as All-American defensive end Samson Ebukam.

“Different faces, same results,” Best predicted last week of the new crop of receivers.

Fortunately, the Eagles return quarterback Gage Gubrud, who threw for an FCS single-season record 5,160 yards, is one of 14 returning starters.

Eastern is one of three Big Sky teams in the rankings. North Dakota, which tied the Eagles atop the standings last year, is eighth and Cal Poly (7-5 last year) is 23rd.

Defending national champion James Madison was an overwhelming pick as No. 1. The Dukes went 14-1 last year, losing only to North Carolina.

“I think we deal with it by embracing it and going at it head-on,” JMU senior quarterback Bryan Schor said. “We realize people are going to be gunning for us.”

North Dakota State (12-2 last year) is No. 2, followed by Sam Houston State (12-1), South Dakota State (9-4) and EWU.

The rest of the Top 10 included Ohio Valley Conference champion Jacksonville State (10-2); Richmond (10-3); Big Sky co-champ North Dakota (9-3); Youngstown State (12-4), 2016 the national runner-up; and Villanova (9-4).

Wofford (10-4) held the No. 11 ranking, followed by Chattanooga (9-4), New Hampshire (8-5), Big South co-champ Charleston Southern (7-4), Central Arkansas (10-3), Southern Conference champ The Citadel (10-2), Patriot League champ Lehigh (9-3), Northern Iowa (5-6), Samford (7-5) and Illinois State (6-6).

Rounding out the Top 25 were SWAC champ Grambling State (11-1), Fordham (8-3), Cal Poly (7-5), Albany (7-4) and Western Illinois (6-5).

A national panel of sports information and media relations directors, broadcasters, writers and others dignitaries select the STATS FCS Top 25.

The Top 25 will be released every Monday afternoon during the regular season, except for Sunday morning, Nov. 19, prior to the selection of the 24-team FCS playoff field.

A final Top 25 will follow the FCS championship game, which will be held Jan. 6 in Frisco, Texas.