Eagles come up second to North Dakota St. in first poll

For the first time in this year’s preseason, Eastern Washington isn’t No. 1.

Three-time defending national champion North Dakota State was a narrow 21-point choice over the Eagles in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision Coaches Poll, the NCAA announced Monday.

The Bison received 636 total votes and were picked No. 1 by 18 of the 26 coaches who submitted ballots.

NDSU, whose last playoff loss came in 2010 at the hands of Eastern, was a perfect 15-0 last year.

The Eagles, who won the 2010 FCS title, received 615 points and six first-place votes in the rankings. Eastern finished third a year ago in the final coaches poll after finishing 12-3 and advancing to the semifinals of the FCS playoffs for the second straight season.

Four Eastern opponents in the 2014 season are ranked in the top 25, including No. 5 Montana (Nov. 8), No. 14 Sam Houston State (Aug. 23), No. 19 Montana State (Sept. 20) and No. 25 Northern Arizona (Oct. 25).

Eastern’s 2013 playoff opponents are all ranked in the top 10, including No. 7 Towson, No. 8 Jacksonville State and No. 10 South Dakota State.

Northern Iowa, a team Eastern will play in both 2015 and 2016, is ranked 15th.

The other major poll – The Sports Network Top 25 – is set to be released on Friday.