The Montana Grizzlies slotted in at No. 9 in the preseason edition of the Stats Perform FCS media top-25, the news organization announced Monday.
After a strong 2-0 performance in the spring and much of the same team returning from its quarterfinal run in 2019, the Griz were the second of five teams from the Big Sky Conference to land in the poll.
Defending league champion Weber State was picked at No. 6 after going 5-1 in the spring, while Eastern Washington came in at No. 11, Montana State at No. 12, and UC Davis at No. 23.
With 39 first-place votes, Sam Houston, who won the spring FCS championship, was selected to repeat as champions in 2021 after going on a 10-0 run.
Behind the Bearkats in the national media poll were the final three teams they beat in the spring playoffs – semifinalist James Madison, runner-up South Dakota State and quarterfinalist North Dakota State.
Montana was tabbed to come in second in both the Big Sky coaches and media preseason polls, announced from the league’s annual kickoff event in Spokane in June.
UM also had five players named to the preseason all-conference team in Spokane, with receiver Samuel Akem, tackle Conlan Beaver, linebacker Jace Lewis, safety Robby Hauck, and long snapper Matthew O’Donoghue each landing on the team.
Photo Courtesy of Grizzly Athletics.
Earlier in the summer, the Griz were also picked No. 9 in the HERO Sports preseason FCS poll, and No. 11 in the Athlon Sports preseason FCS poll.
A national media panel selects the Stats Perform FCS Top 25. A first-place vote is worth 25 points, a second-place vote 24 points, all the way down to one point for a 25th-place vote. The Stats Perform media top-25 will be updated weekly throughout the season. ]
The Grizzlies open the 2021 season on the road in Seattle against the University of Washington on Sept. 4, followed by the home opener in Missoula on Sept. 11 against Western Illinois.
Season ticket packages, as well as home and away single-game tickets, are on sale now at GrizTix.com.
STATS PERFORM FCS PRESEASON TOP 25
(With fall 2020/spring 2021 record unless noted)
1. Sam Houston (10-0, 6-0 Southland), 1,228 points (39 first-place votes)
Season Opener: Sept. 2 at Northern Arizona
2. James Madison (7-1, 3-0 CAA), 1,180 (8)
Season Opener: Sept. 4 vs. Morehead State
3. South Dakota State (8-2, 5-1 Missouri Valley), 1,156 (3)
Season Opener: Sept. 3 at Colorado State
4. North Dakota State (7-3, 5-2 Missouri Valley), 1,116
Season Opener: Sept. 4 vs. Albany
5. Delaware (7-1, 4-0 CAA), 1,017
Season Opener: Sept. 2 at Maine
6. Weber State (5-1, 5-0 Big Sky), 927
Season Opener: Sept. 2 at Utah
7. Southern Illinois (6-4, 3-3 Missouri Valley), 888
Season Opener: Sept. 2 at Southeast Missouri
8. North Dakota (5-2, 4-1 Missouri Valley), 886
Season Opener: Sept. 4 at Idaho State
9. Montana (2-0), 778
Season Opener: Sept. 4 at Washington
10. Jacksonville State (10-3, 6-1 Ohio Valley), 744
Season Opener: Sept. 1 vs. UAB
11. Eastern Washington (5-2, 5-1 Big Sky), 659
Season Opener: Sept. 2 at UNLV
12. Montana State (2019: 11-4, 6-2 Big Sky), 654
Season Opener: Sept. 4 at Wyoming
13. Monmouth (3-1, 3-0 Big South), 618
Season Opener: Sept. 4 at Middle Tennessee
14. Central Arkansas (5-4), 561
Season Opener: Sept. 4 at Arkansas State
15. Southeastern Louisiana (4-3, 4-2 Southland), 559
Season Opener: Sept. 4 vs. North Alabama
16. Villanova (2-2 CAA), 440
Season Opener: Sept. 4 at Lehigh
17. VMI (6-2, 6-1 Southern), 397
Season Opener: Sept. 4 vs. Davidson
18. Chattanooga (3-2, 3-1 Southern), 295
Season Opener: Sept. 2 vs. Austin Peay
19. Kennesaw State (4-1, 2-1 Big South), 255
Season Opener: Sept. 2 vs. Reinhardt
20. Austin Peay (4-5, 4-2 Ohio Valley), 227
Season Opener: Sept. 2 at Chattanooga
21. Northern Iowa (3-4 Missouri Valley), 219
Season Opener: Sept. 4 at Iowa State
22. Nicholls (4-3 Southland), 173
Season Opener: Sept. 4 at Memphis
23. UC Davis (3-2 Big Sky), 172
Season Opener: Sept. 2 at Tulsa
24. Missouri State (5-5, 5-1 Missouri Valley), 168
Season Opener: Sept. 4 at Oklahoma State
25. North Carolina A&T (2019: 9-3, 6-2 MEAC), 159
Season Opener: Sept. 4 at Furman
Others Receiving Votes (schools listed on two or more ballots): Murray State (5-2 Ohio Valley) 157, Richmond (3-1 CAA) 113, ETSU (4-2 Southern) 99, Sacramento State (2019: 9-4, 7-1 Big Sky) 57, Alabama A&M (5-0, 4-0 SWAC) 49, Florida A&M (2019: 9-2, 7-1 MEAC) 47, New Hampshire (0-1 CAA) 42, Alcorn State (2019: 9-4, 6-1 SWAC) 35, Holy Cross (3-1, 3-0 Patriot) 22, Samford (4-3 Southern) 20, UIW (3-3 Southland) 19, Sacred Heart (3-2, 2-1 Northeast) 17, Albany (1-3 CAA) 14, Illinois State (1-3 Missouri Valley) 10, Rhode Island (2-1 CAA) 10, South Carolina State (3-1) 10, Stephen F. Austin (6-4) 10, Duquesne (4-1, 4-0 Northeast) 4, Southeast Missouri (4-4, 4-3 Ohio Valley) 3