The excitement surrounding the 2019 Grizzly football season continues to rise on the eve of the first practice of the year, with Montana earning a place in the STATS FCS Preseason Top-25, the news organization announced Monday.
With 413 total points the Griz open the year at No. 25 in the media poll having spent the second half of the 2018 season unranked.
Montana’s schedule is proving to be one of the most difficult in FCS football, with four other Big Sky opponents also landing in the top-25, one more league opponent earning votes, and season-opening nonconference foe South Dakota also receiving votes. The Griz will also travel to Eugene to take on the No. 12 FBS ranked, and Pac-12 North favorite Oregon Ducks.
Photo courtesy of Grizzly Athletics
Landing in the top-25 from the Big Sky Conference is last year’s FCS runner-up Eastern Washington at No. 4, with UC Davis close behind at No. 5. Weber State is ranked No. 8, while Montana State comes in at No. 14. Idaho State also picked up votes to land in the top-50.
The Grizzlies will play three games against ranked opponents in the friendly confines of Washington-Grizzly Stadium, hosting Idaho State on Oct. 5, Eastern Washington on Oct. 26, and Weber State on Nov. 16. UM travels to face UC Davis (Sept. 28) and Montana State (Nov. 23).
With 142 first-place votes, North Dakota State is the unsurprising favorite to repeat as national champions.
In other preseason prognostications, the Grizzlies were picked No. 23 in the Athlon Sports preseason poll, while the Street & Smith College Football Magazine picked the Griz at No. 21.
Montana officially opens the 2019 campaign on Tuesday with the first practice of fall camp, scheduled for 2:30 at Dornblaser Field.
Season tickets, home and away single game tickets (including Griz/Cat and Homecoming), and Roaming Griz tickets are all available now at GrizTix.com, by visiting the Adams Center Box Office or by calling 1-888-MONTANA.
STATS FCS Preseason Top 25
1. North Dakota State (15-0), 3,971 points (142 first-place votes); Final 2018 Ranking: 1
2. James Madison (9-4), 3,635 (14); Final 2018 Ranking: 9
3. South Dakota State (10-3), 3,631 (1); Final 2018 Ranking: 3
4. Eastern Washington (12-3), 3,594 (3); Final 2018 Ranking: 2
5. UC Davis (10-3), 3,210; Final 2018 Ranking: 7
6. Jacksonville State (9-4), 3,004; Final 2018 Ranking: 10
7. Maine (10-4), 2,891; Final 2018 Ranking: 4
8. Weber State (10-3), 2,827; Final 2018 Ranking: 6
9. Wofford (10-3), 2,522; Final 2018 Ranking: 13
10. Kennesaw State (11-2), 2,361; Final 2018 Ranking: 5
11. Towson (7-5), 2,330; Final 2018 Ranking: 20
12. Nicholls (9-4), 2,156; Final 2018 Ranking: 14
13. Colgate (10-2), 1,892; Final 2018 Ranking: 8
14. Montana State (8-5), 1,866; Final 2018 Ranking: 17
15. Illinois State (6-5), 1,432; Final 2018 Ranking: NR
16. Indiana State (7-4), 1,192; Final 2018 Ranking: NR
17. Southeast Missouri (9-4), 1,166; Final 2018 Ranking: 15
18. Northern Iowa (7-6), 1,136; Final 2018 Ranking: 23
19. Furman (6-4), 1,074; Final 2018 Ranking: NR
20. North Carolina A&T (10-2), 885; Final 2018 Ranking: 12
21. Elon (6-5), 870; Final 2018 Ranking: 19
22. Delaware (7-5), 798; Final 2018 Ranking: 24
23. Sam Houston State (6-5), 564; Final 2018 Ranking: NR
24. Princeton (10-0), 432; Final 2018 Ranking: 11
25. Montana (6-5), 413; Final 2018 Ranking: NR
Others Receiving Votes: ETSU (8-4) 323, Stony Brook (7-5) 257, Duquesne (9-4) 235, San Diego (9-3) 209, Eastern Kentucky (7-4) 175, Dartmouth (9-1) 149, Central Arkansas (6-5) 125, McNeese (6-5) 110, Monmouth (8-3) 110, IUW (6-5) 108, Alcorn State (9-4) 85, Yale (5-5) 52, New Hampshire (4-7) 42, Chattanooga (6-5) 38, South Dakota (4-7) 27, Northern Arizona (4-6) 16, Lamar (7-5) 14, Villanova (5-6) 14, Richmond (4-7) 8, The Citadel (5-6) 7, Mercer (5-6) 7, Rhode Island (6-5) 7, Abilene Christian (6-5) 6, Southeastern Louisiana (4-7) 6, 5, Idaho State (6-5) 5, Youngstown State (4-7) 4, Southern (7-4) 3, Samford (6-5) 2, North Dakota (6-5) 1, Sacred Heart (7-4) 1, Wagner (4-7) 1, Western Illinois (5-6) 1