Sept. 22, 2014
FCS Coaches Poll | The Sports Network Poll | Tickets for YSU Game
SPARTANBURG, S.C. - With its best start since 2007, the Missouri State University football team is starting to turn heads on a national level as the 3-1 Bears have cracked the FCS Coaches Top 25 Poll this week at No. 24.
It marks the first time since the team was No. 21 in the 1997 ESPN/USA Today preseason poll that MSU has been ranked in the top 25. The Bears also closed out the 1996 season ranked No. 23 in The Sports Network final poll.
"I'm pleased and happy for our players," said head coach Terry Allen. "It puts them in a good position headed into league play. We have a very strong league, and you play a good team every week. We're happy to be mentioned and hope we can build on it."
Missouri State received 65 votes in the poll voted on by 26 national FCS coaches. A total of seven Missouri Valley Football Conference schools are ranked in the poll this week, including No. 12 Youngstown State, MSU's next opponent for the game at Robert W. Plaster Stadium on Oct. 4. North Dakota State (1), South Dakota State (9), Northern Iowa (10), Southern Illinois (16) and Illinois State (22) are also ranked.
In the other widely-accepted FCS poll - The Sports Network Top 25 Poll - MSU is just outside the top 25 this week, receiving 116 votes which translates as the 31st-highest point total in the poll. YSU is No. 18 in The Sports Network rankings.
Missouri State is coming off a thrilling 33-31 road win at Central Arkansas on Saturday, a game decided on a 53-yard field goal by junior Marcelo Bonani as time expired. The victory was the second non-conference road win for the Bears this campaign, matching the club's most since 1996.
After an open date in the schedule this weekend, Missouri State will return to action on Oct. 4 against Youngstown State. Tickets for the YSU game are on sale now at MissouriStateBears.com or by calling the MSU Athletics Box Office in JQH Arena during regular office hours at (417) 836-7678. BearFest Village space may be reserved by calling Missouri State Sports Properties at (417) 836-5001.
FCS Coaches Poll - Week 4 (September 22, 2014)
Team (First-Place Votes) Record Points Last Week 1. North Dakota State (26) 4-0 650 1 2. Eastern Washington 3-1 623 2 3. Coastal Carolina 4-0 578 5 4. McNeese State 1-1 545 6 5. Villanova 2-1 526 7 6. Montana 2-2 505 3 7. New Hampshire 2-1 494 9 8. Jacksonville State 2-1 492 8 9. South Dakota State 3-1 449 10 10. Northern Iowa 1-2 408 11 11. Southeastern Louisiana 2-2 368 4 12. Youngstown State 3-1 303 15 13. William & Mary 3-1 301 17 14. Bethune-Cookman 2-1 273 12 15. Chattanooga 1-2 271 14 16. Southern Illinois 3-1 269 13 17. Montana State 2-2 241 16 18. Eastern Kentucky 4-0 210 22 19. Fordham 3-1 188 19 20. Tennessee State 3-1 154 20 21. Richmond 2-2 141 18 22. Illinois State 2-0 101 24 23. Liberty 3-1 80 NR 24. Missouri State 3-1 65 NR 25. Charleston Southern 4-0 39 NR
Dropped From Rankings: Bryant, Furman, Northern Arizona, Sam Houston State
Others Receiving Votes: Sam Houston State 26, Towson 22, Furman 18, Alcorn State 16, Samford 16, Harvard 13, Northern Arizona 13, Sacramento State 12, Stephen F. Austin 9, Indiana State 7, North Carolina A&T 7, Albany 5, Alabama State 3, South Dakota 3, Bryant 2, Cal Poly 2, Northwestern State 1, Southeast Missouri State 1
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