Southeast lands in top 25 of two preseason polls

Southeast Missouri State University's Indians began their second week of practice Monday as the nation's 20th-ranked NCAA Division I-AA college football team.

Although the Indians already had been rated 16th nationally in the preseason by Athlon magazine, the two major polls -- The Sports Network and USA Today/ESPN -- released their first preseason top 25 rankings Monday.

The Sports Network media poll has the Indians 20th. The USA Today/ESPN coaches' poll has the Indians 21st.

"Like I've said before, it's all great exposure and publicity for our program, but we still have to prove it on the field," Southeast coach Tim Billings said.

Monday's rankings mark Southeast's highest ever as a Division I-AA program. The Indians' previous highest rankings came last year when they finished ranked No. 23 by USA Today/ESPN and No. 24 by The Sports Network.

All the attention the Indians have received -- they are the preseason favorites to win their first Ohio Valley Conference championship -- is based on the return of 19 starters, including several All-American candidates, from last year's 8-4 team that marked the program's first winning record since 1994 and most victories since 1969.

"It feels good to be in this position," junior cornerback Dimitri Patterson said. "It's been a long time coming."

Southeast was one of three OVC teams ranked Monday in the two polls.

Defending conference co-champion Eastern Illinois is actually rated above the Indians despite being picked third in the OVC coaches' poll. The Panthers are 18th (Sports Network) and 19th (USA Today/ESPN). Eastern Kentucky is 25th (Sports Network) and 24th (USA Today/ESPN).

Murray State, picked a narrow second behind Southeast in the OVC coaches' poll, received the second (USA Today/ESPN) and third (Sports Network) most votes among those teams not ranked in the top 25.

OVC member Tennessee Tech also received votes in both polls, as did Gateway Conference member Southern Illinois, which the Indians again play this year.

McNeese State, last year's national runner-up, is ranked first in both polls.

The rest of The Sports Network top five features Georgia Southern, Western Illinois, Montana and Western Kentucky. USA Today/ESPN has Georgia Southern second, followed by Montana, Western Illinois and Western Kentucky. Western Kentucky is the defending national champion.

The Indians open the season Aug. 28 at Ohio and play their first home game Sept. 6 against Southern Illinois. Their first OVC game is Sept. 27 at Samford.

"We have high expectations," Southeast senior center Eugene Amano said. "Hopefully we'll fulfill all of those."

mmishow@semissourian.com

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