Two-Time Defending National Champion Ferris State Picked As Nation's #1 Team In First D2 Preseason Poll
Big Rapids, Mich. - The first preseason national poll of the 2023 campaign has been announced and the two-time defending NCAA Division II National Champion Ferris State University Bulldogs have been selected as the nation's #1 team by Lindy's Sports.
The annual college football national preview magazine picked FSU first overall entering this fall's slate as the publication recently hit the newsstands across the country.
Lindy's Sports, which is billed as the nation's leading football authority, highlighted the top 25 teams in the country based on expert opinions and also featured a preseason All-America team. The top five teams nationally in the magazine's preseason listing included the back-to-back defending national champion Bulldogs (#1) followed by rival Grand Valley State (#2), defending national runner-up Colorado School of Mines (#3), Pittsburg State (#4) and Northwest Missouri State (#5) n the top five overall. A year ago, the Bulldogs defeated GVSU, Mines and Pittsburg State during a memorable postseason playoff run to the national championship.
Ferris State was picked the highest of the five teams from Super Region Three found in the top 10 with fellow region members GVSU, Pittsburg State, Northwest Missouri State and Ouachita Baptist (#9) also in the top 10 listing. The Bulldogs were one of two Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) teams featured among the top 25 teams overall in addition to the Lakers.
Lindy's Sports also tabbed Bulldog sophomore offensive lineman Bryce George (Detroit/Edison) to the Preseason All-America Second Team.
Additionally, the magazine also chose its five biggest games of the year with the Bulldogs' Anchor-Bone Classic between FSU and GVSU, slated for Oct. 14 in Allendale, featured as one of the country's marquee matchups again this fall. Overall, FSU is slated to face two Lindy's top 10 ranked teams in regular-season play this fall, including both GVSU and Ashland (#10), in addition to FCS member Montana, which was chosen 10th by the same publication in Lindy's Preseason FCS Top 25 rankings.
Last year, FSU defeated five of Lindy's Preseason Top 25 squads including Grand Valley State, Mines, Pittsburg State, West Florida (#13) and Lenoir-Rhyne (#16) during regular-season or postseason play.
Ferris State captured a second consecutive NCAA Division II National Championship last fall and the Bulldogs are 28-1 overall in the past two seasons of action. FSU has made eight-straight NCAA D2 Playoff appearances to date.
The Bulldogs will begin their 114th season of varsity competition this coming fall with their sights set on making a ninth consecutive trip to the NCAA Division II Playoffs after reaching the final eight of the NCAA Playoffs each of the past six seasons, including five national semifinal appearances along with three trips to the national championship game.
Ferris State opens the 2023 season at home on Thursday, Aug. 31, against Mercyhurst at Top Taggart Field.
Below are the Lindy's Sports D2 Preseason Top 25 National Rankings:
1. Ferris State
2. Grand Valley State
3. Colorado School of Mines
4. Pittsburg State
5. Northwest Missouri State
6. Angelo State
7. Minnesota State
8. Bemidji State
9. Ouachita Baptist
10. Ashland
11. Indiana (Pa.)
12. Harding
13. West Florida
14. Virginia Union
15. Slippery Rock
16. Lenoir-Rhyne
17. Emporia State
18. Benedict
19. Shepherd
20. Delta State
21. Assumption
22. Limestone
23. Winona State
24. Indianapolis
25. Wingate