Interesting that they were not seeded higher....
Eastern Washington ranked No. 1 for first time
Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Eastern Washington climbed to No. 1 for the first time ever Sunday, closing the regular season as the sixth team to reach the top spot in The Sports Network/Fathead.com FCS Top 25 this season.
The NCAA later released its 20-team playoff pairings and Eastern Washington earned the No. 5 seed.
Delaware's overtime loss to Villanova on Saturday marked the third straight week in which the No. 1-ranked team was upset.
Eastern Washington earned the top ranking by capturing 64 of the 129 first- place votes and 3,096 points in the poll of sports information and media relations directors, broadcasters and writers.
Coach Beau Baldwin's 9-2 squad is the co-champion of the Big Sky Conference and has won seven straight games. The Eagles have been led by a pair of All- America players, junior running back Taiwan Jones and senior linebacker J.C. Sherritt.
Besides its superior play, Eastern Washington also has been in the spotlight this year for its installation of red turf at Roos Field.
"I think we've put ourselves in a good position," Baldwin said after Saturday's 34-7 win over Idaho State. "That's a good situation to be in during the playoffs. The years Montana has made those deep runs in the playoffs, a lot of times they've had three straight at home before they play in the championship. It isn't going to be easy, we're going to play an incredibly tough opponent every week. The fact we have a chance to be a high seed and at home is a big deal."
Appalachian State (9-2), which earned the No. 1 playoff seed, remained second in the poll after Saturday's 48-10 loss at the University of Florida from the FBS. The Mountaineers, who shared the Southern Conference title, had the second-most first-place votes with 39.
They were followed by No. 3 Stephen F. Austin (9-2), the Southland Conference champion which gained six first-place votes; No. 4 William & Mary (8-3), which had three first-place votes; and No. 5 Delaware (9-2), which had four first- place votes. William & Mary and Delaware were co-champions in the CAA Football.
Montana State (9-2), which shared the Big Sky title with Eastern Washington and won the head-to-head meeting, gained seven first-place votes and the No. 6 ranking.
Next up were Southern Conference co-champion Wofford (9-2), which had one first-place vote; Ohio Valley Conference runner-up Jacksonville State (9-2), which had four first-place votes; Southeast Missouri State (9-2), which won the OVC title despite a loss to Jacksonville State; and 2009 FCS champion Villanova (7-4), which made its way back to the playoffs by defeating Delaware on Saturday.
New Hampshire (7-4) led the second 10 at No. 11 and was followed by South Carolina State (9-2); Bethune Cookman (10-1), which lost for the first time on Saturday and had one first-place vote; Penn (9-1); Montana (7-4); Northern Iowa (7-4); Liberty (8-3); Jacksonville (10-1); Lehigh (9-2); and Georgia Southern (7-4), which moved back into the rankings at No. 20.
Western Illinois (7-4) also rejoined the rankings at No. 21, followed by Cal Poly (7-4), Dayton (10-1), Grambling State (8-2) and North Dakota State (7-4).
The six teams to hold the No. 1 this season are Villanova (twice), Montana, Appalachian State, William & Mary, Delaware and Eastern Washington.
The Southwestern Athletic Conference doesn't participate in the FCS playoffs and has not ended its regular season.
The Sports Network and Fathead.com will release a final Top 25 following the FCS championship game, which will be held Jan. 7 at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas.
The night before the FCS championship game, The Sports Network will present the Walter Payton (outstanding FCS player) Buck Buchanan (outstanding FCS defensive player) and Eddie Robinson (outstanding FCS coach) awards, which are sponsored by Fathead.com.
Eastern Washington ranked No. 1 for first time
Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Eastern Washington climbed to No. 1 for the first time ever Sunday, closing the regular season as the sixth team to reach the top spot in The Sports Network/Fathead.com FCS Top 25 this season.
The NCAA later released its 20-team playoff pairings and Eastern Washington earned the No. 5 seed.
Delaware's overtime loss to Villanova on Saturday marked the third straight week in which the No. 1-ranked team was upset.
Eastern Washington earned the top ranking by capturing 64 of the 129 first- place votes and 3,096 points in the poll of sports information and media relations directors, broadcasters and writers.
Coach Beau Baldwin's 9-2 squad is the co-champion of the Big Sky Conference and has won seven straight games. The Eagles have been led by a pair of All- America players, junior running back Taiwan Jones and senior linebacker J.C. Sherritt.
Besides its superior play, Eastern Washington also has been in the spotlight this year for its installation of red turf at Roos Field.
"I think we've put ourselves in a good position," Baldwin said after Saturday's 34-7 win over Idaho State. "That's a good situation to be in during the playoffs. The years Montana has made those deep runs in the playoffs, a lot of times they've had three straight at home before they play in the championship. It isn't going to be easy, we're going to play an incredibly tough opponent every week. The fact we have a chance to be a high seed and at home is a big deal."
Appalachian State (9-2), which earned the No. 1 playoff seed, remained second in the poll after Saturday's 48-10 loss at the University of Florida from the FBS. The Mountaineers, who shared the Southern Conference title, had the second-most first-place votes with 39.
They were followed by No. 3 Stephen F. Austin (9-2), the Southland Conference champion which gained six first-place votes; No. 4 William & Mary (8-3), which had three first-place votes; and No. 5 Delaware (9-2), which had four first- place votes. William & Mary and Delaware were co-champions in the CAA Football.
Montana State (9-2), which shared the Big Sky title with Eastern Washington and won the head-to-head meeting, gained seven first-place votes and the No. 6 ranking.
Next up were Southern Conference co-champion Wofford (9-2), which had one first-place vote; Ohio Valley Conference runner-up Jacksonville State (9-2), which had four first-place votes; Southeast Missouri State (9-2), which won the OVC title despite a loss to Jacksonville State; and 2009 FCS champion Villanova (7-4), which made its way back to the playoffs by defeating Delaware on Saturday.
New Hampshire (7-4) led the second 10 at No. 11 and was followed by South Carolina State (9-2); Bethune Cookman (10-1), which lost for the first time on Saturday and had one first-place vote; Penn (9-1); Montana (7-4); Northern Iowa (7-4); Liberty (8-3); Jacksonville (10-1); Lehigh (9-2); and Georgia Southern (7-4), which moved back into the rankings at No. 20.
Western Illinois (7-4) also rejoined the rankings at No. 21, followed by Cal Poly (7-4), Dayton (10-1), Grambling State (8-2) and North Dakota State (7-4).
The six teams to hold the No. 1 this season are Villanova (twice), Montana, Appalachian State, William & Mary, Delaware and Eastern Washington.
The Southwestern Athletic Conference doesn't participate in the FCS playoffs and has not ended its regular season.
The Sports Network and Fathead.com will release a final Top 25 following the FCS championship game, which will be held Jan. 7 at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas.
The night before the FCS championship game, The Sports Network will present the Walter Payton (outstanding FCS player) Buck Buchanan (outstanding FCS defensive player) and Eddie Robinson (outstanding FCS coach) awards, which are sponsored by Fathead.com.
