2023 Conference Preseason Polls

[Professor Chaos]

They're starting to roll in with the NEC release today - I like to use these as a tool when putting together my preseason AGS Poll (which opens on 7/26) so I'll compile them all in this post as they come in. Feel free to post if you see any that I haven't listed yet.


Big Sky (https://bigskyconf.com/news/2023/7/23/montana-state-tabbed-preseason-football-favorites.aspx)
Coaches
1. Montana State (10) 120
2. UC Davis (1) 96
3. Sacramento State (1) 94
4. Weber State 91
5. Idaho 89
6. Montana 84
7. Eastern Washington 52
8. Portland State 45
9. Northern Arizona 44
10. Northern Colorado 37
11. Cal Poly 25
12. Idaho State 15

Media
1. Montana State (26) 447
2. Idaho (8) 410
3. Montana (2) 359
4. Sacramento State (3) 334
5. UC Davis 330
6. Weber State 320
7. Eastern Washington 216
8. Northern Arizona 178
9. Portland State 167
10. Northern Colorado 109
11. Cal Poly 103
12. Idaho State 69


Big South-OVC (https://bigsouthovcfootball.com/news/2023/7/23/southeast-missouri-voted-2023-preseason-big-south-ovc-football-association-favorite.aspx)
1. Southeast Missouri State (6) 96
2. Gardner-Webb (2) 86
3. UT Martin (1) 85
4. Tennessee Tech (1) 58
5. Tennessee State 57
6. Bryant 48
7. Lindenwood 45
8. Eastern Illinois 33
9. Charleston Southern 30
10. Robert Morris 12


CAA (https://caasports.com/news/2023/7/24/william-mary-picked-to-win-caa-football-championship-in-2023.aspx)
1. William & Mary (13) 195
2. New Hampshire (1) 179
3. Richmond 159
4. Delaware (1) 149
5. Elon 146
6. Rhode Island 135
7. Villanova 129
8. Monmouth 94
9. Towson 85
10. North Carolina A&T 70
11. UAlbany 64
12. Campbell 62
13. Maine 40
14. Stony Brook 38
15. Hampton 30


Ivy League (https://ivyleague.com/news/2023/8/7/yale-voted-ivy-football-preseason-favorite.aspx)
1. Yale (13) 122
2. Princeton (1) 103
3. Penn 90
4. Harvard (1) 84
5. Columbia (1) 62
6. Dartmouth 54
7. Cornell 37
8. Brown 24


MEAC (https://meacsports.com/news/2023/7/20/meac-announces-2023-preseason-football-honors-presented-by-the-home-depot.aspx)
1. North Carolina Central (9) 124
2. Howard (1) 98
3. South Carolina State 74
4. Morgan State (1) 68
5. Norfolk State 40
6. Delaware State (1) 28


MVFC (https://express.adobe.com/page/LwyJM10iIwt8N/)
1. South Dakota State (44) 539
2. North Dakota State (1) 492
3. UNI 409
4. North Dakota 399
5. Southern Illinois 337
6. Youngstown State 323
7. Illinois State 269
8. Missouri State 229
9. South Dakota 226
10. Indiana State 148
11. Murray State 74
12. Western Illinois 65


NEC (https://northeastconference.org/news/2023/7/17/FB_PreseasonPollRel_23.aspx)
1. Saint Francis (5)
2. Merrimack (2)
3T. Duquesne (1)
3T. Sacred Heart
5. LIU (1)
6T. Central Connecticut
6T. Stonehill
8. Wagner


Patriot League (https://patriotleague.org/news/2023/7/24/patriot-league-announces-2023-preseason-football-honors-7-25-23.aspx)
1. Holy Cross (12) 72
2. Fordham (2) 62
3. Colgate 51
4. Lafayette 39
5. Lehigh 32
6T. Bucknell 19
6T. Georgetown 19


Pioneer League (https://www.pioneer-football.org/news/archives/2023/1824/defending-pioneer-football-league-champion-st-thomas-picked-to-win-2023-title/)
1. St. Thomas (8) 98
2. Davidson (2) 92
3. Dayton 75
4. San Diego (1) 73
5. Butler 68
6. Valparaiso 52
7. Marist 45
8. Drake 38
9. Stetson 31
10. Morehead State 22
11. Presbyterian 11


SOCON (https://soconsports.com/news/2023/7/27/football-preseason-all-conference-teams-polls-announced.aspx)
Coaches
T1. Furman (5) 59
T1. Samford (4) 59
3. Mercer 49
4. Chattanooga 47
5. Western Carolina 35
6. ETSU 29
7. Wofford 22
8. The Citadel 14
9. VMI 10

Media
1. Furman (30) 345
2. Samford (8) 316
3. Mercer (2) 263
4. Chattanooga 250
5. Western Carolina 218
6. ETSU 143
7. The Citadel 103
8. Wofford 102
9. VMI 60


Southland (https://www.southland.org/news/2023/7/21/southeastern-voted-top-spot-in-2023-southland-football-preseason-poll.aspx)
1. Southeastern (9) 93
2. UIW (7) 91
3. McNeese 65
4. Nicholls 62
5. Northwestern State 52
6. Texas A&M-Commerce 33
7. Lamar 28
8. HCU 24


SWAC (https://swac.org/news/2023/7/25/swac-announces-football-preseason-selections.aspx)
East
1. Florida A&M (16) 116
2. Jackson State (2) 94
3. Alabama State (2) 80
4. Alabama A&M (2) 73
5. Mississippi Valley State (2) 35
6. Bethune-Cookman 34

West
1. Southern (13) 122
2. Alcorn State (6) 94
3. Texas Southern (1) 73
4. Grambling State (2) 69
5. Prairie View A&M (2) 68
6. Arkansas-Pine Bluff 33


UAC (https://uacfootball.com/news/2023/8/21/football-eku-tabbed-tops-in-inaugural-preseason-uac-coaches-poll.aspx)
1. Eastern Kentucky (2) 71
2. Central Arkansas (5) 69
3. Austin Peay (1) 57
4. Stephen F. Austin 54
5. Abilene Christian 52
6. Tarleton State 37
T7. Utah Tech (1) 25
T7. Southern Utah 25
9. North Alabama 15

[Professor Chaos]

NEC preseason poll: https://northeastconference.org/news/2023/7/17/FB_PreseasonPollRel_23.aspx

https://twitter.com/NECsports/status/1681686615154933762

[Professor Chaos]

MEAC preseason poll (including awards and all-conference teams): https://meacsports.com/news/2023/7/20/meac-announces-2023-preseason-football-honors-presented-by-the-home-depot.aspx


School (First-Place Votes) Points
1. North Carolina Central (9) 124
2. Howard (1) 98
3. South Carolina State 74
4. Morgan State (1) 68
5. Norfolk State 40
6. Delaware State (1) 28

[DFW HOYA]

Who voted Del State first?

[Professor Chaos]

Who voted Del State first?
The MEAC, moreso than either other conference, seems to spread their first place votes around. I seem to recall a few years ago when there were more teams and more voters in the preseason poll where every team had at least one first place vote.

[caribbeanhen]

Who voted Del State first?

why did they fire the head coach Milstead ?

[Professor Chaos]

Southland preseason poll: https://www.southland.org/news/2023/7/21/southeastern-voted-top-spot-in-2023-southland-football-preseason-poll.aspx

https://twitter.com/SouthlandSports/status/1683493224575377409

[Professor Chaos]

Big Sky preseason poll: https://bigskyconf.com/news/2023/7/23/montana-state-tabbed-preseason-football-favorites.aspx

https://twitter.com/BigSkyConf/status/1683493532907245568


Can't think of another year where the coaches and the media polls were so far off from each other.

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

Big Sky preseason poll: https://bigskyconf.com/news/2023/7/23/montana-state-tabbed-preseason-football-favorites.aspx

https://twitter.com/BigSkyConf/status/1683493532907245568


Can't think of another year where the coaches and the media polls were so far off from each other.

That really is drastic!

What is the deal at EWU? Has the institutional dissension finally eroded the program to the point it can't compete with the larger, better funded Big Sky programs?

[caribbeanhen]

Big Sky preseason poll: https://bigskyconf.com/news/2023/7/23/montana-state-tabbed-preseason-football-favorites.aspx

https://twitter.com/BigSkyConf/status/1683493532907245568


Can't think of another year where the coaches and the media polls were so far off from each other.

media pushing Idaho hard, they have a good QB and one of the best WRs for sure, but what else?

[Professor Chaos]

That really is drastic!

What is the deal at EWU? Has the institutional dissension finally eroded the program to the point it can't compete with the larger, better funded Big Sky programs?
I don't know but I can't imagine recruiting is easy when the university was contemplating dissolving the athletic department a few years ago even if funding compared to their Big Sky peers isn't an issue.

[Professor Chaos]

CAA preseason poll: https://caasports.com/news/2023/7/24/william-mary-picked-to-win-caa-football-championship-in-2023.aspx

https://twitter.com/CAAFootball/status/1683824923440214016

EDIT: Damn conference is so big they can't even fit all the teams on the embedded tweet above! The last 4 are Campbell, Maine, Stony Brook, and Hampton (in that order).

[FUBeAR]

CAA preseason poll: https://caasports.com/news/2023/7/24/william-mary-picked-to-win-caa-football-championship-in-2023.aspx

https://twitter.com/CAAFootball/status/1683824923440214016

EDIT: Damn conference is so big they can't even fit all the teams on the embedded tweet above! The last 4 are Campbell, Maine, Stony Brook, and Hampton (in that order).
Elon too low

[caribbeanhen]

Elon too low

don't fret none

7 CAA teams making playoffs

[Professor Chaos]

Patriot League preseason poll: https://patriotleague.org/news/2023/7/24/patriot-league-announces-2023-preseason-football-honors-7-25-23.aspx

https://twitter.com/PatriotLeague/status/1683839669916831744

[Professor Chaos]

Big South-OVC preseason poll: https://bigsouthovcfootball.com/news/2023/7/23/southeast-missouri-voted-2023-preseason-big-south-ovc-football-association-favorite.aspx

https://twitter.com/BigSouthOVCFB/status/1683827889676902402

[caribbeanhen]

CAA preseason poll: https://caasports.com/news/2023/7/24/william-mary-picked-to-win-caa-football-championship-in-2023.aspx

https://twitter.com/CAAFootball/status/1683824923440214016

EDIT: Damn conference is so big they can't even fit all the teams on the embedded tweet above! The last 4 are Campbell, Maine, Stony Brook, and Hampton (in that order).

I guess we’ll never know what coach voted Delaware #1

[Professor Chaos]

I guess we’ll never know what coach voted Delaware #1
50% chance it was Mike London since I'm pretty sure he couldn't include W&M in his poll ballot.

[crusader11]

Maybe it was Jim Fleming as he watched UD double up his guys last year at home.

[caribbeanhen]

50% chance it was Mike London since I'm pretty sure he couldn't include W&M in his poll ballot.

ahh that’s why I always come to the professor

[Professor Chaos]

SWAC preseason poll: https://swac.org/news/2023/7/25/swac-announces-football-preseason-selections.aspx

East
1. Florida A&M (16) 116
2. Jackson State (2) 94
3. Alabama State (2) 80
4. Alabama A&M (2) 73
5. Mississippi Valley State (2) 35
6. Bethune-Cookman 34

West
1. Southern (13) 122
2. Alcorn State (6) 94
3. Texas Southern (1) 73
4. Grambling State (2) 69
5. Prairie View A&M (2) 68
6. Arkansas-Pine Bluff 33

[Professor Chaos]

Pretty eye opening to see FAMU picked as the overwhelming favorite in the SWAC East - reminder that they lost to Jackson St 59-3 in the season opener last year.

[FUBeAR]

Pretty eye opening to see FAMU picked as the overwhelming favorite in the SWAC East - reminder that they lost to Jackson St 59-3 in the season opener last year.
…and all FAMU Football activities are currently & indefinitely suspended…

Oops - nope - update - ban lifted by AD yesterday afternoon - just in time for Media Day…

https://twitter.com/tiffani_sykes/status/1683556373009670146

…and to announce more Rattlers games to be broadcast on ESPN.

https://twitter.com/famu_fb/status/1683857048147046401

[ElCid]

SWAC preseason poll: https://swac.org/news/2023/7/25/swac-announces-football-preseason-selections.aspx

East
1. Florida A&M (16) 116
2. Jackson State (2) 94
3. Alabama State (2) 80
4. Alabama A&M (2) 73
5. Mississippi Valley State (2) 35
6. Bethune-Cookman 34

West
1. Southern (13) 122
2. Alcorn State (6) 94
3. Texas Southern (1) 73
4. Grambling State (2) 69
5. Prairie View A&M (2) 68
6. Arkansas-Pine Bluff 33

I always get a kick out of SWAC polls or when they get as many votes as they do in other polls. Totally devoid of sensibility. Not talking about a fairly good Jackson St, but the distant "also ran's" always seem to get votes in every preseason poll. Case in point: All but two teams are getting first place votes? Really? That's just silly. Maybe the top three in each division, maybe at best, but the top 5 of 6 in each division?

[Professor Chaos]

I always get a kick out of SWAC polls or when they get as many votes as they do in other polls. Totally devoid of sensibility. Not talking about a fairly good Jackson St, but the distant "also ran's" always seem to get votes in every preseason poll. Case in point: All but two teams are getting first place votes? Really? That's just silly. Maybe the top three in each division, maybe at best, but the top 5 of 6 in each division?
I wonder if the SWAC doesn't have the restriction that coaches (or school reps/media) can't vote for their home team? The math makes more sense for a team like Southern if they're getting 6 points for a first place vote versus 5 points. in that case seems likely that MVSU's (and maybe others) two first place votes came from their reps voting in this poll.

[ElCid]

I wonder if the SWAC doesn't have the restriction that coaches (or school reps/media) can't vote for their home team? The math makes more sense for a team like Southern if they're getting 6 points for a first place vote versus 5 points. in that case seems likely that MVSU's (and maybe others) two first place votes came from their reps voting in this poll.

Or a wink and a nod back scratching set up.

[Professor Chaos]

SOCON preseason poll: https://soconsports.com/news/2023/7/27/football-preseason-all-conference-teams-polls-announced.aspx

https://twitter.com/SoConSports/status/1684595054462029824

[Milktruck74]

I've always said preseason top25 polls are straight garbage... preseason conference polls however, especially the coaches (err SIDs) polls seam to carry some weight because those guys tend to have a fairly good grasp on those 8-12 teams they are around...

That said, with the portal, and 30-40% team turnover being the norm between December and August...Are Coaches/SID polls even reliable anymore?

[FUBeAR]

I've always said preseason top25 polls are straight garbage... preseason conference polls however, especially the coaches (err SIDs) polls seam to carry some weight because those guys tend to have a fairly good grasp on those 8-12 teams they are around...

That said, with the portal, and 30-40% team turnover being the norm between December and August...Are Coaches/SID polls even reliable anymore?
They.
Are.
Not.

[caribbeanhen]

I've always said preseason top25 polls are straight garbage... preseason conference polls however, especially the coaches (err SIDs) polls seam to carry some weight because those guys tend to have a fairly good grasp on those 8-12 teams they are around...

That said, with the portal, and 30-40% team turnover being the norm between December and August...Are Coaches/SID polls even reliable anymore?

You know the answer by the way you phrased the question

[Redbird 4th & short]

I've always said preseason top25 polls are straight garbage... preseason conference polls however, especially the coaches (err SIDs) polls seam to carry some weight because those guys tend to have a fairly good grasp on those 8-12 teams they are around...

That said, with the portal, and 30-40% team turnover being the norm between December and August... Were Coaches/SID polls ever any more reliable than they aren't today ?


FIFY ... xnodx

[Dane96]

NEC preseason poll: https://northeastconference.org/news/2023/7/17/FB_PreseasonPollRel_23.aspx

https://twitter.com/NECsports/status/1681686615154933762

Wagner holds a special place for me however, the football experiment should be ended. they have been playing a charade for quite a while now. The last time they were semi-relevant on a consistent basis was the late 90's and early OO's. The best thing for Wagner athletics is to close up the football shop and focus on Basketball, Soccer, and Lacrosse. This would coincide with a move to the MAAC. The MAAC is the right conference for them, all sports.

[Milktruck74]

You know the answer by the way you phrased the question

Fair Point. Maybe I have a future as a pollster...push polls anyway!

[Milktruck74]

FIFY ... xnodx

I do believe in the past a conference preseason poll was a fair barometer of what was to come...even if it was the SIDs filling it out, they tend to know what is happening with the other 7-11 teams in their respective conference...where as the national polls are complete hot garbage!!!! But with the portal being a thing, nobody knows anymore .

[caribbeanhen]

Fair Point. Maybe I have a future as a pollster...push polls anyway!

You don’t vote in the AGS poll? If not why not

[Milktruck74]

FIFY ... <img src="images/smilies/nod.gif" border="0" alt="" title="Nod" smilieid="29" class="inlineimg"><br><br>I do believe in the past a conference preseason poll was a fair barometer of what was to come...even if it was the SIDs filling it out, they tend to know what is happening with the other 7-11 teams in their respective conference...where as the national polls are complete hot garbage!!!! But with the portal being a thing, nobody knows anymore .<br>
<br>

[Milktruck74]

You don’t vote in the AGS poll? If not why not

I did for a number of years. I took the last two or three off, because I didn't feel I had the time to devote to it to do it justice. If I'm going to vote, I want it to be an INFORMED vote!!!!

[caribbeanhen]

I did for a number of years. I took the last two or three off, because I didn't feel I had the time to devote to it to do it justice. If I'm going to vote, I want it to be an INFORMED vote!!!!

gotcha

[FUBeAR]

I did for a number of years. I took the last two or three off, because I didn't feel I had the time to devote to it to do it justice. If I'm going to vote, I want it to be an INFORMED vote!!!!
Nobody asked, but that was 1/2 the reason FUBeAR stopped voting.

The other half was that he felt that due to the unfounded bias he saw in the polls and in the work of the Playoff Selection Committee, he found himself struggling to not wrongly skew his rankings to provide some measure of counterbalance against that bias - “exaggerated truth to power”…so to speak. And that is not right - 2 wrongs don’t make a right regardless of the righteousness of the reason for the 2nd wrong. So FUBeAR decided to punt. If he was unable to be 100% objective, he wasn’t worthy of being a voter.

If he ever feels that polls and the Playoff Selection Committee are primarily functioning so as to produce objective outcomes, FUBeAR may decide to vote again, if allowed…but he would certainly understand if he was not allowed to return as a voter in the future, given his current stance.

[Professor Chaos]

MVFC preseason poll: https://express.adobe.com/page/LwyJM10iIwt8N/

https://twitter.com/ValleyFootball/status/1686363863925563392

[Professor Chaos]

Pioneer League preseason poll: https://www.pioneer-football.org/news/archives/2023/1824/defending-pioneer-football-league-champion-st-thomas-picked-to-win-2023-title/

https://twitter.com/PFLNews/status/1686452054934306816

[The Cats]

https://twitter.com/NCFootballNews/status/1686119465832845313

[Professor Chaos]

Ivy League preseason poll: https://ivyleague.com/news/2023/8/7/yale-voted-ivy-football-preseason-favorite.aspx

https://twitter.com/IvyLeague/status/1688580761149177857

[bonarae]

UAC was late in sending out its preseason poll: https://uacfootball.com/news/2023/8/21/football-eku-tabbed-tops-in-inaugural-preseason-uac-coaches-poll.aspx

2023 PRESEASON UAC COACHES POLL
1. Eastern Kentucky (2 first-place votes) -- 71 points
2. Central Arkansas (5 first-place votes) -- 69 points
3. Austin Peay (1 first-place vote) -- 57 points
4. Stephen F. Austin -- 54 points
5. Abilene Christian -- 52 points
6. Tarleton State -- 37 points
T7. Utah Tech (1 first-place vote) -- 25 points
T7. Southern Utah -- 25 points
9. North Alabama -- 15 points

[MSUBobcat]

UAC was late in sending out its preseason poll: https://uacfootball.com/news/2023/8/21/football-eku-tabbed-tops-in-inaugural-preseason-uac-coaches-poll.aspx

2023 PRESEASON UAC COACHES POLL
1. Eastern Kentucky (2 first-place votes) -- 71 points
2. Central Arkansas (5 first-place votes) -- 69 points
3. Austin Peay (1 first-place vote) -- 57 points
4. Stephen F. Austin -- 54 points
5. Abilene Christian -- 52 points
6. Tarleton State -- 37 points
T7. Utah Tech (1 first-place vote) -- 25 points
T7. Southern Utah -- 25 points
9. North Alabama -- 15 points

Some interesting voting... EKU with 2 first-place and an average of 2.42th place for the rest (i.e. 4 second-places and 3 third-places). Makes sense, the voters think EKU is anywhere from 1-3, with most settling on 2nd. Then there's UCA with 5 firsts and an average of 4th place for the other 4 voters. So a little over half think UCA is the team to beat, but the other half are like... meh, middle of the pack, not a playoff team. And then there's Utah Tech.... everyone basically picked them to finish 2nd to last, but ONE VOTER said, "I think I see something here." Hard to even consider it a mistake vote, as SUU is tabbed by the voters to be really bad also, generally picked 7th (one sixth, 5 sevenths and 3 eighth-place votes).