Southeast Missouri State football team misses out on top 25

Southeast Missouri State is not ranked in one of the two major Football Championship Subdivision preseason polls, which was released Monday.

But the defending Ohio Valley Conference champion Redhawks did receive plenty of support in the Sports Network/Fathead.com poll.

Southeast garnered the third-most votes among teams outside the top 25 to unofficially rank 28th. Voting is done by a national panel of sports information/media relations directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries.

Jacksonville State is the only OVC squad in the top 25. The Gamecocks have been tabbed ninth.

Four other OVC teams, in addition to Southeast, received votes: Murray State (unofficially 29th), Eastern Kentucky (36th), Tennessee Tech (55th) and UT Martin (70th).

Southeast finished last season ranked 13th in the Sports Network/Fathead.com poll after the Redhawks won the program's first OVC title and claimed the program's first playoff berth on any level.

Jacksonville State, which joined Southeast in the playoffs a year ago, ended the campaign ranked 12th.

The Gamecocks handed the Redhawks their only OVC loss.

Defending national champion Eastern Washington is the top-ranked preseason team. The Eagles beat Southeast in the second round of last year's playoffs on their way to the title.

Appalachian State was ranked second Monday, with William & Mary, Georgia Southern and Delaware rounding out the top five.

Southern Illinois, Southeast's season-opening opponent Sept. 3 at Houck Stadium, is ranked 19th.

The other major FCS poll, voted on by coaches, will be released Aug. 22.