SME Network Top 25 Poll
MELVILLE, N.Y. ? Two Ohio Valley Conference schools - Eastern Illinois and Eastern Kentucky - were ranked in the Sports Media Entertainment (SME) Network Preseason Top 25 Broadcasters’ Poll which was released on Monday. Two other schools - Jacksonville State and UT Martin - were among the other receiving votes.
Once again this season, 20 broadcasters from around the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) will take part in ranking which will be released each Monday. The two other national polls - the Sports Network and FCS Coaches Poll - have not yet released a 2008 poll.
Eastern Illinois, who was an at-large selection in the FCS Playoffs last season, was tabbed No. 16 in the SME poll. They were five spots ahead of defending OVC Champion Eastern Kentucky who was picked 21st. Jacksonville State and UT Martin were among the 24 FCS schools in the others receiving votes category.
Three-time defending national champion Appalachian State received 19 of the 20 top votes and were tabbed preseason No. 1 nationally.
Our voters consist of Radio and TV broadcasters from around the FCS. The following is a list of voters that will be participating each week with the school or affiliation that they broadcast for in parenthesis. Ray Alexander (SME Network); Ralph Bednarczyk (SME Network); Ken Berthelot (Nicholls St); Chris Blair (Georgia Southern); Mike Bradd (Eastern Illinois); Mike Corey (Delaware); Kody Fedorchia (Lehigh); Brant Freeman (Texas St); Bob Hannon (Youngstown State); Mick Holien (Montana); Matt Hogue (Coastal Carolina); Keith Irizarry (SME Network); David Jackson (Appalachian St); Eric Malanowski (Colgate); Spiro Maricas (Towson); Jerry Oster (South Dakota St); Gary Rima (Northern Iowa); Jim Reynolds (Chattanooga); Greg Rice (SME Network); Mitch Strohman (Northern Arizona).