• Complete AFCA FCS Coaches Preseason Top 25
Hot off the program's highest ranking in program history, the University of Tennessee at Martin football team will open the 2022 campaign ranked 15th in the AFCA FCS Coaches' Top 25 Poll.
Additionally, Murray State and Southeast Missouri were among the others receiving votes in the Coaches Poll.
The Skyhawks were tabbed 18th in last week's Stats Perform Top 25 poll, which is voted on by media.
Last season UT Martin went 10-3 while posting a 5-1 mark in league play to secure the program's second OVC championship and first since 2006. Along with the OVC title, the Skyhawks earned a berth into the NCAA Division I Football Championship where they picked up their first FCS playoff victory against Missouri State before falling in the second round to eventual national champion runner-up Montana State.
On the path to the OVC championship, the Skyhawks won a program record nine-straight games and ranked as high as No. 8 in the AFCA FCS Coaches' Top 25 Poll before claiming the 12th spot in the final postseason poll. The team became just the third squad in program history to eclipse 10 wins in a single season while picking up victories over nationally ranked foes Jacksonville State (No. 9) and Missouri State (No. 10) along the way.
American Football Coaches Association FCS Coaches' Top 25 Poll – August 15, 2022
1. North Dakota St. (24), 14-1, 624
2. Montana, 10-3, 567
3. South Dakota St. (1), 11-4, 566
4. Montana St., 12-3, 560
5. Villanova, 10-3, 493
6. Kennesaw St., 11-2, 453
7. Sacramento St., 9-3, 452
8. Missouri St., 8-4, 405
9. Southern Illinois, 8-5, 379
10. Stephen F. Austin, 8-4, 362
11. East Tennessee St., 11-2, 352
12. Eastern Washington, 10-3, 337
13. Chattanooga, 6-5, 294
14. UIW, 10-3, 277
15. UT Martin, 10-3, 257
16. Southeastern Louisiana, 9-4, 254
17. Jackson St., 11-2, 245
18. Holy Cross, 10-3, 184
19. Delaware, 5-6, 172
20. Weber St., 6-5, 141
21. Northern Iowa, 6-6, 119
22. UC Davis, 8-4, 101
23. Mercer, 7-3, 78
24t. Rhode Island, 7-4, 66
24t. Richmond, 6-5, 66
Others Receiving Votes: South Dakota, 49; Florida A&M, 44; Harvard, 38; South Carolina St., 38; Princeton, 29; Central Arkansas, 23; Eastern Kentucky, 18; Dartmouth, 17; Nicholls, 8; Furman, 6; North Carolina A&T, 6; William & Mary, 6;
Murray St., 5; Davidson, 3; Fordham, 3;
Southeast Missouri St., 3; North Dakota, 2; Utah Tech, 2; Austin Peay, 1; Elon, 1.