MISSOULA – The University of Montana is ranked third in the Sports Network’s preseason Football Championship Subdivision top 25 poll.
The poll, released Wednesday, had Appalachian State first with 79 first-place votes, defending champion Richmond in second with 72 first-place votes and last year’s runner-up, Montana in third. UM and fourth-ranked Northern Iowa each received two first-place votes.
The Big Sky Conference had two other teams in the poll, Weber State in ninth and Eastern Washington in 18th. The Sports Network poll nearly mirrored the FCS coaches poll, which had Appalachian State, Richmond and Montana as the top 3, Weber State in ninth and Eastern Washington in 17th.