The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga opens the 2017 season ranked No. 12 in the STATS FCS Top 25. This listing is one of two officially recognized by the NCAA.Â
A national panel of sports information/media relations directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries select the STATS FCS Top 25. A first-place vote is worth 25 points, with 24 points for second all the way down to one point for a 25th-place tally.
The Top 25 is released every Monday afternoon during the regular season, except for Sunday morning, Nov. 19, prior to the selection of the 24-team FCS playoff field. A final poll follows the FCS championship game played Jan. 6 in Frisco, Texas.
The Mocs are coming off a 9-4 season that resulted in their third consecutive trip to the FCS Playoffs. UTC lost at No. 1 Sam Houston State 41-36 in a second-round shootout last year.
Chattanooga's season-opening opponent, Jacksonville State, checks in at No. 6. The Mocs and Gamecocks face off in the Guardian Kickoff Classic on Saturday, Aug. 26. That game airs on ESPN at 6:30 p.m. (E.D.T.) from Montgomery, Ala.Â
Defending FCS Champion James Madison, collected 134 of the 163 first-place votes and 4,034 points in the national media poll. North Dakota State, Sam Houston State, South Dakota State and Eastern Washington round out the top five.Â
Other Southern Conference teams in the listing include No. 11 Wofford, No. 16 The Citadel and No. 19 Samford. Mercer and ETSUÂ are among others receiving votes.
Season tickets and mini-plans are on sale now on GoMocs.com. UTC has a five-game home schedule, beginning with UT Martin, which received votes as well, on Sept. 16.
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| Rank |
School |
Votes |
Prev |
| 1 |
James Madison (0-0) |
4034 (134) |
NR |
| 2 |
North Dakota State (0-0) |
3874 (19) |
NR |
| 3 |
Sam Houston State (0-0) |
3610 (7) |
NR |
| 4 |
South Dakota State (0-0) |
3385 (2) |
NR |
| 5 |
Eastern Washington (0-0) |
3270 |
NR |
| 6 |
Jacksonville State (0-0) |
3081 (1) |
NR |
| 7 |
Richmond (0-0) |
3041 |
NR |
| 8 |
North Dakota (0-0) |
2871 |
NR |
| 9 |
Youngstown State (0-0) |
2658 |
NR |
| 10 |
Villanova (0-0) |
2628 |
NR |
| 11 |
Wofford (0-0) |
2543 |
NR |
| 12 |
CHATTANOOGA (0-0) |
1995 |
NR |
| 13 |
New Hampshire (0-0) |
1741 |
NR |
| 14 |
Charleston Southern (0-0) |
1710 |
NR |
| 15 |
Central Arkansas (0-0) |
1685 |
NR |
| 16 |
Citadel (0-0) |
1545 |
NR |
| 17 |
Lehigh (0-0) |
1369 |
NR |
| 18 |
UNI (0-0) |
924 |
NR |
| 19 |
Samford (0-0) |
893 |
NR |
| 20 |
Illinois State (0-0) |
876 |
NR |
| 21 |
Grambling State (0-0) |
692 |
NR |
| 22 |
Fordham (0-0) |
604 |
NR |
| 23 |
Cal Poly (0-0) |
427 |
NR |
| 24 |
Albany (0-0) |
418 |
NR |
| 25 |
Western Illinois (0-0) |
367 |
NR |
Among others receiving votes: UT Martin (90),Â
Mercer (6),
ETSU (3).
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