The FCS football season kicks off Aug. 24 at noon ET. As the return to football approaches, we're beginning to get a glimpse at how the 2020 FCS playoff field may project.
Below are the preseason polls released for each FCS conference ahead of the 2019-20 season, as voted on by coaches or media members. First-place votes are listed in parentheses.
Big Sky Conference (Coaches)
1. Eastern Washington (10).......................................140
2. UC Davis (2)...........................................................127
3. Weber State..............................................................124
4. Montana (1) ............................................................104
5. Montana State .........................................................100
6. Northern Arizona.....................................................88
7. Idaho State.................................................................72
8. Idaho ..........................................................................65
9. Cal Poly......................................................................56
10. Portland State..........................................................42
11. Sacramento State ....................................................40
12. Southern Utah ........................................................38
13. Northern Colorado ................................................19
2018 champion: Weber State
PRESEASON HONORS: STATS FCS All-American team | Complete history of the FCS Walter Payton Award
Big South Conference
1. Kennesaw State (14).............................................. 134
2. Monmouth (5)....................................................... 122
3. Charleston Southern (1)......................................... 79
4. Campbell .................................................................. 73
5. Gardner-Webb......................................................... 67
6. Hampton................................................................... 64
7. Presbyterian College ............................................... 21
2018 champion: Kennesaw State
New Team.
— Kennesaw State Football (@kennesawstfb) July 23, 2019
New Opportunity.
New Challenge.
And we have a lot to prove. We're ready. pic.twitter.com/FWZUeYj5zl
CAA Football
1. James Madison (20)................................................238
2. Towson (3)...............................................................217
3. Maine (1).................................................................201
4. Elon ..........................................................................164
5. Delaware ..................................................................162
6. Stony Brook.............................................................151
7. New Hampshire......................................................109
8. Rhode Island ...........................................................104
9. Villanova....................................................................84
10. Richmond................................................................62
11. William & Mary......................................................58
12. Albany...................................................................34
2018 champion: Maine
Ivy League
1. Yale (9)...................................................................119
2. Dartmouth (2)...................................................................111
3. Princeton (4)...................................................................107
4. Harvard (1)...................................................................93
5. Penn...................................................................67
6. Columbia (1)...................................................................61
7. Cornell...................................................................29
8. Brown...................................................................24
2018 champion: Princeton
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
1. North Carolina A&T (12)
2. Bethune-Cookman (1)
3. Florida A&M (2)
4. Howard
5. North Carolina Central (1)
6. South Carolina State
7. Norfolk State (1)
8. Morgan State (1)
9. Delaware State
2018 champion: North Carolina A&T
2019 PREVIEW: Week 1 schedule and top games to watch | 5 potential FCS over FBS upsets
Missouri Valley Football Conference
1. North Dakota State (32)......................................392
2. South Dakota State (4).........................................348
3. Illinois State (3).....................................................289
4. Indiana State (1) ...................................................279
5. UNI ........................................................................266
6. South Dakota .........................................................176
7. Youngstown State .................................................153
8. Western Illinois.....................................................128
9. Southern Illinois.....................................................89
10. Missouri State ........................................................80
2018 champion: North Dakota State
Congrats to Jabril Cox, Zack Johnson, Derrek Tuszka and Garret Wegner, our four STATS #FCS Preseason All-Americans! https://t.co/fjs34E3MKD pic.twitter.com/NntBfCLpxr
— NDSU Football (@NDSUfootball) July 30, 2019
Northeast Conference
1. Duquesne (7)
2. Sacred Heart (1)
3. Central Connecticut
4. Wagner
5. Bryant
6. Saint Francis
7. Robert Morris
8. Long Island
2018 champion: Duquesne
Ohio Valley Conference
1. Jacksonville State (14)............................................126
2. Southeast Missouri (4)...........................................115
3. Eastern Kentucky......................................................98
4. Austin Peay................................................................70
T-5. Murray State..............................................................61
T-5. Tennessee State .........................................................61
7. UT Martin .................................................................60
8. Eastern Illinois..........................................................35
9. Tennessee Tech .........................................................22
2018 champion: Jacksonville State
Patriot League
1. Colgate (12)...............................................................72
2. Holy Cross (2)...........................................................58
3. Georgetown...............................................................51
4. Fordham ....................................................................39
5. Lehigh ........................................................................38
6. Lafayette.....................................................................21
7. Bucknell.....................................................................15
2018 champion: Colgate
Pioneer Football League
1. San Diego (7) ............................................................79
2. Dayton (2).................................................................66
3. Drake..........................................................................64
4. Marist.........................................................................52
5. Davidson....................................................................48
6. Stetson........................................................................44
7. Butler..........................................................................37
8. Jacksonville................................................................30
T-9. Morehead State .........................................................15
T-9. Valparaiso ..................................................................15
2018 champion: San Diego
Winning in the Classroom. Winning on the Playing Field. Winning in the Community.
— San Diego Toreros (@USDToreros) May 14, 2019
We are San Diego.#GoToreros pic.twitter.com/Bc4vDcJUdO
Southern Conference
1. Wofford (7)................................................................63
2. Furman (1)................................................................55
3. ETSU (1)....................................................................44
4. Chattanooga..............................................................40
5. Mercer........................................................................34
6. Samford......................................................................33
7. The Citadel ................................................................22
8. Western Carolina......................................................21
9. VMI............................................................................12
2018 champion: Wofford
Southland Conference
1. Nicholls (20)............................................................200
2. Central Arkansas....................................................154
3. UIW (1) ...................................................................150
4. Sam Houston State .................................................146
5. Lamar.......................................................................123
6. McNeese ..................................................................114
7. Abilene Christian (1).............................................112
8. Southeastern Louisiana ...........................................71
9. Stephen F. Austin......................................................63
10. Northwestern State.................................................56
11. Houston Baptist......................................................21
2018 champion: Nicholls
FCS HISTORY: 9 all-time winningest FCS teams | The longest active win streaks entering 2019-20
Southwestern Athletic Conference
EAST
Alcorn State...................................................................92
Alabama A&M..............................................................70
Jackson State..................................................................61
Alabama State ...............................................................47
Mississippi Valley State ................................................30
WEST
Southern ........................................................................90
Prairie View A&M........................................................78
Grambling State ............................................................74
Texas Southern..............................................................34
Arkansas-Pine Bluff......................................................24
2018 champion: Alcorn State
