WACO, Texas — Carson-Newman is ranked No. 9 in the 2010 American Football Coaches Association Preseason Division II Coaches' Poll, which was released on Monday.
The Eagles are coming off an 11-3 campaign in 2009 in which they won the program's 21st South Atlantic Conference title and advanced the semifinals of the NCAA playoffs. C-N is the only SAC team in the rankings.
Defending national champion Northwest Missouri State is the favorite to repeat with 22 first-place votes, while Grand Valley State, which defeated C-N in the NCAA semifinals, is ranked No. 2 with three first-place votes. North Alabama will open the season ranked No. 3, followed by Minnesota-Duluth at No. 4 and Central Washington at No. 5.
UNC-Pembroke, which plays C-N on Sept. 25 in Pembroke, N.C., is ranked No. 23.
The Eagles open the 2010 season on Aug. 28 at home against Winona State. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at Burke-Tarr Stadium.
