Southeastern ranked 15th, Nicholls 22nd in Stats Perform FCS Preseason Top 25

Details from SLU and Nicholls press releases:

Southeastern Louisiana is ranked 15th while Nicholls is 22nd in the Stats Perform FCS Preseason Top 25 released on Monday.

Southeastern, which finished its final split-squad practice of fall camp on Monday, was ranked No. 20 in the final Stats Perform national poll for the 2020 season which was moved to the spring.

Under seventh-year head coach Tim Rebowe, Nicholls has been a regular in the national rankings since cracking the preseason poll in 2018. The Colonels climbed into the FCS rankings during the 2017 campaign which ended with their first of three consecutive playoff appearances.

The Lions, one of the last four teams out of the FCS Playoffs last season, are armed with a league-high 16 preseason All-Southland Conference returners – more than the previous three seasons combined. SLU, which was picked to win the Southland Conference last month, has been ranked nationally in the preseason polls from Athlon Sports (15th), Hero Sports (13th) and College Football America Yearbook (10th).

Southeastern is one of two Southland Conference schools appearing in the top 25, as Nicholls is ranked No. 22 by Stats Perform. The Lions and Colonels renew the River Bell Classic rivalry on Oct. 9 in Thibodaux and meet again in Hammond on Nov. 18. UIW, which SLU travels to face on Nov. 6, is among the schools receiving votes.

The Lions will be back on the practice field on Wednesday for a 9 a.m. practice. Southeastern will open the 2021 season on Sept. 4, hosting North Alabama at 6 p.m. in Strawberry Stadium.

The Colonels opened fall camp on Friday and finished their fourth practice Monday morning. The team is scheduled for its first scrimmage of the fall on Saturday at 9 a.m.

2021 Stats Perform FCS Preseason Top 25

School – Points (First-place votes)

1. Sam Houston – 1,228 (39)
2. James Madison – 1,180 (8)
3. South Dakota State – 1,156 (3)
4. North Dakota State – 1,116
5. Delaware – 1,017
6. Weber State – 927
7. Southern Illinois – 888
8. North Dakota – 886
9. Montana – 778
10. Jacksonville State – 744
11. Eastern Washington – 659
12. Montana State – 654
13. Monmouth – 618
14. Central Arkansas – 561
15. Southeastern – 559
16. Villanova – 440
17. VMI – 397
18. Chattanooga – 295
19. Kennesaw State – 255
20. Austin Peay – 227
21. Northern Iowa – 219
22. Nicholls – 173
23. UC Davis – 172
24. Missouri State – 168
25. North Carolina A&T – 159

Others Receiving Votes: Murray State 157, Richmond 113, ETSU 99, Sacramento State 57, Alabama A&M 49, Florida A&M 47, New Hampshire 42, Alcorn State 35, Holy Cross 22, Samford 20, UIW 19, Sacred Heart 17, Albany 14, Illinois State 10, Rhode Island 10, South Carolina State 10, Stephen F. Austin 10, Duquesne 4, Southeast Missouri 3.

2021 opponents in bold italics