Two-time defending national champion North Dakota State was ranked No. 1 in the Football Championship Subdivision preseason polls released this week by College Sporting News and The Sports Network.

NDSU has gone 28-2 over the past two seasons including victories against Minnesota and Colorado State of the Football Bowl Subdivision. The Bison defeated Sam Houston State 39-13 in the FCS championship game to cap a 14-1 campaign in 2012, the second consecutive season in which the two teams met in the title game.
 
The Bison will return 18 starters, including All-American selections Billy Turner at tackle and Marcus Williams at cornerback. The Bison also bring back starting quarterback and 2012 FCS National Championship MVP Brock Jensen who threw for 2,331 yards and 17 touchdowns last season.

North Dakota State's season opener Aug. 30 at Kansas State will be televised live on Fox Sports 1 at 7:30 p.m.

The Sports Network FCS Top 25

Team (First-place votes)		2012 Record	Points	Previous Rank
1.	North Dakota State Bison (127)	14-1	3340	1
2.	Montana State Bobcats (1)	11-2	3079	5
3.	Sam Houston State Bearkats (5)	11-4	2941	2
4.	Eastern Washington Eagles	11-3	2873	4
5.	Villanova Wildcats	8-4	2334	15
6.	South Dakota State Jackrabbits	9-4	2268	14
7.	Central Arkansas Bears	9-3	2244	10
8.	Wofford Terriers	9-4	2089	7
9.	Georgia Southern Eagles (1)	10-4	2002	3
10.	New Hampshire Wildcats	8-4	1920	13
11.	Towson Tigers	7-4	1871	17
12.	Appalachian State Mountaineers	8-4	1696	9
13.	Illinois State Redbirds	9-4	1657	8
14.	Cal Poly Mustangs	9-3	1646	12
15.	Richmond Spiders	8-3	1384	18
16.	Stony Brook Seawolves	10-3	1178	11
17.	Northern Iowa Panthers	5-6	1106	NR
18.	Northern Arizona Lumberjacks	8-3	988	20
19.	James Madison Dukes	7-4	964	19
20.	Montana Grizzlies	5-6	813	NR
21.	Eastern Illinois Panthers	7-5	686	NR
22.	Lehigh Mountain Hawks	10-1	587	16
23.	Bethune-Cookman Wildcats	9-3	514	22
24.	Chattanooga Mocs	6-5	505	NR
25.	Coastal Carolina Chanticleers	8-5	489	24

Others receiving votes: Eastern Kentucky 468, Youngstown State 463, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 174, Colgate 174, Tennessee State 151, Wagner 140, Delaware 130, The Citadel 100, Indiana State 90, Penn 57, McNeese State 46, Sacramento State 44, Samford 39, Southern Illinois 39, Harvard 35, South Carolina State 32, Southeastern Louisiana 30, Tennessee-Martin 29, Stephen F. Austin 17, San Diego 15, Albany 13, Liberty 12, Bucknell 11, Grambling State 8, North Carolina Central 8, Tennessee Tech 6, Jackson State 6, Furman 4, Alabama A&M 4, Alabama State 4, Alcorn State 4, William & Mary 4, Jacksonville State 3, Missouri State 3, Weber State 2, Murray State 2, Butler 2, Elon 2, Florida A&M 2, Northwestern State 1, Duquesne 1, Drake 1.

College Sporting News FCS Preseason Top 25
1. North Dakota State
2. Montana State
3. Georgia Southern
4. Eastern Washington
5. Sam Houston State
6. Villanova
7. Appalachian State
8. Towson
9. South Dakota State
10. Central Arkansas
11. New Hampshire
12. Illinois State
13. Northern Iowa
14. Wofford
15. Montana 
16. Northern Arizona
17. Stony Brook
18. Eastern Illinois
19. Cal Poly
20. Richmond
21. James Madison
22. Chattanooga
23. Coastal Carolina
24. Youngstown State
25. Delaware

Others receiving votes: Tennessee State, Bethune-Cookman, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Wagner, Lehigh, Colgate, Sacramento State, The Citadel.