June 22, 2009

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. -- The Carson-Newman football team is ranked eighth in the nation according to The Sporting News Division II Preseason Top 25 Poll.

Grand Valley State is No. 1, followed by Northwest Missouri State, defending national champion Minnesota-Duluth, Delta State and Edinboro.

North Alabama, which will host the Eagles for a marquee Division II matchup on Sept. 5 in Florence, Ala., is 11th in the poll.

Tusculum is ranked 12th and is the only other South Atlantic Conference team to make the poll.

The Eagles went 7-4 in 2008, shared the SAC title with Tusculum and Newberry and received a bid to the NCAA Division II playoffs, where they lost to Valdosta State 24-20 in the first round.

Carson-Newman opens its 2009 campaign on Thursday, Aug. 27 at Winona State (Minn.).

Sporting News Division II Preseason Top 25
1. Grand Valley State
2. Northwest Missouri State
3. Minnesota-Duluth
4. Delta State
5. Edinboro
6. Pittsburg State
7. Bloomsburg
8. Carson-Newman
9. Central Oklahoma
10. Central Washington
11. North Alabama
12. Tusculum
13. California (Pa.)
14. Ashland
15. Abilene Christian
16. Tuskegee
17. Chadron State
18. Minnesota State-Mankato
19. Valdosta State
20. Nebraska-Kearney
21. Seton Hill
22. Indiana (Pa.)
23. American International
24. Arkansas Tech
25. Shaw