Villanova Football Picked To Win CAA, Ranked 7th Nationally

After a major bounceback season in 2012 which saw the Villanova Wildcats finish as co-CAA champions and receive the league's auto-bid to the FCS Playoffs, preseason expectations are right back where they belong for one of the FCS' premier programs.

After finishing 2012 ranked #15/16, The Sporting News released their preseason FCS Top 25, and Villanova comes in ranked 7th. TSN is also projecting Villanova to win the CAA conference (albeit outright this time around).

The rankings (CAA teams in bold):

1. North Dakota State
2.Georgia Southern
3. Montana State
4. Eastern Washington
5. Appalachian State
6. Sam Houston State
7. Villanova
8. South Dakota State
9. Illinois State
10. Old Dominion
11. Central Arkansas
12. Northern Iowa
13. Towson
14. Montana
15. Richmond
16. Arkansas Pine-Bluff
17. Northern Arizona
18. Stony Brook
19. Eastern Illinois
20. Chattanooga
21. Cal Poly
22. New Hampshire
23. Colgate
24. Sacramento State
25. Bethune-Cookman

It's worth noting that Georgia Southern, Appalachian State, and Old Dominion are not eligible for the FCS playoffs this season as they will be transitioning to FBS football.

And here's the CAA preseason poll from TSN:

1. Villanova
2. Towson
3. Richmond
4. Stony Brook
5. New Hampshire
6. James Madison
7. Maine
8. UAlbany
9. Delaware
10. William and Mary
11. Rhode Island

Is it football season yet?

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