Missouri Valley Football Conference defending champion UNI has been picked to win the MVFC crown in 2011.
The Panthers received the top spot in a poll conducted by league coaches, media and sports information directors.
UNI, which has been ranked in 81-straight regular-season polls, received 316 total points and 29 of 36 first-place votes. The Panthers were one of three league teams in the FCS playoffs last year and finished the 2010 league slate with a 6-2 mark and outright MVFC crown.
North Dakota State finished second in the balloting, earning six first-place votes and 275 points. The Bison also qualified for the FCS playoffs and won two games before falling in the quarterfinals in overtime to Eastern Washington - the eventual national champ.
Southern Illinois, which finished in a six-way tie for third place last year, received the remaining first-place vote and earned 207 points to finish third in the pre-season balloting.
The next three spots in the pre-season poll were tightly contested, as four points separated South Dakota State (172), Illinois State (169) and Indiana State (168).
The last three pre-season favorites (NDSU-2008, UNI-2009, SIU-2010) did not win the league, but a pre-season favorite has claimed the league crown 13 times (in 25 previous polls).
2011 Valley Football Preseason Poll
Team (first-place votes)....................Points
1. UNI (29).............................................316
2. North Dakota State (6).......................275
3. Southern Illinois (1)............................207
4. South Dakota State...........................172
5. Illinois State.......................................169
6. Indiana State.....................................168
7. Western Illinois..................................151
8. Youngstown State................................88
9. Missouri State......................................74
2011 Missouri Valley Football Preseason Team
Name, School Ht. Wt. Yr. Hometown / Previous School
QB- Tirrell Rennie, UNI 6-0 201 Sr. N. Lauderdale (Fla.) Coconut Creek HS
RB- Jamaine Cook, YSU 5-9 200 Jr. Cleveland (Ohio) Midpark High
D.J. McNorton, NDSU 5-10 204 Sr. Channelview (Texas) High
FB- Brock Lough, INS 6-0 220 Sr. Terre Haute (Ind.) South Vigo High
WR- Jermaine Saffold, MSU 6-1 198 Sr. Grandview (Mo.) High / C. Missouri
Tyrone Walker, ILS 5-11 200 Jr. Indianapolis (Ind.) Cardinal Ritter
TE- Alex Jones, INS 6-3 235 Sr. Centerville (Ind.) High
OL- Bryan Boemer, SIU 6-2 317 Sr. St. Louis (Mo.) Vianney High
Paul Cornick, NDSU 6-6 311 Sr. Orono (Minn.) High
Cal McCarthy, ILS 6-2 285 Sr. Shorewood (Ill.) Minooka High
David Pickard, SIU 6-5 306 Sr. Oak Park (Ill.) High
Andrew Radakovich, YSU 6-6 315 Jr. Steubenville (Ohio) High
Jay Teply, UNI 6-7 328 Sr. Cedar Rapids (Iowa) Xavier
PK- Ryan Jastram, NDSU 6-1 205 Sr. Sioux Falls (S.D.) Roosevelt / NM State
DL- Ben Boothby, UNI 6-0 280 Sr. Clinton (Iowa) High
Coulter Boyer, NDSU 6-4 248 Sr. Hurley (S.D.) High
Eric Brunner, ILS 6-2 285 Sr. Greendale (Wis.) High
Ben Obaseki, INS 6-3 235 Jr. Washington (Ind.) High
LB- L.J. Fort, UNI 6-1 228 Sr. Waynesville (Mo.) High
Josh Howe, ILS 6-0 235 Sr. Chicago Heights (Ill.) Marian Catholic
Michael Lien, SDSU 6-0 235 Sr. Castaic (Calif.) Valencia High
Jacolby Washington, INS 6-1 235 Jr. Deltona (Fla.) Deltona Trinity Christian
DB- Calvin Burnett, INS 5-9 160 So. Orlando (Fla.) Freedom High / Hofstra
Mike McElroy, SIU 6-1 212 Sr. Lowell (Mich.) High
Alex Sewall, INS 6-1 210 Sr. Western Springs (Ill.) Lyons Township
J.J. Swain, UNI 6-0 170 Jr. Burnsville (Minn.) Acad. of Holy Angels
Marcus Williams, NDSU 5-11 191 So. Minnetonka (Minn.) Hopkins High
P- Nick Liste, YSU 5-10 185 So. Niles (Ohio) Niles McKinley High
Kyle Bernard, UNI 6-1 198 Jr. Cedar Falls (Iowa) High
RS- Carlos Anderson, UNI 5-8 172 Jr. Blue Springs (Mo.) High
Honorable Mention:
QB Matt Brown (Illinois State); QB Ronnie Fouch (Indiana State); RB Chris Douglas (Missouri State); WR Terriun Crump (Western Illinois); WR Marvon Sanders (Illinois State); OL Nick Bledsoe (Illinois State); OL Jonathan Fick (South Dakota State); OL Brian Palangi (UNI); OL Jordan Valle (Western Illinois); PK Pat Smith (Western Illinois); DL Chance Coda (Southern Illinois); LB Aaron Archie (Indiana State); LB James Conley (UNI); LB Preston Evans (North Dakota State); DB Jimmie Strong (Missouri State); DB Andre Martin (UNI); DB Ryan Davis (Western Illinois); P Jordan Chiles (Missouri State); RS Jarred Herring (UNI).
