Ferris State Football Team Ranked No. 1 in First Preseason Poll as Defending NCAA DII Champions
BIG RAPIDS, Mich. — The Ferris State University football team, the reigning NCAA DII national champions, has been ranked as the No. 1 team in the nation in the first preseason poll, according to Lindy’s Sports. The Alabama-based publication revealed its Division II top 10 rankings in its annual college football yearbook, which was released this month.
The Bulldogs, who have won the national title in three of the last four years, claimed the top spot. Harding University in Arkansas secured the second position, followed by Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania at No. 3, the University of West Florida in fourth, and Colorado State University–Pueblo rounding out the top five.
Ferris State had impressive playoff victories over both Harding and Slippery Rock during last season’s championship run.
The second half of the rankings featured Grand Valley State University at No. 6, Western Colorado University in seventh, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania in eighth, Bemidji State University in Minnesota at No. 9, and Minnesota State University at No. 10.
Looking ahead, Ferris State is set to begin its 116th season of varsity football, aiming for a historic 11th consecutive appearance in the NCAA Division II playoffs.
The Bulldogs have made six national semifinal appearances, along with four trips to the national championship game, highlighted by back-to-back national titles in 2021 and 2022, as well as this past year in 2024.
Over the past four seasons, Ferris State boasts a 50-5 record. The team has also reached the NCAA Division II National Semifinals six times in the past eight seasons and is currently the winningest program in DII football over the last 10 years. The Bulldogs hold a 77-7 record over the last five seasons, including back-to-back national championships in 2021 and 2022.
Since Tony Annese became head coach in 2012, Ferris State has dominated the GLIAC with a 137-21 overall record, which translates to an impressive .867 winning percentage.
The Bulldogs will kick off the 2025 season at home, hosting Pittsburg State from Kansas in a highly anticipated DII National Showdown on Thursday, August 28, at Top Taggart Field. The game is set to start at 6 p.m.
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