FB: Mustangs to open season at No. 18 in D2Football.com poll
WICHITA FALLS, Texas - Midwestern State will have a fight on its hands to return to the NCAA Division II playoffs as the Southwest Region placed eight teams in the D2Football.com Preseason Top 25 Media Poll released Wednesday.
The Mustangs open the year at No. 18 in the poll three spots behind West Texas A&M (No. 15) and two places below Lone Star Conference South Division favorite Abilene Christian (No. 16). The three South Division schools are the lone representative from the LSC.
National runner-up Northwest Missouri State headlines a pack of four schools from the Mid-America Athletic Association at No. 2, while Pittsburg State (Kan.) is ranked No. 12, Missouri Western is No. 23 and Washburn (Kan.) is No. 24.
Chadron State, which is led by returning Harlon Hill winner Danny Woodhead, is the favorite out of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference and is ranked No. 5 by D2Football.com.
Midwestern State earned a spot in two other preseason polls including a No. 12 ranking in Lindy's College Football Preview and were 15th in Street & Smith's Division II Preseason Top 25.
The Mustangs, who advanced to the postseason for the second time in three seasons and tied a school record in wins by going 10-3, open the season on Aug. 25 at Adams State in Alamosa, Colo.
D2Football.com Preseason Top 25
| Rank | Team | 2006 Record |
| 1 | Grand Valley State (Mich.) | 15-0 |
| 2 | Northwest Missouri | 14-1 |
| 3 | North Dakota | 11-2 |
| 4 | North Alabama | 11-1 |
| 5 | Chadron State (Neb.) | 12-1 |
| 6 | Nebraska-Omaha | 8-3 |
| 7 | Delta State (Miss.) | 12-3 |
| 8 | Shepherd (W. Va.) | 11-1 |
| 9 | South Dakota | 9-4 |
| 10 | Valdosta State (Ga.) | 8-2 |
| 11 | Bloomsburg (Pa.) | 12-2 |
| 12 | Pittsburg State (Kan.) | 10-2 |
| 13 | Northwood (Mich.) | 8-3 |
| 14 | Newberry (S.C.) | 11-2 |
| 15 | West Texas A&M | 11-2 |
| 16 | Abilene Christian (Texas) | 8-3 |
| 17 | West Chester (Pa.) | 9-4 |
| 18 | Midwestern State (Texas) | 10-3 |
| 19 | Elizabeth City (N.C.) | 9-3 |
| 20 | Bemidji State (Minn.) | 9-3 |
| 21 | California (Pa.) | 8-3 |
| 22 | Carson-Newman (Tenn.) | 8-3 |
| 23 | Missouri Western | 9-3 |
| 24 | Washburn (Kan.) | 7-4 |
| 25 | Albany State (Ga.) | 7-4 |