YSU 3rd in preseason poll; 4 Penguins on first team


August 2, 2012 at 9:08a.m.

The Youngstown State football team was picked to finish third in the Missouri Valley Football Conference's preseason poll, released Thursday.

Defending national champion North Dakota State got 37 of 38 first-place votes while perennial playoff contender Northern Iowa was picked second.

Four Penguins were chosen for the first team: QB Kurt Hess, RB Jamaine Cook and linemen Chris Elkins and Mark Pratt. Linebacker Teven Williams was chosen honorable mention.

Here's the complete poll:

Team (first-place votes) -- Points

  1. North Dakota State (37) -- 379

  2. UNI -- 300

  3. Youngstown State -- 291

  4. Illinois State (1) -- 287

  5. Indiana State -- 228

  6. South Dakota State -- 182

  7. Southern Illinois -- 167

  8. South Dakota -- 97

  9. Western Illinois -- 90

  10. Missouri State -- 69

For more, visit http://www.valley-football.org or read Friday's Vindicator or visit Vindy.com.