Preseason polls are necessary. While anyone with an ounce of perspective realizes they don't matter, it gets people ready for the upcoming season when the appetite for football talk is high.
It's always enjoyable to go back and compare these polls to where things are at today. Usually, most of the conference preseason rankings get shredded with surprise performances.
How this season has played out is proof that what appears "on paper" during the summer months doesn't always reflect what happens on the gridiron. Here are teams who have soared past their predicted place in their conference standings:
[divider]MORE FCS FOOTBALL:
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Sacramento State
Conference: Big Sky
Picked: 12th out of 13 teams
In: T-2nd
Conference Record: 4-1 (6-3 overall)
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New Hampshire
Conference: CAA
Picked: 7th out of 12 teams
In: T-2nd
Conference Record: 4-1 (5-3 overall)
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Richmond
Conference: CAA
Picked: 10th out of 12 teams
In: T-2nd
Conference Record: 4-1 (5-4 overall)
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Villanova
Conference: CAA
Picked: 9th out of 12 teams
In: T-5th
Conference Record: 3-3 (6-3 overall)
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Albany
Conference: CAA
Picked: 12th out of 12 teams
In: 4th
Conference Record: 3-2 (5-4 overall)
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South Carolina State
Conference: MEAC
Picked: 6th out of 9 teams
In: T-3rd
Conference Record: 3-2 (5-3 overall)
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Southern Illinois
Conference: MVFC
Picked: 9th out of 10 teams
In: T-4th
Conference Record: 3-2 (5-4 overall)
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UT Martin
Conference: OVC
Picked: 7th out of 9 teams
In: 1st
Conference Record: 5-1 (6-3 overall)
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Lehigh
Conference: Patriot
Picked: 5th out of 7 teams
In: 2nd
Conference Record: 3-1 (4-4 overall)
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Lafayette
Conference: Patriot
Picked: 6th out of 7 teams
In: 3rd
Conference Record: 2-1 (2-7 overall)
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The Citadel
Conference: SoCon
Picked: 7th out of 9 teams
In: 3rd
Conference Record: 4-2 (6-4 overall)
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Southeastern Louisiana
Conference: Southland
Picked: 8th out of 11 teams
In: T-2nd
Conference Record: 4-2 (5-3 overall)
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NEXT: Top 15 Favorites To Win The National Title After Week 10
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