University of Albany Football Leaps To No. 24 Ranking In Sports Network Top-25 Poll - UAlbany Sports

Courtesy: UA Sports

PHILADELPHIA -- After winning only one game in 2013, the University at Albany football program has turned over a new leaf, opening the 2014 season with three consecutive victories and earning a No. 24 ranking in The Sports Network Top-25 Poll.

UAlbany was last ranked in 2012 when the Great Danes sat at No. 20 in the media poll and No. 18 in the Coaches Poll with a 7-1 overall record, earning the program’s highest Division I rating in history. The Danes entered The Sports Network Top-25 in in Week 8 at No 24, and then topped out at No. 20 the following week before falling out of the ranks. 

UAlbany is 3-0 for the first time since 2001 and is one of 11 FCS teams still with an undefeated record. Overcoming Holy Cross (14-13), Central Connecticut State (19-0), and Rhode Island (37-20), UAlbany ranks first in the CAA and third in FCS for scoring defense (11.0), as well as first in conference and fourth in FCS for rushing defense (72.3). The Great Danes also rank first in the nation for turnover margin (2.67), gaining nine turnovers this season, while losing only one. In addition, UAlbany is tied for fourth in FCS for fumble recoveries, recovering seven, while losing none.

The Danes’ most recent win over URI marked the program’s first CAA victory, as well as Head Coach Greg Gattuso’s 100th career win. Gattuso, in his first season at the helm and 13th overall as a head coach, is the winningest active coach at the FCS level with .758 winning percentage.

A national panel of sports information and media relations directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries select The Sports Network Top 25. In the voting, a first-place vote is worth 25 points, a second-place vote 24 points, all the way down to one point for a 25th-place vote.

Up next, UAlbany steps out of conference play, hosting Columbia on Sept. 27 at 6:00 p.m. at Bob Ford Field.

Team (First-place votes)		2014 Record	Points	Previous Rank
1.	North Dakota State Bison (150)	4-0	3966	1
2.	Eastern Washington Eagles (9)	3-1	3819	2
3.	Coastal Carolina Chanticleers	4-0	3405	5
4.	New Hampshire Wildcats	2-1	3292	7
5.	McNeese State Cowboys	1-1	3207	6
6.	Villanova Wildcats	2-1	3180	8
7.	Montana Grizzlies	2-2	3008	4
8.	Jacksonville State Gamecocks	2-1	2825	9
9.	South Dakota State Jackrabbits	3-1	2710	10
10.	Northern Iowa Panthers	1-2	2350	11
11.	Southeastern Louisiana Lions	2-2	2323	3
12.	William & Mary Tribe	3-1	2008	13
13.	Montana State Bobcats	2-2	1739	14
14.	Chattanooga Mocs	1-2	1619	15
15.	Bethune-Cookman Wildcats	2-1	1539	12
16.	Fordham Rams	3-1	1502	18
17.	Southern Illinois Salukis	3-1	1500	16
18.	Youngstown State Penguins	3-1	1383	19
19.	Eastern Kentucky Colonels	4-0	1186	23
20.	Richmond Spiders	2-2	1124	17
21.	Tennessee State Tigers	3-1	906	20
22.	Liberty Flames	3-1	739	24
23.	Illinois State Redbirds	2-0	291	NR
24.	UAlbany Great Danes	3-0	269	NR
25.	Delaware Blue Hens	2-1	181	NR
Others receiving votes: Sam Houston State 161, Northern Arizona 145, Towson 137, Furman 136, Samford 118, Missouri State 116, Southeast Missouri State 73, James Madison 65, Indiana State 61, Charleston Southern 60, Harvard 55, Bryant 55, Alabama State 46, North Carolina A&T 42, Alcorn State 36, Eastern Illinois 35, South Carolina State 33, South Dakota 27, Maine 25, Presbyterian 23, Wofford 19, Northwestern State 18, Bucknell 18, Sacramento State 17, Gardner-Webb 17, San Diego 14, Abilene Christian 13, Texas Southern 10, Tennessee Tech 8, Princeton 6, Western Illinois 4, Stephen F. Austin 3, Cal Poly 2, Sacred Heart 2, Central Arkansas 2, Western Carolina 1, Lamar 1