- FCS FOOTBALL -

Elon faces grueling schedule, starts season looking in at top 25 teams

Phoenix open at Wake Forest, then will visit No. 25 Gardner-Webb

Published

August 7, 2023

Elon football will face a loaded schedule this season, including a game against No. 25-ranked Gardner-Webb on Sept. 9. (Photo courtesy Elon University Athletics/ElonPhoenix.com)

(Source: ElonPhoenix.com) — The Elon University football team was among teams receiving votes in the Stats Perform FCS Preseason Top 25, as announced Monday. Elon received 61 votes to earn the 33^rd-most votes in the poll.

A year ago, Elon had just eight votes in the Stats Perform Preseason Top 25 poll but rose to as high as No. 12 in the country heading into the FCS playoffs. The Phoenix were ranked No. 17 in the end-of-season Stats Perform Top 25 poll, the program’s second-highest final national ranking in program history.

Elon’s schedule has been selected as one of the most difficult in the country in 2023 and the preseason poll bears that out as five of the team’s 10 FCS opponents are ranked and six received votes.

After playing at Wake Forest out of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) to open the season Aug. 31, Elon will play at No. 25 Gardner-Webb on Sept. 9. After hosting North Carolina A&T for the home opener Sept. 16 and playing at Campbell, Sept. 23, the Phoenix will host No. 4 William & Mary for Family Weekend on Sept. 30.

No. 19 North Carolina Central will be next on the docket with a home game Oct. 7 before Elon heads on the road to face Villanova, a team receiving eight votes, on Oct. 14. The Phoenix hosts Monmouth Oct. 21 for Homecoming before playing at No. 22 Delaware on Nov. 4. Elon’s final ranked opponent will be Nov. 11 as the Phoenix face No. 18 Richmond on the road. The season finale will be Nov. 18 at home against Hampton.

In total, five CAA teams were ranked, while both Elon and Villanova were among teams receiving votes. Outside of No. 4 William & Mary, No. 18 Richmond and No. 22 Delaware, the CAA also boasts No. 11 New Hampshire and No. 21 Rhode Island.

Stats Perform FCS Preseason Top 25 Poll (Presented by FedEx Ground)

1. South Dakota State (2022 Season: 14–1, 8–0 Missouri Valley), 1,400 points (56 first-place votes)
2. North Dakota State (12–3, 7–1 Missouri Valley), 1,329
3. Montana State (12–2, 8–0 Big Sky), 1,294
4. William & Mary (11–2, 7–1 CAA), 1,172
5. Holy Cross (12–1, 6–0 Patriot), 1,113
6. Furman (10–3, 7–1 Southern), 1,035
7. UIW (12–2, 5–1 Southland), 935
8. Idaho (7–5, 6–2 Big Sky), 932
9. Samford (11–2, 8–0 Southern), 885
10. Sacramento State (12–1, 8–0 Big Sky), 881
11. New Hampshire (9–4, 7–1 CAA), 798
12. Southeast Missouri (9-3, 5-0 Ohio Valley), 768

13. Weber State (10–3, 6–2 Big Sky), 744
14. Montana (8–5, 4–4 Big Sky), 711
15. Southeastern Louisiana (9–4, 5–1 Southland), 710
16. UC Davis (6–5, 5–3 Big Sky), 513
17. North Dakota (7–5, 5–3 Missouri Valley), 479
18. Richmond (9–4, 6–2 CAA), 387
19. North Carolina Central (10–2, 4–1 MEAC), 330
20. Mercer (7–4, 5–3 Southern), 293
21. Rhode Island (7–4, 5–3 CAA), 169
22. Delaware (8-5, 4-4 CAA), 166
23. Northern Iowa (6-5, 5-3 Missouri Valley), 155
24. Eastern Kentucky (7-5, 3-2 ASUN), 137
25. Gardner-Webb (7-6, 5-0 Big South), 129

Others Receiving Votes (schools listed on two or more ballots): Central Arkansas (5–6, 3–2 ASUN) 110, Chattanooga (7-4, 5-3 Southern) 84, Jackson State (12-1, 8-0 SWAC) 71, Southern Illinois (5–6, 4–4 Missouri Valley) 66, Youngstown State (7-4, 5-3 Missouri Valley) 66, Florida A&M (9-2, 7-1 SWAC) 65, UT Martin (7–4, 5–0 Ohio Valley) 65, Elon (8-4, 6-2 CAA) 61, Austin Peay (7-4, 3-2 ASUN) 40, Fordham (9-3, 5-1 Patriot) 28, Yale (8-2, 6-1 Ivy) 18, Villanova (6-5, 4-4 CAA) 8, McNeese (4-7, 2-4 Southland) 7, Abilene Christian (7-4, 3-1 WAC) 6, St. Thomas (10-1, 8-0 Pioneer) 6, Saint Francis (9-3, 7-0 NEC) 5