WACO -- The ACU Wildcats will begin the 2012 regular season ranked No. 10 in the country, according to the American Football Coaches' Association pre-season poll, which was released Monday.
The Wildcats -- picked to finish second in the Lone Star Conference this season -- received 367 points in the poll to finish in the top 10, just behind No. 9 Winston-Salem State, N.C. (386 points) and just ahead of No. 11 California, Pa. (347 points).
Defending national champion Pittsburg State (Kan.) picked up 21 of a possible 30 first-place votes and 720 total points to earn the top spot in the pre-season poll. Minnesota-Duluth had five first-place votes and 661 points and is No. 2 in the poll.
Defending LSC champion and this year's pre-season favorite, Midwestern State, is No. 4 in the poll, while longtime ACU playoff nemesis Northwest Missouri State is No. 3 and defending national runner-up Wayne State (Mich.) is No. 5.
Aside from Midwestern State and ACU, the only other LSC team ranked in the pre-season poll is West Texas A&M, which checks in at No. 24 in the country. Texas A&M-Kingsville and Tarleton State each received votes in the poll.
The Wildcats will begin their season on Saturday, Sept. 1, when they host McMurry at 6 p.m. at Shotwell Stadium. ACU will be on the road at No. 14 Delta State (Miss.) on Thursday, Sept. 27, at No. 24 West Texas A&M on Oct. 13 and at home against No. 4 Midwestern State for Homecoming on Oct. 20.
OTHER ACU FOOTBALL NOTES
• The Wildcats are ranked No. 16 in the usacollegefootball.com pre-season poll, which was also released on Monday.
Defending national champion Pittsburg State is ranked No. 1 in that poll, followed by Winston-Salem State at No. 2, Wayne State at No. 3, Minnesota-Duluth at No. 4, Northwest Missouri State at No. 5 and Midwestern State at No. 6. West Texas A&M is ranked No. 19 in the poll.
The Web site also announced its pre-season all-America team, which features ACU senior quarterback Mitchell Gale and senior placekicker
Morgan Lineberry on the first team.
• Tuesday morning's 8:30 a.m. practice will be the first for the Wildcats in full pads. ACU's first day of two-a-days will be Wednesday when the Wildcats practice at 8:30 a.m. and again at 4 p.m.
