Following a decisive 34-12 win over I-A Eastern
Michigan on Thursday night, the Western Illinois Leathernecks have jumped from
No. 4 to No. 1 in this week’s Sports Network/CSTV I-AA Top 25 poll.

Western, which is top-ranked for the first time since The Sports Network poll
became an NCAA ranking of record in 1993, earned 41 first-place votes and 2,688
total points in this week’s balloting.

Don Patterson’s team just edged No. 2 Georgia Southern for the No. 1 spot, as
the Eagles tallied 42 first-place votes and 2,670 total points. GSU opened its
season with a 35-0 win over Savannah State on Saturday.

Western’s No. 1 ranking marks the fourth different Gateway team to achieve
the nation’s top I-AA spot, as UNI (1992), Western Kentucky (2002), and
Youngstown State (1997, 1998) have all been ranked No. 1 previously.

In addition to Western Illinois’ jump from No. 4 to No. 1, Western Kentucky
moved up one spot to No. 4, while Southern Illinois climbed into the poll at No.
21. Illinois State, UNI, and Youngstown State are among a number of schools
receiving votes.

The 21st-ranked Salukis, who defeated former No. 22 Southeast Missouri last
week, are ranked for the first time since Oct. 14 of last season, when they
occupied the No. 25 position.

Nineteen of the poll’s 25 teams will be in action this week, with the matchup
between No. 2 Georgia Southern and No. 3 McNeese State featured most prominently
on the docket. Western Illinois will put their No. 1 ranking on the line right
away, as the Leathernecks travel to Baton Rouge to face SEC power LSU.

Team (First-place votes) 2003 Record Points
1. Western Illinois (41) 2-0 2,688
2. Georgia Southern (42) 1-0 2,670
3. McNeese State (19) 1-1 2,463
4. Western Kentucky (7) 2-0 2,434
5. Northeastern 2-0 2,239
6. Villanova (2) 2-0 2,154
7. Bethune-Cookman 2-0 1,993
8. Furman 1-1 1,922
9. Fordham 2-0 1,714
10. Massachusetts 1-0 1,678
11. Delaware 1-0 1,670
12. Montana 1-1 1,462
13. Montana State 1-1 1,282
14. Grambling State 1-1 1,236
15. Eastern Illinois 1-0 1,132
16. Idaho State 1-1 919
17. Stephen F. Austin 1-0 840
18. Maine 1-1 835
19. Northwestern State 1-1 784
20. Nicholls State 1-1 603
21. Southern Illinois 2-0 502
22. Penn 0-0 474
23. Eastern Kentucky 1-1 429
24. Wofford 1-1 411
25. Cal Poly 1-0 363

Others receiving votes (in order of points, minimum of five required):
Appalachian State, Eastern Washington, Southern, Youngstown State,
Lehigh, Weber State, UNI, North Carolina A&T, Colgate, Murray State,
Texas Southern, Illinois State, Portland State, Northern Arizona,
Bucknell, Southeast Missouri, Gardner-Webb, Lafayette, Alabama State,
Jacksonville State, Sacramento State, Tennessee State, Alabama A&M, Northern
Colorado, Morgan State

ESPN/USA Today Poll
1. WESTERN ILL (20) (2-0) 1,271
2. GA SOUTHERN (19) (1-0) 1,263
3. WESTERN KY (6) (2-0) 1,179
4. MCNEESE ST (8) (1-1) 1,146
5. VILLANOVA (2-0) 1,047
6. NORTHEASTERN (2-0) 1,038
7. BETHUNE COOKMAN (2-0) 923
8. FURMAN (1-1) 903
9. DELAWARE (1-0) 783
10. MASSACHUSETTS (1-0) 757
11. FORDHAM (2-0) 738
12. MONTANA (1-1) 712
13. MONTANA ST (1-1) 626
14. EASTERN ILL (1-0) 528
15. GRAMBLING (1-1) 509
16. SFA (1-0) 433
17. IDAHO ST (1-1) 428
18. MAINE (1-1) 394
19. NORTHWESTERN ST (1-1) 373
20. NICHOLLS ST (1-1) 311
21. EASTERN KY (1-1) 248
22. WOFFORD (1-1) 233
23. SOUTHERN ILL (2-0) 193
24. PENNSYLVANIA (0-0) 191
25. CAL POLY (1-0) 175

Others Receiving Votes: EASTERN WASH 136, APPALACHIAN ST 135, SOUTHERN
73, UNI 63, YOUNGSTOWN ST 45, LEHIGH 41, NO CAROLINA A&T 36,
PORTLAND ST 34, WEBER ST 33, FLA ATLANTIC 30, MURRAY ST 28, NORTHRN ARIZONA 26,
TEXAS SOUTHERN 18, EAST TENN ST 17, COLGATE 17, SE MISSOURI ST 11, SACRAMENTO ST
11, LAFAYETTE 11, GARDNER-WEBB 11, ILLINOIS ST 10, JACKSONVILLE ST 9,
ALABAMA A&M 5, DARTMOUTH 2, WILLIAM & MARY 1, HOFSTRA 1, HAMPTON 1, DAYTON 1.