GVSU tabbed No. 1 in AFCA Poll; no Wayne State

DETROIT – The WSU coaches would shrug it off and say it doesn’t matter. And they are right. Preseason rankings, especially when you get down to lower levels like Division II and III, are more crapshoot than science, sometimes based more on prestige than potential.

Wayne State was slighted, apparently, when the recently released AFCA Division II coaches’ poll mentioned four GLIAC teams – defending national champion Grand Valley State at No. 1, Northwood at No. 14, Saginaw Valley State and Ferris State receiving votes – but right now the Warriors have no business in the top 25. They have lots to prove through the season’s first four weeks and will have to earn their way into the rankings.

Michigan Tech will have revenge on its mind as it makes the 11-hour trek to Detroit for next Saturday’s season opener. The Huskies were thrashed, 36-14, at home by Wayne State to open last season and return a bulk of their defensive stars. Don’t think the Huskies want a repeat of last year’s 0-4 start. They also want to squelch the anticipation surrounding the debut of a much-hyped Tech-transfer – WSU running back Daryl Graham.

WSU hits the road for Weeks 2 and 3 – against St. Joesph’s (Ind.), which beat the Warriors last year and returns All-American quarterback Anthony Lindsey, and Mercyhurst, which gave WSU a scare last year at Adams Field, leading midway through the fourth quarter.

Although the Lakers and Findlay (WSU’s Week 4 opponent) are projected to be GLIAC bottom-feeders, a 4-0 start for WSU would be impressive – it hasn’t happened for WSU since 1967 – and deserving of some national recognition entering the Week 5 neutral-site contest against Grand Valley.

Check back early next week for our GLIAC Preview, which takes a quick look at all 13 teams while previewing the 2007 season.