The FCS preseason Coaches' Top 25 was released Wednesday and, you're not going to believe this, North Dakota State garnered the top spot.
The four-time defending national champions received 24 of the 24 available first-place votes, while 2014 runner-up Illinois State came in at No. 2. Villanova, Sam Houston State and Coastal Carolina rounded out the top 25; only 10 points separated spots three through five.
See the full top 25 below:
1. North Dakota State (24 first-place votes) - 600 points
2. Illinois State - 551
3. Villanova - 512
4. Sam Houston State - 511
5. Coastal Carolina - 502
6. Eastern Washington - 481
7. New Hampshire - 445
8. Chattanooga - 409
9. Jacksonville State - 396
10. Northern Iowa - 381
11. Montana State - 296
12. Montana - 278
13. James Madison - 272
14. Liberty - 256
15. South Dakota State - 215
16. Youngstown State - 205
17. Eastern Kentucky - 171
18. Richmond - 170
19. Southeastern Louisiana - 164
20. Indiana State - 106
21. Fordham - 103
22. Harvard - 99
23. McNeese State - 91
24. Idaho State - 82
25. Eastern Illinois - 73
No. 1 North Dakota State opens the 2015 college football season in the FCS Kickoff at No. 12 Montana on Aug. 29 on ESPN (1:30 p.m. ET). Brent Musberger and Jesse Palmer will be on hand in Missoula to describe the action.