AFCA picks Bearcats fifth

Kansas City, Mo. — The MIAA will open the 2015 football season with two teams ranked in the American Football Coaches Association preseason top 10 released Monday.

The MIAA joins the Northern Sun and Great Lakes Intercollegiate as league’s who begin the year with two teams in the top ten.

Northwest Missouri is ranked fifth in the poll with Pittsburg State picked to finish seventh in the preseason poll.

Northwest opens the season on Sept. 3 at Nebraska-Kearney while Pittsburg State will be on the road at Northeastern State the same day.

Also receiving votes in the poll were Central Missouri and Central Oklahoma, which each represented the MIAA in bowl games last season.