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East Rutherford, NJ - The Bulldogs will have a bull’s eye on their backs when the Northeast Conference kicks off its 20th anniversary season on the gridiron. Coming off a watershed 2014 campaign, Bryant won a split decision to finish atop the NEC preseason coaches’ poll.

One of three teams to receive at least one first-place vote, the Bulldogs collected four top nods en-route to earning the moniker of “preseason favorite” for the first time in their history as a NEC member.

Duquesne, which earned the top spot on one of the seven ballots, finished second in the annual predicted order-of-finish. Meanwhile, two-time defending NEC champion Sacred Heart, which secured the remaining two first-place votes, found itself in third place when the survey results were tallied.

Wagner, which has earned a share of the NEC crown twice in the last three years, took fourth place in the poll ahead of Saint Francis U.

Central Connecticut and Robert Morris, each of whom welcomed new head coaches prior to the 2014 campaign, rounded out the preseason poll results in sixth and seventh, respectively.

The NEC unveiled the poll results on July 23 at MetLife Stadium as part of the first annual #NECFB Social Media Day.

Although it has proven to have value over the years, the preseason poll hasn’t always been the best indicator of the final NEC standings.

One year ago, Sacred Heart became the first preseason favorite in NEC History to go on and secure the league’s automatic bid to the FCS playoffs.

Meanwhile, Wagner and Bryant both finished in the lower half of last year’s preseason rankings, but were two of the last three teams left standings in the title hunt.

The poll results have been turned upside more than once in recent years.

In 2012, Wagner ascended from a seventh-place preseason ranking and into the National Top 25 at the year’s end.

One year after Wagner defied preseason expectations to win a conference crown, Sacred Heart achieved the feat. The 2013 coaches’ poll pegged the Pioneers for seventh, but Mark Nofri’s bunch enjoyed a 10-win season while securing the program’s second league title.

TEAM-BY-TEAM SNAPSHOTS
1) BRYANT: The Bulldogs finished one defensive stop shy of a conference crown and possible    at-large playoff berth last November. Set for its seventh season as a NEC member, Bryant is the preseason favorite for the first time and returns plenty of firepower from last year’s 8-3 team. Bryant boasts five returners with all-NEC credentials on offense, including signal caller Dalton Easton. The Bulldogs also bring back seven starters from a defense that ranked amongst the FCS Top 10.

2) DUQUESNE: The Dukes finished at .500 last year after injuries derailed their quest for a FCS playoff bid. With plenty of difference makers on both sides of the ball, Duquesne aims for its third first-place finish in the last five years. Quarterback Dillon Buechel was on pace for the best statistical season by a passer in NEC history before suffering two ailments. With former All-American Christian Kuntz’s return further solidifying the linebacking corps, the Dukes have all-star talent at every leve l of the defense.

3) SACRED HEART: The Pioneers graduated four players with All-America credentials, but the return of numerous veterans with all-NEC resumes, including QB RJ Noel and LB James Rentz, makes a third consecutive championship season a real possibility. No NEC team has won more games (19) than Sacred Heart has over the past two seasons and Noel has been under center for all of them. Rentz is one of three returning linebackers who started for one of the nation’s stingiest defenses.

4) WAGNER: The Seahawks will kick off their first season in 35 years without Walt Hameline. Former offensive coordinator Jason Houghtaling takes the reins from the retired Hameline. Quarterback Chris Andrews returns following a strong second half in 2014 and he hopes to have Anthony Carrington as a target for the entire season. Carrington, who is back for a fifth year, was shut down after Week 3 last fall. Ryan Fullen steps in as the defensive coordinator and inherits a unit that was one of the stoutest in America against the run. Preseason All-American defensive tackle Al Page will continue to clog the middle, but the Seahawks will have to fill a void on the back end following All-American cornerback Jarrett Dieudonne’s graduation.

5) SAINT FRANCIS: Former NFL offensive lineman Chris Villarrial has presided over the most-fruitful three-year span in the program’s FCS history. Under Villarrial’s watch, the Red Flash have boasted one of the nation’s most-vaunted ground attacks. Saint Francis, which led the NEC in yards per rush (4.5) and rushing touchdowns (24) last season, should again prove tough to stop with Preseason All-American Khairi Dickson and reigning NEC Offensive Rookie of the Year Marcus Bagley in the backfield. Zach Drayer will be back under center after emerging as a productive starter last fall and he’ll have a proven target to work with thanks to the return of the dangerous Anthony Abeid. The SFU special teams unit boasts all-NEC talent at punter (Drayer), kicker (Lance Geesey) and return specialist (Lorenzo Jerome).

6) CENTRAL CONNECTICUT: The Blue Devils defeated two CAA teams during Pete Rossomando’s first season on the sidelines, but will have to account for the graduation of All-American running back Rob Hollomon this fall. Junior Brenden Lytton provides an experienced option in the backfield while Mike Money and Tyler Hurd make CCSU solid up front. Defensive tackle Asia Bolling and cornerback Jevon Elmore, both members of the Preseason All-NEC Team, are emerging talents who could help catapult the Blue Devils into the title conversation.

7) ROBERT MORRIS: With former Super Bowl champion John Banaszak set for his second season at the helm, the Colonials, who own the most league titles of the NEC’s current membership, look to rebound from last year’s uncharacteristic finish. With veterans such as linebacker Mike Stojkovic and lineman Forrest Mason, RMU will look to tighten up its defense from last fall. Center Nick Faraci brings battle-tested leadership to an offense that will attempt to cut down on the league-high 37 turnovers i t committed in 2014.