Coming off a second straight NAIA Football National Championship, Sioux Falls (S.D.) holds the No. 1 position in the Football Coaches' Preseason Top 25 Poll, announced by the NAIA on Monday. Coached by first-year general Jed Stugart, the Cougars begin defense of their national title with a Sept. 4 night game at Northwestern (Iowa). Sioux Falls rides a school-record 29-game winning streak into that match-up, which is the longest active streak in any level of college football.

The Cougars gathered 11 of the possible 15 first-place votes and have secured the No. 1 spot for the last 16 polls (dating back to the 2008 Postseason Top 25). The preseason top billing is the third in four years for Sioux Falls and fourth overall (2010, 2009, 2007, 1997) since both NAIA divisions merged in 1997. The Cougars will look to accomplish what they did last year and what two other teams have accomplished since 1997 - win the title after being ranked No. 1 in the Preseason Top 25. There have been five occurrences of the preseason No. 1 team winning the national championship. Sioux Falls accomplished that last year, while Carroll (Mont.) (2005, 2004, and 2003) and Georgetown (Ky.) (2001) were the other two programs.