WHITEFISH — Following one of its most successful seasons, the Montana Western football team was voted as the preseason favorite to win the Frontier Conference on Tuesday.
The poll, voted on by the conference's head coaches, saw Western earn 43 points and four first-place votes. Carroll College was in second place with 37 points and three first-place votes followed by Rocky Mountain College with 37 points.
College of Idaho was picked fourth (33 points), followed by Montana Tech (30 points), Eastern Oregon (19 points), Southern Oregon (17 points) and MSU-Northern (8 points).
Western, Carroll and Rocky Mountain all earned a share of the conference title last season with all three teams finishing the season with 7-3 conference records. The Bulldogs then earned a bid to the NAIA playoffs for the first time since 2002 where they fell to defending champion Lindsey Wilson in the opening round.
The Frontier Conference opens its season on Saturday, Aug. 27.
FRONTIER CONFERENCE PRESEASON COACHES POLL
1. Montana Western (4) 43 points
2. Carroll College (3) 37 points
3. Rocky Mountain College 37 points
4. College of Idaho (1) 33 points
5. Montana Tech 30 points
6. Eastern Oregon 19 points
7. Southern Oregon 17 points
8. MSU-Northern 8 points
