NORFOLK, Va. - The Norfolk State football team has been ranked No. 23 in the nation by the preseason FCS Coaches Poll, which was released this week.

The Spartans finished last season ranked No. 18 in the same poll, its highest ever mark in the FCS rankings, after finishing 9-3 and winning their first-ever MEAC title. NSU is the only MEAC team ranked in the preseason FCS Coaches Poll, which can be found here.

NSU was also ranked No. 20 in the preseason poll by the College Sports Journal and was third in the others receiving votes category in the Fathead.Com/Sports Network top 25 poll.

In HBCU rankings, the Spartans open the 2012 season ranked No. 1 in the Division I top 10 for both www.hsrn.com and www.boxtorow.com. NSU won black college national titles in both of those polls in addition to the American Sports Wire's HBCU poll last year.