MANKATO — The outside expectations weren’t just noise heard in Mankato. It was echoed across the country.
Minnesota State has been ranked No. 3 in the preseason edition of the D2Football.com poll.
“We’re blessed and super happy that the nation sees us as a top three team,” sophomore quarterback Maximus Sims said in a statement. “We haven’t won a game yet, so we have to go out there every week and show why we deserve that ranking.”
MSU, which was ranked seventh in the final D2Football.com poll last season, finished its 2025 campaign with a 10-4 record as it advanced to the third round of the NCAA Tournament. The Mavericks picked up a 37-14 win over Findlay and a 35-27 win over Indianapolis in the NCAA Tournament before their season came to an end with a 52-29 loss to eventual national champion Ferris State.
MSU isn’t alone in representing the NSIC in the poll. Augustana claims No. 12 after finishing its 2025 season with a 9-2 record marked with a 45-21 loss at home to MSU last season. Minnesota Duluth is No. 20 in the poll. Last season, UMD posted a 10-2 record, including a 32-7 loss to Ashland in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The Bulldogs bested the Mavericks 17-14 in their week two meeting in Duluth last season.
Ferris State was ranked first in the poll and was followed by Harding which was ranked second. Ferris State defeated Harding 42-21 in the NCAA DII Championship game last season.
MSU opens its 2026 campaign at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 27, as it travels to Grand Junction, Colo., to take on Colorado Mesa.