Jan. 13, 2012
Stony Brook, N.Y. - After a 9-4 season and its first-ever Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) appearance, Stony Brook has finished the 2011 season ranked in the top 25 in both major polls.
The Seawolves finished 16th in the FCS Coaches Poll and 18th in The Sports Network/Fathead.com Poll.
Stony Brook lost its first three games of the season, but won nine straight, including a 41-31 victory over Liberty to capture the program's first outright Big South title and an automatic bid to the FCS playoffs.
The Seawolves topped Albany, 31-28, before falling to Sam Houston State, 34-27, in the second round. The Bearkats, who finished second in both polls, lost to North Dakota State in the finals.
Stony Brook finished the season ranked as the top scoring offense in the country (38.0 ppg). Junior Miguel Maysonet (Riverhead, N.Y.) and senior Brock Jackolski (Shirley, N.Y.) rushed for 1,000 yards for a second straight season to lead a rushing offense that ranked fourth (267.31 ypg). Junior Kyle Essington(Chino Hills, Calif.) had a passing efficiency rating of 162.66, which ranked second in the country.
Nine starters return on offense and six on defense for Stony Brook, which travels to face Army next season.
FCS Coaches Poll
| Team (First Place Votes) |
Record |
Points |
Previous |
| 1. North Dakota State (25) |
14-1 |
625 |
4 |
| 2. Sam Houston State |
14-1 |
600 |
1 |
| 3. Georgia Southern |
11-3 |
563 |
2 |
| 4. Montana |
11-3 |
555 |
5 |
| 5. Northern Iowa |
10-3 |
482 |
3 |
| 6. Lehigh |
11-2 |
473 |
6 |
| 7. Montana State |
10-3 |
470 |
7 |
| 8. Maine |
9-4 |
445 |
13 |
| 9. Towson |
9-3 |
380 |
9 |
| 10. Old Dominion |
10-3 |
367 |
10 |
| 11. Appalachian State |
8-4 |
357 |
8 |
| 12. New Hampshire |
8-4 |
336 |
12 |
| 13. Wofford |
8-4 |
326 |
11 |
| 14. James Madison |
8-5 |
278 |
19 |
| 15. Central Arkansas |
9-4 |
273 |
15 |
| 16. STONY BROOK |
9-4 |
200 |
24 |
| 17. Harvard |
9-1 |
199 |
14 |
| 18. Norfolk State |
9-3 |
158 |
22 |
| 19. Tennessee Tech |
7-4 |
152 |
20 |
| 20. Delaware |
7-4 |
143 |
16 |
| 21. Eastern Kentucky |
7-5 |
136 |
NR |
| 22. Illinois State |
7-4 |
122 |
17 |
| 23. Albany |
8-4 |
89 |
NR |
| 24. Jackson State |
9-2 |
85 |
18 |
| 25. Liberty |
7-4 |
57 |
23 |
The Sports Network/Fathead.com FCS Top-25 College Football Poll
| Team (First Place Votes) |
Record |
Points |
Previous |
| 1. North Dakota State (125) |
14-1 |
3,125 |
4 |
| 2. Sam Houston State |
14-1 |
2,998 |
1 |
| 3. Montana |
11-3 |
2,801 |
5 |
| 4. Georgia Southern |
11-3 |
2,795 |
3 |
| 5. Lehigh |
11-2 |
2,466 |
6 |
| 6. Northern Iowa |
10-3 |
2,455 |
2 |
| 7. Montana State |
10-3 |
2,387 |
7 |
| 8. Maine |
9-4 |
2,105 |
13 |
| 9. Towson |
9-3 |
2,058 |
8 |
| 10. Old Dominion |
10-3 |
2,009 |
10 |
| 11. New Hampshire |
8-4 |
1,869 |
11 |
| 12. Appalachian State |
8-4 |
1,825 |
9 |
| 13. Wofford |
8-4 |
1,651 |
12 |
| 14. Central Arkansas |
9-4 |
1,411 |
15 |
| 15. James Madison |
8-5 |
1,307 |
17 |
| 16. Harvard |
9-1 |
996 |
16 |
| 17. Delaware |
7-4 |
961 |
14 |
| 18. STONY BROOK |
9-4 |
957 |
22 |
| 19. Norfolk State |
9-3 |
829 |
19 |
| 20. Illinois State |
7-4 |
694 |
18 |
| 21. Tennessee Tech |
7-4 |
669 |
21 |
| 22. Jackson State |
9-2 |
523 |
20 |
| 23. North Dakota |
8-3 |
371 |
23 |
| 24. Eastern Kentucky |
7-5 |
298 |
NR |
| 25. Liberty |
7-4 |
215 |
24 |
