ONU ranked No. 19 in USA Today preseason poll

Jake Fallis

By Tim Glon

ADA — Ohio Northern is ranked No. 19 in Division III in the USA Today Sports Weekly magazine preseason football poll.

This marks the eighth time in the last 10 seasons that Ohio Northern has been ranked in the preseason.

ONU was ranked No. 17 in 2007, No. 14 in 2006, No. 8 in 2005, No. 25 in 2003, No. 8 in 2002, No. 18 in 2001 and No. 6 in 2000.

“Being ranked by the preseason publications is a nice sign of the respect our program has generated nationally,” ONU’s fifth-year head coach Dean Paul said. “We are very optimistic about the upcoming season, but our players are smart enough to know that being ranked does not win games. You have to get it done on the field.”

ONU returns 16 starters from last year’s 7-3 team that posted the program’s 12th consecutive upper division finish in the Ohio Athletic Conference.

The Polar Bears open their 2008 season Sept. 13 at No. 8-ranked North Central and will open OAC play Sept. 20 at No. 1-ranked Mount Union.

Northern’s home opener is Sept. 27 at 1:30 pm against Otterbein at Dial-Roberson Stadium.

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