The Missouri Western football team is ranked nationally in two pre-season polls. The Griffons are ranked 6th according to The Sporting News and 12th by Lindy’s Football Annual. Additionally, one Griffon, Reggie Jordan (St. Louis, Mo./Hazelwood Central) was named a pre-season All-American by The Sporting News.
Missouri Western is coming off their best season in school history finising with a 12-2 record and winning its first ever NCAA Division II playoff game. The Griffons made it to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division II playoffs which is the farthest any Griffon team has made it. Missouri Western has won eight or more games in a season in 10 of the last 13 years and has made four trips to the NCAA playoffs in that time and has played int a post season game 10 times during that time.
Jordan started all 14 games last season at tight end. Jordan had 23 receptions for 230 yards with a team high 11 touchdown receptions. He also had one rushing touchdown from 86 yards out on a fake punt against Missouri Southern on October 13, 2012. Jordan also had two games in which he caught two touchdowns. The first was on October 6, 2012 at Northeastern State and the second was on November 24, 2012 at Henderson State in the second round of the NCAA Playoffs. For his efforts last season he was named Honorable Mention All-MIAA and Honorable Mention All-American by D2Football.com.
The Griffon open the season on Saturday, Sept. 5 at 6:07 p.m. at the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg, Mo. The game will be televised on the MIAA Television Network.
Sporting News D2 Preview Top 25
1. Minnesota State
2. Shippensburg
3. West Texas A & M
4. Valdosta State
5. Ashland
6. Missouri Western
7. Duluth
8. New Haven
9. Carson-Newman
10. CSU-Pueblo
11. WInston-Salem State
12. Northwest Missouri State
13. Midwestern State
14. Lenoir-Rhyne
15. Grand Valley
16. Henderson St
17. Bloomsburg
18. West Alabama
19. Tuskegee
20. Chadron St
21. St. Cloud St
22. IUP
23. Indianapolis
24. Charleston
25. Miles
Lindy’s Pre-Season Top 25
1. Valdosta State
2. West Texas A&M
3. Northwest Missouri State
4. Minnesota State-Mankato
5. Shippensburg
6. Winston-Salem State
7. Indiana
8. Colorado State-Pueblo
9. Henderson State
10. Bloomsburg
11. New Haven
12. Missouri Western State
13. Indianapolis
14. Chadron State
15. Midwestern State
16. Winona State
17. Ashland
18. Harding
19. West Alabama
20. Lenoir-Rhyne
21. Saginaw Valley State
22. Grand Valley State
23. Tuskegee
24. Pittsburg State
25. Minnesota-Duluth
THE SPORTING NEWS
PRE-SEASON ALL-AMERICA TEAM
QB Zach Zulli, Shipp
RB Franklyn Quiteh (Tobyhanna/Pocono Mountain West), Bloomsburg
RB Isaiah Whitaker, Lenoir-Rhyne
OL Brian Clarke (Hanover/Hanover), Bloomsburg
OL Matt Armstrong, Grand Valley
OL Andrew Sussman, Mankato
OL Tino Tuilata, Midwestern
OL Taylor Burnette, West Alabama
TE Reggie Jordan, MWSU
WR Jeff Janis, SVSU
WR Gerald Ford, Valdosta State
K Blake Barnes, Tarleton St
DL Ethan Westbrooks, WTAMU
DL BJ Stevens, Cal PA
DL Zach Moore, Concordia
DL Jake Metz, Shipp
LB Leron Furr, FVSU
LB Ronell Williams, West Chester
LB Nate Dreiling, Pitt St
DB Jack Moro, St. Cloud
DB CJ Roberts, CSU-Pueblo
DB Brandon Dixon, Northwest Missouri
DB Dexter Moody, Albany St
P Kyle Goodburn, Northwest Missouri
— MWSU Sports Information —