Jan. 6, 2014
The Sports Network Poll
FCS Coaches Poll
CONWAY - After a 12-3 season, a second straight Big South Championship and reaching the NCAA Division I Championship quarterfinals, the Coastal Carolina football program was tabbed seventh in the final top 25 polls by both the FCS Coaches and The Sports Network.
This marks the Chanticleers' best finish in either poll. The program's previous-best finish was placing 14th by The Sports Network and 15th by the Coaches in 2006. Under second-year head coach Joe Moglia, Coastal has finished among the nation's top 25 both years, ending 2012 ranked 24th in both polls.
Coastal opened the 2013 season 25th in the media poll and 21st in the coaches poll and, for the first time in program history, remained ranked the entire season. The Chanticleers were a consensus top 10 team for six weeks (Sept. 30-Nov. 4) and climbed to third in the FCS Coaches Poll for three weeks (Oct. 21-Nov. 4) - and as high as fifth in The Sports Network Poll (Nov. 4) - after opening the season with nine consecutive wins. The ranking in both polls were both program and Big South Conference highs.
Coastal Carolina defeated two teams that finished among the nation's top 16 in this year's FCS playoffs, beatting #16 Bethune-Cookman at home in the opening round and wining at #8 Montana in the second round. The Chanticleers' season came to an end in the quarterfinals with a loss to consensus #1 North Dakota State, which won its third straight national title on Jan. 4.
Coastal Carolina opponents to finish in the 2013 polls include #21/22 Furman, #22/24 Charleston Southern, #25/26 South Carolina State, #29/34 Liberty; #45 Gardner-Webb and #47 Eastern Kentucky. Overall, Coastal was 7-2 versus teams in the final polls and defeated four conference champions (co-Big South champion Liberty, co-MEAC champions Bethune-Cookman and South Carolina State and co-SoCon champion Furman).
Coastal Carolina set 25 team school records, including 18 Big South offensive team records, and 24 individual school single-season records. Namely, Coastal set or tied Big South team season records in rushing attempts, rushing touchdowns, passing touchdowns, total offensive yards, total offensive yards per game, first downs, points scored, total touchdowns, points per game, PATs made and third down conversion offense.
