BIRMINGHAM, Ala.--North Dakota State was listed No. 2 in Lindy's College Football Preview magazine NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Preseason Top 25 and were the top choice to win the Missouri Valley Football Conference.

The Bison were one of four Missouri Valley Football Conference teams listed in the top 25 including No. 11 Northern Iowa, No. 15 Illinois State, and No. 20 Youngstown State.  

Story author Tony Moss wrote for Lindy's, “With the subclassification reeling from its endless churn of quality programs to the seemingly greener pastures of FBS, the Bison went to Frisco, Texas, representing the fresh, new blood of the sometimes forgotten side of Division I."

Moss continued, "The win over previously unbeaten SHSU capped a 14-1 season for Craig Bohl's crew, a year that included eye-opening win over Minnesota of the Big Ten, and completed the transition of a former Division II power to FCS heavyweight.”

“Our first year in the Missouri Valley was a reality check for our players and coaches. It toughened us up. That probably accelerated our readiness to play at the national level,” said NDSU head coach Craig Bohl.

"But make no mistake, when North Dakota State made this move to reclassify to FCS, we had our eyes on winning a national championship."

The Bison return Lindy's 2012 Preseason All-FCS first team defensive back selection Marcus Williams at cornerback. Williams was also tabbed as the MVFC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.

North Dakota State won the program's first NCAA Division I Football Championship with a 17-6 win over Sam Houston State on Jan. 7 and also claimed the program's first Missouri Valley Football Conference title. The Bison were 14-1 overall and 7-1 in MVFC.

The Bison open the 2012 season against Robert Morris at 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 1, at Gate City Bank Field at the Fargodome.

Lindy's FCS Preseason Top 25

1. Sam Houston State

2. North Dakota State

3. Montana State

4. Towson

5. Montana

6. Appalachian State

7. Georgia Southern

8. Old Dominion

9. Eastern Kentucky

10. Wofford

11. Northern Iowa

12. Lehigh

13. James Madison

14. Bethune-Cookman

15. Illinois State

16. Stephen F. Austin

17. New Hampshire

18. Murray State

19. Harvard

20. Youngstown State

21. Delaware

22. Eastern Washington

23. Grambling State

24. Stony Brook

25. Jacksonville State

Missouri Valley Football Conference

Offensive Player of the Year: RB Shakir Bell, Indiana State

Defensive Player of the Year: CB Marcus Williams, North Dakota State

Preseason Picks

1. North Dakota State

2. Northern Iowa

3. Illinois State

4. Youngstown State

5. Indiana State

6. South Dakota State

7. Southern Illinois

8. South Dakota

9. Western Illinois

10. Missouri State

Lindy's FCS All-American Teams

MVP: RB Shakir Bell, Indiana State

Offensive Player of the Year: RB Terrance West, Towson

Defensive Player of the Year: LB Matt Evans, New Hampshire

Newcomer of the Year: RB Marcus Coker, Stony Brook

OFFENSIVE FIRST TEAM

QB Casey Brockman, Murray State

RB Shakir Bell, Indiana State

RB Terrance West, Towson

WR Aaron Mellette, Elon

WR Ryan Spadola, Lehigh

TE Colin Anderson, Furman

OL Shelley Anthony, Florida A&M

OL Patrick Ford, Eastern Kentucky

OL Chris Howley, Maine

OL Blake Matthews, Norfolk State

OL Mike Sellers, The Citadel

AP Gralyn Crawford, Stephen F. Austin

K Zach Brown, Portland State

DEFENSIVE FIRST TEAM

DL Ben Obaseki, Indiana State

DL Willie Jefferson, Stephen F. Austin

DL Zach Minter, Montana State

DL Brent Russell, Georgia Southern

LB Wes Dothard, Chattanooga

LB Matt Evans, New Hampshire

LB Jeremy Kimbrough, Appalachian State

DB Serge Kona, Duquesne

DB Kejuan Riley, Alabama State

DB Darnell Taylor, Sam Houston State

DB Marcus Williams, North Dakota State

P Jonathan Plisco, Old Dominion

RET Kevin Fogg, Liberty

OFFENSIVE SECOND TEAM

QB DeNarius McGhee, Montana State

RB Eric Breitenstein, Wofford

RB Tim Flanders, Sam Houston State

WR Nicholas Edwards, Eastern Washington

WR Rodrick Rumble, Idaho State

TE Kyle Juszczyk, Harvard

OL Aaron Adams, Eastern Kentucky

OL Dominique Allen, Central Arkansas

OL FN Lutz III, Indiana State

OL Mike Vuono, Lehigh

OL Earl Watford, James Madison

AP Fabian Truss, Samford

K Tyler Sievertsen, Northern Iowa

DEFENSIVE SECOND TEAM

DL Brandon Copeland, Penn

DL Marquis Jackson, Texas Southern

DL Joseph Lebeau, Jackson State

DL Blake Oliaro, San Diego

LB Seth Allison, Central Arkansas

LB Keith Pough, Howard

LB Jody Owens, Montana State

DB Malcolm Bronson, McNeese State

DB Jordan Dangerfield, Towson

DB Demetrius McCray, Appalachian State

DB B.W. Webb, William & Mary

P Patrick Murray, Fordham

RET Darius Carey, McNeese State