BIRMINGHAM, Ala.--North Dakota State University was ranked No. 1 in the Lindy's Sports Annuals Football Championship Subdivision  (FCS) Preseason Top 25 rankings released in the publication's college preview magazine. The Bison have won the last two NCAA Division I FCS championships.

Wrote Tony Moss of Lindy's Sports Annuals, "Apart from the playoff expansion and frenetic movement within the FCS, the main storyline entering 2013 will be North Dakota State's quest for a third consecutive national title. Coach Craig Bohl and the Bison (14-1) hammered Sam Houston State 39-13, in the second straight NDSU/SHSU title game. With nine of 10 players returning who earned all-Missouri Valley Football first- or second-team honors last year, North Dakota State is a clear preseason No. 1."

North Dakota State cornerback Marcus Williams was selected FCS Preseason Defensive Player of the Year by Lindy's and he is one of Bison three players named to the publication's All-FCS team. Offensive tackle Billy Turner and Williams were named to the first team, while kicker Adam Keller was a second-team selection.

Williams, a 5-foot-11, 197-pound senior from Minneapolis, Minn. (Hopkins H.S.), has started all 43 games played and became the program's all-time interception leader with 18 picks including two in the 2013 FCS Championship game against Sam Houston State. He finished with seven interceptions for the second straight season in 2012, and added 39 tackles including 23 solos and 11 pass breakups.

A consensus first-team FCS All-American, Williams made his second apperance on The Sports Network, Associated Press and Walter Camp teams. He was the 2012 Missouri Valley Football Conference Defensive Player of the Year. Williams averaged 27.9 yards per kickoff return last season including a 98-yard TD at Illinois State and also returned an interception 98-yards for a TD vs. Youngstown State.

Turner, a 6-foot-6, 311-pound senior from Shoreview, Minn. (Mounds View H.S.) has started in 41 of 43 games played during his career. He was named to all-MVFC first team, along was a Sports Network and Associated Press All-America first team selection in 2012. He paved the way for a pair of 1,000-yard running backs, along with providing pass protection.

Keller, a 6-foot-1, 200-pound junior from Lewisberry, Pa. (Redland H.S.), connected on a school record 18 of 24 field goal attempts and also made 57-of-61 PATs to lead North Dakota State with 111 points. He earned first-team all-Missouri Valley Football Conference honors in 2012.

North Dakota State was also Lindy's preseason choice in the Missouri Valley Football Conference, " 'D' gets most attention, but QB Brock Jensen (17 pass TD, 12 rush TD) is steady." The Bison were followed by South Dakota State, Northern Iowa, Youngstown State, Illinois State, Indiana State, Southern Illinois, Missouri State, Western Illinois and South Dakota.

North Dakota State opens the 2013 season on Aug. 30 at Kansas State, televised nationally on Fox Sports 1. The NDSU season opener is one of five Lindy's "The Big Ones" in FCS football.

Lindy's 2013 FCS Preseason Top 25
1. North Dakota State
2. Georgia Southern
3. Montana State
4. South Dakota State
5. Wofford
6. Eastern Washington
7. Central Arkansas
8. Towson
9. Villanova
10. Sam Houston State
11. New Hampshire
12. Appalachian State
13. Northern Iowa
14. Stony Brook
15. Coastal Carolina
16. Northern Arizona
17. Bethune-Cookman
18. Eastern Illinois
19. Youngstown State
20. Chattanooga
21. Richmond
22. Illinois State
23. Montana
24. Wagner
25. Tennessee State

Lindy's 2013 All-FCS Team
First Team Offense
QB Gavin McCarney, Sr., Colgate
RB Shakir Bell, Sr., Indiana State
RB Zach Zenner, Jr., South Dakota State
WR Jordan Harris, Sr., Bryant
WR Erik Lora, Sr., Eastern Illinois
TE A.C. Leonard, Jr., Tennessee State
OL Michael Bamiro, Sr., Stony Brook
OL Terrance Hackney, Jr., Bethune-Cookman
OL Billy Turner, Sr., North Dakota State
OL Bryan Witzmann, Sr., South Dakota State
AP Walter Powell, Sr., Murray State
K Eddie Camara, Jr., Central Arkansas

First Team Defense
DL Robert Simpson, Sr., Mississippi Valley State
DL Davis Tull, Jr., Chattanooga
DL Colton Underwood, Sr., Illinois State
DL Zack Wagenmann, Jr., Montana
LB Wes Dothard, Sr., Chattanooga
LB Stephon Robertson, Sr., James Madison
LB Jordan Tripp, Sr., Montana
DB Steven Godbolt III, Jr., Tennessee State
DB T.J. Lee III, Sr., Eastern Washington
DB Jaquiski Tartt, Jr., Samford
DB Marcus Williams, Sr., North Dakota State
RET Fabian Truss, Sr., Samford
P Andy Wilder, Sr., Northern Arizona

Second Team Offense
QB DeNarius McGhee, Sr., Montana State
RB Timothy Flanders, Sr., Sam Houston State
RB Terrance West, Jr., Towson
WR R.J. Harris, Jr., New Hampshire
WR Sean Price, So., Appalachian State
TE MyCole Pruitt, Jr., Southern Illinois
OL Arinze Agada, Sr., McNeese State
OL Garrett Frye, Jr., Georgia Southern
OL Eric Pike, Sr., Towson
OL William Ray Robinson, Jr., North Carolina A&T
OL Kadeem Williams, Sr., Albany
AP Tyler Varga, Jr., Yale
K Adam Keller, Jr., North Dakota State

Second Team Defense
DL Antoine Lewis, Sr., Villanova
DL Juan Pimienta, Sr., Jacksonville
DL Caraun Reid, Sr., Princeton
DL Lynden Trail, Jr., Norfolk State
LB Quinn Backus, Jr., Coastal Carolina
LB Dorian Bell, Sr., Duquesne
LB Ben Johnson, Sr., UT Martin
DB Anders Battle, Sr., Northern Arizona
DB Jestin Love, Sr., Central Arkansas
DB Caleb Schaffitzel, Jr., Missouri State
DB Matthew Steinbeck, Jr., Bucknell
RET Anthony Gaffney, So., Princeton
P Bobby Wenzig, Sr., Albama State

Most Valuable Player: Zach Zenner, RB, South Dakota State
Offensive Player of the Year: Erik Lora, WR, Eastern Illinois
Defensive Player of the Year: Marcus Williams, CB, North Dakota State
Newcomer of the Year: Bryan Bennett, QB SE Louisiana