Redlands earns second national ranking
The University of Redlands football team landed at No. 23 on the USA Today Sports Weekly 2009 College Football Special Edition Preseason Top 25 for NCAA Division III. Redlands is the only team from the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) included on the poll.
This is the second time this summer that the Bulldogs have earned a preseason ranking, following their No. 22 showing on Sporting News Magazine's Top 25 in June.
The Bulldogs look forward to the upcoming season as they excitedly return the 2007 SCIAC Offensive Player of the Year in senior quarterback Dan Selway (Villa Park, CA), who sat out much of last season with an injury.
In addition, the Redlands defense strives to remain stingy against the run and repeat its nationally ranked numbers. The team was first among Division III in tackles for a loss (11.1 TFL/game) and rushing defense (58.33 yards/game). In addition, the Bulldogs finished first in the nation in net punting with a 37.42 average. With 28 sacks for 182 yards, the Maroon and Gray boasted the fourth-best total in this category.
The Bulldogs kick off the 2009 season at home in Ted Runner Stadium on September 12 with a 5 p.m. contest against East Texas Baptist University in the teams' first meeting.
About Michelle
Michelle Gardner has been a staff writer for The Sun and the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin since 2002 and has covered the local college sports scene since 2004. She ventured West after working at the South Florida Sun-Sentinel in Fort Lauderdale for eight years and is a graduate of the University of Florida.
E-mail Michelle here.
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