CHICAGO -- The University of Delaware football team, coming off one of the finest seasons in school history in 2007 when the Blue Hens advanced to the national championship game, has been picked No. 11 in the AnyGivenSaturday.com Pre-Season NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision poll.

The poll was the first national rankings released and will be followed later this summer by The Sports Network and the College Commissioner’s Association/American Football Coaches Association polls in August.

Delaware, which went 11-4 last season and advanced to the NCAA Division I FCS title game before falling to Appalachian State at Chattanooga, TN, returns 48 letterwinners and 15 starters this season, including All-American wide receiver Aaron Love (at right).

Three-time defending national champion Appalachian State was the overwhelming No. 1 pick as the Mountaineers picked up 76 of a possible 81 first place votes. Delaware’s Colonial Athletic Association foe James Madison was at No. 2 with two first place votes and defending CAA co-champion Richmond was at No. 3 with one first place vote. North Dakota State picked up two first place votes and was fourth while Northern Iowa rounded out the top five in fifth place.

Defending CAA co-champion Massachusetts was at No. 6 followed by Montana, McNeese State, Eastern Washington, and Wofford in the top 10. Delaware was at No. 11 followed by Southern Illinois, Cal Poly (one first place vote), Youngstown State, Elon, Georgia Southern, Villanova, South Dakota State, Eastern Illinois, and New Hampshire in the top 20. The Citadel was at No. 21 followed by Eastern Kentucky, Fordham, Yale, and Furman. The CAA and the Southern Conference each had six teams in the Top 25.

The Blue Hens will open pre-season camp August 4 in preparation for the season opener Aug. 30 at the University of Maryland in College Park, MD. The home opener is set for Sept. 13 vs. West Chester at Delaware Stadium.

Delaware will play five teams in the AGS Pre-Season Top 25, travelling to No. 25 Furman Sept. 20, to No. 6 Massachusetts Oct. 4, to No. 2 James Madison Nov. 1, and to No. 3 Richmond Nov. 15. The Hens will host No. 17 on Nov. 22.