Idaho State will start the season ranked. The Bengals are slotted at No. 24 in the Preseason FCS Coaches Poll released Wednesday.

ISU is one of four Big Sky Conference teams in the initial poll. Eastern Washington, the league's reigning champion, is at No. 6, Montana State, a trendy pick to win the Big Sky, is No. 11 overall and Montana is ranked 12th.

Cal Poly and Northern Arizona were two of 25 other teams to receive votes. The Mustangs were 29th and the Lumberjacks were 30th.

Idaho State, which opens the season at home against Black Hills State on Sept. 5, plays at Cal Poly this year and hosts EWU, MSU and UM. ISU also plays at Boise State on Sept. 18. The Broncos are No. 24 in the FBS USA Today Coaches poll.

The Bengals posted an 8-4 record last season and were tabbed to finish sixth in the league’s preseason coaches poll and fourth by the media. Led by an offense that returns nine starters and several key defenders, Idaho State placed six players on the Big Sky Preseason All-Conference Team, the most of any team in the conference.

2015 FCS Coaches Poll

1. North Dakota State (24)

2. Illinois State

3. Villanova

4. Sam Houston State

5. Coastal Carolina

6. Eastern Washington

7. New Hampshire

8. Chattanooga

9. Jacksonville State

10. Northern Iowa

11. Montana State

12. Montana

13. James Madison

14. Liberty

15. South Dakota State

16. Youngstown State

17. Eastern Kentucky

18. Richmond

19. Southeastern Louisiana

20. Indiana State

21. Fordham

22. Harvard

23. McNeese State

24. Idaho State

25. Eastern Illinois

Idaho State No. 24 in preseason FCS coaches poll #goisu #BigSkyFB pic.twitter.com/NfV9e1MDsf

— Kyle Franko (@ByKyleFranko) August 5, 2015