Morningside topped both the coaches’ and media polls at the 2016 GPAC Football Media Day.

Morningside College was tabbed the favorite in both the 2016 Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) Pre-Season Football Coaches’ Poll and the GPAC Pre-Season Football Media Poll at the 17th annual GPAC Football Media Day held Tuesday, Aug. 2, at the Marina Inn in South Sioux City, Neb.

The five-time reigning GPAC champions received all nine first place votes in the media poll and eight of the nine first place votes from the league’s head coaches. Head coaches were not allowed to vote for their own teams. The Mustangs scored 81 points in the media poll for a 13-point margin over runner-up Doane College and had 64 points for an 11-point margin over runner-up Doane in the GPAC Coaches Poll.

The Mustangs were ranked third nationally in the NAIA Football Coaches’ Spring Top 25 Poll released in April.

Morningside posted a 12-2 record last fall en route to a 12th consecutive appearance in the NAIA Championship Series, where it advanced to the national semifinals.

The Mustangs have a 124-25 record for an .832 winning percentage since the start of the 2004 season. Morningside has advanced to at least the semifinals of the NAIA Championship Series each of the past four seasons, including an appearance in the 2012 Russell Athletic-NAIA Football National Championship Game.

Morningside will open the 2016 season with a 1 p.m. home game against Ottawa University on Saturday, Sept. 3, as part of the 2016 GPAC/KCAC Classic.

Click here for the complete poll results.