Morningside topped both the media and coaches’ pre-season polls at GPAC Football Media Day.

Morningside College was tabbed the overwhelming favorite in the 2014 Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) football race when the Mustangs topped both the coaches and media pre-season polls announced at GPAC Football Media Day held Thursday, Aug. 7, in Lincoln, Neb.

The three-time reigning GPAC champions received all nine first place votes in the media poll and nine of the 10 first place votes from the league’s head coaches. Head coaches were not allowed to vote for their own teams. The Mustangs scored 99 points in the media poll for a 21-point margin over runner-up Northwestern College and had 81 points for 15-point margin over the runner-up Red Raiders in the GPAC Coaches Poll. 

Morningside posted an 11-2 record last fall and made its 10th consecutive appearance in the NAIA Championship Series, where it advanced to the national semifinals.

The Mustangs have a 101-21 record for a .828 winning percentage since the start of the 2004 season. Morningside has advanced to at least the quarterfinals of the NAIA Championship Series eight times in the last 10 years, including the 2012 Russell Athletic-NAIA Football National Championship Game in Rome, Ga., where it lost 30-27 in overtime against Marian University.

Morningside will open the 2014 season with a 7 p.m. game against Valley City State University on Saturday, Sept. 6, in Valley City, N.D.