Southern Illinois has won or shared two-straight Gateway Conference titles, and the Salukis are picked to win a third-straight in 2005.

If they do it, the Salukis will be the first Gateway team to win three-straight conference titles since UNI accomplished the feat by winning or sharing seven-straight titles from 1990 through 1996. No other Gateway team has won three-staight crowns.

The Salukis received 18 of 32 first-place tallies and 237 total points in the poll, and they were followed closely by Western Kentucky (223 points and nine first-place votes) and UNI (206/5). Those three schools have finished 1-2-3 in the league race, in varying orders, in each of the past two years.

The poll, conducted by league coaches, media representatives and sports information directors, has Western Illinois slated for fourth (124 points), followed by Missouri State (119), Youngstown State (104), Illinois State (91) and Indiana State (48).

2005 Gateway Preseason Poll

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1. Southern Illinois (18) -- 237
2. Western Kentucky (9) -- 223
3. UNI (5) -- 206
4. Western Illinois -- 124
5. Missouri State -- 119
6. Youngstown State -- 104
7. Illinois State -- 91
8. Indiana State -- 48

2005 Gateway Preseason Team

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QB- Joel Sambursky, Southern Illinois, Sr.
RB- Terrance Freeney, UNI, Sr.
RB- Travis Glasford, Western Illinois, Sr.
FB- Demetrius Ison, YOungstown State, Jr.
WR- Brent Little, Southern Illinois, Sr.
WR- Justin Surrency, UNI, Sr.
TE- Chris Kupec, Southern Illinois, Sr.
OL- Perry Cox, Western Illinois, Sr.
OL- Stafford Davis, Illinois State, Sr.
OL- Erik Losey, Western Kentucky, Sr.
OL- Fred Staugh, Indiana State, Jr.
PK- Jon Scifres, Missouri State, Sr.

DL- Linton Brown, Southern Illinois, Sr.
DL- Jeff Jones, Southern Illinois, Sr.
DL- Kyle Mitchell, Indiana State, Sr.
DL- Joe Woolridge, Western Kentucky, Sr.
LB- Wyatt Green, Western Illinois, Sr.
LB- Doc Gooden, Indiana State, Sr.
LB- Brett Koebcke, UNI, Sr.
LB- Brandon Smith, Western Kentucky, Sr.
LB- Royal Whitaker, Southern Illinois, Sr.
DB- Darren Barnett, Missouri State, Sr.
DB- Dre Dokes, UNI, Jr.
DB- Jamarquis Jordan, Southern Illinois, Sr.
DB- Antonio Thomas, Western Kentucky, Sr.
P- Ryan Hoffman, Illinois State, Sr.
RS- Dennis Mitchell, Western Kentucky, Sr.

Honorable Mention: RB Arkee Whitlock (Southern Illinois); RB Lerron Moore (Western Kentucky); WR Sam Logan (Indiana State); OL John Schabilion (UNI); OL Tyler Rawlins (UNI); OL Mike Stegeman (Illinois State); DL Billy Beard (Southern Illinois); DL Brandon Brown (Youngstown State); DL Kevin Stensrud (UNI); LB Jeremiah Wright (Youngstown State); DB Frank Johnson (Southern Illinois); RS Reggie Gray (Western Illinois).