Weber State football may have been picked sixth or seventh in preseason league voting but, in the Big Sky Conference, that’s still good enough for a national preseason nod.

The Wildcats appear at No. 22 in the first Stats Perform FCS Top 25 ahead of the 2024 season — the eighth straight preseason ranking for the program.

Weber State has posted nine straight seasons with a winning record and look to return to the postseason Top 25 after finishing 2023 with three straight wins.

The Stats Perform FCS Top 25 is voted upon by school and conference administrators, and media members, from across the country.

Defending champ South Dakota State garnered 52 of 56 first-place votes to remain at No. 1. At No. 2, North Dakota State got three first-place votes.

The Big Sky has six teams ranked, with four in the top eight, as the top 10 is as follows: No. 3 Montana, No. 4 Montana State (who grabbed the final first-place vote), No. 5 South Dakota, No. 6 Villanova, No. 7 Idaho, No. 8 Sacramento State, No. 9 Chattanooga and No. 10 Southern Illinois.

Rounding out the Big Sky’s representation, UC Davis checks in at No. 18 ahead of WSU’s spot at 22.

KICKOFF TIMES SET

Weber State’s home-game tradition of start times will continue this season with 6 p.m. kickoffs early in the season and 1 p.m. kicks later. Several more road opponents have finalized kickoff times for this season, giving the Wildcats a complete schedule, which is below.

All times mountain; all games set for ESPN+ except the opener at Washington, which will air on Big Ten Network.

Aug. 31: at Washington, 9 p.m.

Sept. 7: vs. Portland State, 6 p.m.

Sept. 14: at Lamar, 5 p.m.

Sept. 21: at Northwestern State, 5 p.m.

Sept. 28: vs. McNeese, 6 p.m.

Oct. 5: at Montana, 1 p.m.

Oct. 12: vs. Northern Colorado, 6 p.m.

Oct. 19: at Sacramento State, 7 p.m.

Nov. 2: at Northern Arizona, 2 p.m.

Nov. 9: vs. Idaho State, 1 p.m.

Nov. 16: at Idaho, 6 p.m.

Nov. 23: vs. Cal Poly, 1 p.m.