CHARLESTON, Ill. – Eastern Illinois added another preseason Top 25 football ranking as they were listed at No. 20 by Athlon Sports Magazine. EIU has now been ranked in all but one preseason top 25 this season with the 2010 season just around the corner with a Sept. 4 opener at Iowa.

The Panthers finished last season at 8-4 winning the Ohio Valley Conference with a 6-2 record. EIU returns fifteen starters from last year's squad that made its fourth post-season appearance in five years. The defense is led by returning All-OVC selections Perry Burge, CJ James and Rashad Haynes. The offense returns All-OVC selections Mon Williams and Willie Henderson.

Season tickets are now on sale by calling 217-581-2106 or returning a ticket brochure to the EIU ticket office. Season ticket brochures are available at area business. The home opener is Sept. 11 against Central Arkansas, a date that EIU will retire the number of former quarterback Sean Payton at halftime.

The Athlon Sports Magazine listed defending national champion Villanova at No. 1. Appalachian State was picked second followed by Richmond, Montana and William & Mary. Elon was sixth with Southern Illinois, Stephen F. Austin, South Dakota State and South Carolina State rounding out the top ten.

James Madison was 11th followed by Eastern Washington, Penn, New Hampshire, Liberty, Delaware, Northern Iowa, Montana State and Jacksonville State at No. 19. EIU led the final ranked schools at 20th with Prairie View A&M, Maine, McNeese State, Furman and Texas State rounding out the poll.

EIU has now been ranked 11th by Lindy's Magazine, 19th by Phil Steele Magazine and 21st by AnyGivenSaturday.com.