Weber State University Athletics
Wildcat football finishes season with highest ever national ranking
1/8/2018 9:44:00 AM | Football
Add one more to the list of accomplishments for the 2017 Weber State football team. The Wildcats ended the season ranked fifth in the nation in the national polls, the highest the Wildcats have ever been at the end of a season.Â
WSU came in fifth in the FCS Coaches poll and the STATS FCS poll, released Monday following the 2017 season. Â
It is the highest ranking ever for Weber State in the final poll of the season and just the third time ever the 'Cats have finished the season ranked in the top 10. It's also the first time ever Weber State is the highest ranking team from the Big Sky Conference in the final poll. Â
The Wildcats tied the highest ranking of fifth during the 1980 season. WSU's previous high in the final poll of the season was seventh in 2008. Â
Head coach Jay Hill's Wildcats had a record-setting year last season, ending the year with a school-record 11 wins. Weber State also won the Big Sky Conference title and won two games in the FCS Playoffs for the first time ever. WSU defeated Western Illinois in the first round and defeated Southern Utah in the second round before falling 31-28 at then-No. 1 James Madison in the quarterfinals.Â
The Wildcats had eight players earn All-America honors, the most in a season in school history. Senior cornerback Taron Johnson was a consensus first team All-American and was named the Big Sky Defensive MVP. Senior tight end Andrew Vollert was also a consensus All-American. Senior punt returner Xequille Harry, junior special teams player Brady May, junior offensive tackle Iosua Opeta, freshman kick returner Rashid Shaheed, junior linebacker Legrand Toia and freshmen kicker Trey Tuttle also earned All-American honors. Â
