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The University of Richmond, William & Mary and James Madison shared the CAA Football championship last season. This season, the Spiders are the state team to beat, according to the STATS FCS national preseason poll released Monday (Poll, Page C7).

Richmond is No. 4, with W&M No. 9 and JMU No. 12. North Dakota State, which has won the past five FCS championships, is No. 1.

The Spiders, tabbed as the CAA favorite in the league’s preseason poll, return 15 starters from a team that went 10-4 and advanced to the FCS semifinals.

The Tribe return 16 starters from a 9-4 playoff team and the Dukes return 16 starters from a 9-3 playoff team. JMU’s first-year coach is Mike Houston, who succeeded Everett Withers, now the coach at Texas State. Houston came from The Citadel.

There are 12 teams in the CAA and six are ranked. New Hampshire is No. 22, Villanova No. 23, and Towson No. 24.