The defending champion Illinois Wesleyan football team has been picked in a third place tie in the 2010 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin preseason coaches' poll.

The Titans, who were 10-2 overall last season and 6-1 in the league, received 33 points. North Central was chosen first with 48 points, including six first place votes, followed by Wheaton with 41 points and one first place vote.
Augustana also received 33 points and the other first place vote.
Following the Titans and Augie in the poll were Carthage (28 points), Millikin (21 points), Elmhurst (13 points) and North Park (seven points).

North Central is the defending CCIW co-champion with IWU and was 6-1 in the league and 8-2 overall. Wheaton was 7-3 overall while Augustana was 6-4 and both had 4-3 league marks.

The poll was announced on Thursday, August 5, prior to the second annual CCIW coaches' live chat. Voting in the preseason poll is done by the CCIW's head coaches. Each coach votes for the seven other schools in the conference in order of predicted finish. Points are assigned in reverse order of voting (seven points for first, six for second, etc.). Coaches may not vote for their own team.

Illinois Wesleyan was No. 26 in the preseason D3football.com poll released August 5. North Central was No. 14 and Wheaton was No. 28 as the only other CCIW schools represented in the poll. Defending champion Wisconsin-Whitewater, the team that eliminated IWU from the playoffs in 2009, was No. 1 and Wabash, who IWU downed in overtime in the NCAA first round, was No. 24.

Some highlights from Titan head coach Norm Eash's replies on the chat:

Eash on the season ahead:
We are very excited to start the 2010 season and have high expectations. We are coming off of a very successful year in 2009 and we want to continue our “winning ways.” We have 40 letterwinners returning that include seven offensive starters and four defensive starters along with our punter and kicker returning. The most exciting aspect of our returning starters is the fact that six were all-CCIW – and all four defensive starters were first team. We expect that the CCIW will be tremendously challenging, but we expect to be in the race for a CCIW championship. Our key offensive players returning are Brien Rooney at QB, Eli Williams at RB, and Ray Krishock at offensive tackle. On defense we will build around Max Brooks at DT, Ryan Jenkins at DE, Dan Rogers at LB, and P.J. Cummings at strong safety.

On his recruiting class:
At IWU we are very excited about our incoming freshmen. This will be the largest and most talented group that we have brought in during my tenure at IWU. We have covered every position with very athletic players. Some of the freshmen could challenge and give us immediate help and will play a pivotal role in our season.

On his senior class:
Our tradition here at IWU is to have our seniors be leaders and playmakers. I feel this year's group will continue that tradition and we are going to rely on players such as Rooney, Williams, Krishock , Rogers, Brooks, and Jenkins to lead our seniors.

On the challenge of repeating as an NCAA playoff team:
Winning a CCIW championship is a tremendous honor for our program and I felt we played very well last year and were deserving of that recognition, but you don't win this year's games with last year's team. We are not entitled to anything this year and we must earn it. We are excited to accept that challenge. As other coaches have mentioned you have to prepare for every team when you play in the CCIW so I'm sure the coaches will prepare for us as they would for any other team.

On the strength of the league:
I believe that the CCIW is in the top three Division III conferences in the country. All the teams are very well coached and there are some very talented athletes. Its a league where you must be prepared to play ever week. I believe the CCIW will do very well in non-conference play.

On what the CCIW has to do to continue to be successful at the NCAA playoff level:
Our reputation precedes itself. We must continue to do well in our non-conference games and in-region games. CCIW teams that have made the playoffs have a tradition of doing well and advancing very far. The recruitment of talented athletes and the competition of our league games will allow the CCIW to continue to be recognized at the national level.