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Both Weber State and Southern Utah are expected to finish in the middle of the pack in Big Sky football this season.

The Wildcats, fresh off a 2016 season that included a return to the FCS playoffs, were picked to finish fifth in the Big Sky in both the media and coaches' polls released Tuesday at the conference's media kickoff in Park City. Southern Utah, meanwhile, is seventh in both polls.

Weber State earned 209 votes in the media poll and 103, including a first-place vote, in the coaches' poll. The Wildcats went 7-5 last season, including 6-2 in conference play, and returned to the FCS playoffs for the first time since 2009, losing to Chatanooga 45-14 in the first round.

Southern Utah had 175 votes in the media poll and 80 in the coaches' poll. The T-birds went 6-5 in 2016 and tied for fourth in the Big Sky with a 5-3 conference record. SUU most recently made the FCS playoffs in 2015.

North Dakota is the favorite in both polls to win the Big Sky, receiving 298 votes (15-first place votes) in the media poll and 130 votes (six first-place votes) in the coaches' poll. Eastern Washington, which reached the national semifinals in 2016, is second in both polls, while Northern Arizona and Cal Poly are picked third and fourth, respectively.

Last year, the Big Sky sent four teams to the FCS playoffs.

Big Sky preseason media poll

(first-place votes in parentheses)

1. North Dakota, 298 votes (15)

2. Eastern Washington, 271 (5)

3. Northern Arizona, 236 (3)

4. Cal Poly, 224

5. Weber State, 209

6. Montana, 204 (1)

7. Southern Utah, 175

8. Montana State, 156

9. Northern Colorado, 135

10. Portland State, 104

11. UC Davis, 62

12. Sacramento State, 61

13. Idaho State, 44

Big Sky preseason coaches' poll

(first-place votes in parentheses)

1. North Dakota, 130 votes (6)

2. Eastern Washington, 124 (2)

3. Northern Arizona, 119 (2)

4. Cal Poly, 108 (1)

5. Weber State, 103 (1)

6. Montana, 83 (1)

7. Southern Utah, 80

8. Montana State, 69

9. Portland State, 62

10. Northern Colorado, 60

11. UC Davis, 35

12. Sacramento State, 26

13. Idaho State, 15