The Pearl River CC Wildcats have made a habit of maintaining a lofty ranking in the national JuCo football polls over the past several seasons.

And this year is no exception.

The Wildcats, who will kick off their  2011 football season Thursday, Sept. 1, against Northwest Mississippi in Senatobia, will do so with a prestigious No. 8 ranking in the NJCAA’s preseason Top 25 poll released earlier this week.

The Wildcats’ season-opening foe garnered a No. 9 ranking in the balloting, Three other MACJC schools are in the poll, including No. 2  Mississippi Gulf Coast, the defending state champions, No. 16 East Mississippi, and No. 19 Copiah-Lincoln.

Tenth-year PRCC head coach Tim Hatten said the league’s showing in the poll is indicative of its strength.

  “We (MACJC) wound up with five teams in the top 20 of the top 25 poll,” he said. “That goes to show you the respect our league has on a  national basis.”

Navarro College (Texas) starts the 2011 NJCAA Football season at No. 1 in the NJCAA Preseason Top 25, released on August 2, 2011. Despite having one of the most difficult schedules, Navarro is expected to make a strong push toward its second consecutive national title. The Bulldogs come into 2011 with a proven coaching staff and a talented young group of players.

Navarro is followed in the preseason rankings by Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, Butler Community College (Kan.), Blinn College, (Texas), and Arizona Western College.

 Also, Gulf Coast and Pearl River copped No. 2 and No. 12 rankings, respectively, in The Sporting News Junior College Top 25. Northwest, Gulf Coast, East Mississippi, and Pearl River nabbed No. 4, No. 5, No. 14, and No. 22 spots, respectively, in the JC Gridiron Dirty 30 Poll. Those two polls include California schools, which are not members of the NJCAA.