Duquesne received seven first-place votes from conference football coaches and is the favorite to win the Northeast Conference.

Sacred Heart received one first-place vote and was picked second followed by Central Connecticut, Wagner, Bryant, St. Francis (Pa.), Robert Morris and newcomer Long Island.

Duquesne is the reigning champion. The Dukes finished 9-4 and defeated Towson State, 31-10, in an FCS first-round playoff game before falling to South Dakota State, 51-6.

This is LIU’s first season in Division I after spending time in Division II, including a stint in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference.

The NEC teams also are stepping up their schedules.

Robert Morris will visit the Mid-American Conference for Buffalo. Wagner will face Connecticut and will battle ACC power Miami in 2020. Duquesne has a game scheduled at Hawaii in 2022 and West Virginia in ’23, and St. Francis (Pa.) will play Akron in ’22.

The Colonials finished last season with a 2-9 record.

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