ITHACA, N.Y. – The first release of the 2013 season of the NCAA Division III Football Regional Rankings has Ithaca ranked second in the East Region. The Bombers are 7-1 overall and only trail 7-0 Hobart. The regional rankings are released three times prior to the selection of the NCAA Tournament, and teams are ranked according to the same criteria used to determine at-large selections and overall seeding for the NCAA tournament.

Ithaca was ranked 24th in the most recent release of the D3football.com Top 25 Poll, received the second-most votes of teams not ranked in the American Football Coaches Association Poll, and were fourth in the ECAC Lambert Meadowlands Poll. The Lambert Trophy recognizes supremacy in Eastern college football. None of those rankings factor into the NCAA tournament selection process.

Ithaca visits Salisbury at noon on Saturday for its final Empire 8 game, and the Bombers can clinch a share of the Empire 8 title and automatic qualification to the NCAA tournament with a win.

NCAA Division III Regional Rankings

D3football.com Top 25

AFCA Coaches Poll

ECAC Lambert Meadowlands Poll