CONWAY — There has been much discussion during the offseason about the purple and gray turf recently installed at the University of Central Arkansas' First Security Field at Estes Stadium.

But it's not just the turf drawing attention to the Central Arkansas football program. More importantly, the team playing on it heads into the 2011 season with a buzz all its own.

The Bears have caught the attention of pollsters around the country, garnering recognition in a pair of Division I FCS preseason polls. Sporting News has the Bears in its Top 10, slotting UCA No. 9 in the nation and first among Southland schools. Athlon's preseason magazine has the Bears 24th, second in the Southland behind No. 21 Northwestern State.

"It's always good to be in the discussion as far as national polls and conference honors and things of that nature are concerned," said UCA head coach Clint Conque. "The expectations are high, but they're always high at this university. You want to be some place where there are expectations and you're in those discussions – that's much better than being some place where you're not in the discussion at all. We embrace the expectations and are committed to living up to them."

The Bears are coming off a 7-4 season in which they went 4-3 and tied for third in the Southland Conference, finishing the year by winning four of five including a 28-24 victory over second-place McNeese State in the season finale.

Most of the Bears' production from last season returns, including the top two quarterbacks, top six rushers, six of the top seven receivers and eight of the top 10 tacklers.

"I think any time you return a high number of starters, in particular a veteran QB, you can see how those assumptions are made," Conque said. "Being regarded so highly in the preseason I think adds additional motivation for our players and provides a lift during our voluntary summer workouts and conditioning activities."

At the same time, Conque knows the preseason polls aren't reflective of the team's offseason progress and mean nothing once the games begin in the fall.

"From my perspective, hey, it's good to be mentioned," he said. "But I also know that what we do on Saturdays this fall determines where we finish at the end of the year. It's great for our fan base and alumni – it generates positive momentum and interest in our program, which is certainly nice to have. But I am more concerned with our preparation and how we perform this summer heading into fall camp. What we do now goes a long way in determining what we do in the fall. It's great to be ranked in the preseason, but that's not where we want to peak."

Sporting News Top 25

1. Eastern Washington
2. William & Mary
3. Appalachian State
4. Northern Iowa
5. Montana State
6. Georgia Southern
7. Delaware
8. Montana
9. Central Arkansas
10. Wofford
11. New Hampshire
12. Southern Illinois
13. McNeese State
14. Murray State
15. Western Illinois
16. Southern Utah
17. Richmond
18. Stephen F. Austin
19. Jacksonville State
20. Liberty
21. Chattanooga
22. Lehigh
23. Bethune-Cookman
24. Penn
25. UC Davis

Athlon Sports Top 25

1. Georgia Southern
2. William & Mary
3. Eastern Washington
4. Montana State
5. Appalachian State
6. Delaware
7. Richmond
8. Wofford
9. Jacksonville State
10. Northern Iowa
11. North Dakota State
12. U Mass
13. New Hampshire
14. Lehigh
15. Sacramento State
16. Chattanooga
17. Villanova
18. Southern Illinois
19. Montana
20. Liberty
21. Northwestern State
22. Eastern Kentucky
23. Indiana State
24. Central Arkansas
25. Jacksonville