Jacksonville State picked to win OVC

Published 12:15 pm Tuesday, July 24, 2018

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Jacksonville State is the preseason pick to win the Ohio Valley Conference as the Gamecocks chase their fifth consecutive league title.

OVC coaches and sports information directors gave Jacksonville State 14 of their 18 first-place votes in the preseason poll that came out Monday. Austin Peay got the other four first-place votes and was picked second.

They were followed in order by UT Martin, Eastern Illinois, Eastern Kentucky, Tennessee State, Southeast Missouri, Murray State and Tennessee Tech.

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Southeast Missouri running back Marquis Terry was named the OVC preseason offensive player of the year. Jacksonville State defensive back Marlon Bridges is preseason defensive player of the year.

Jacksonville State has won 32 straight OVC games, the longest active conference win streak by any Football Championship Subdivision or Football Bowl Subdivision program.

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The expected order of finish for the 2018 season in the Ohio Valley Conference as predicted by coaches and communications directors and released Monday. Eight points awarded for first, seven for second, et cetera, and coaches and sports information directors could not vote for their own teams (with first-place votes in parentheses):

1. Jacksonville State (14) 126

2. Austin Peay (4) 112

3. UT Martin 95

4. Eastern Illinois 73

5. Eastern Kentucky 69

6. Tennessee State 64

7. Southeast Missouri 62

8. Murray State 24

9. Tennessee Tech 23