Southland football lands two spots in Preseason FCS Coaches Poll

Sam Houston State and Central Arkansas are on another preseason top 25 list, both being voted b y F o o t b a l l C h a m p i o n s h i p Subdivision head coaches to the preseason poll, the Southern Conference announced Tuesday. Both teams hold the same rankings in two preseason polls with this announcement coming one day after being announced as the respective No. 3 and No. 15 spots in the STATS FCS Preseason Top 25. Sam Houston State garnered 577 points and three first-place votes en route to the No. 3 spot. The Bearkats finished 2016 at the No. 5 spot in the FCS Coaches Poll with a 12-2 record (9-0 SLC).
Central Arkansas earned 251 points for the No. 15 spot, having finished No. 16 in the final poll last season.
The Bears finished 2016 with a 10-3 record (8-1 SLC).
McNeese (34), Southeastern Louisiana (seven) and Nicholls (six) also received votes in the preseason poll. McNeese is represented locally by Patterson alum and senior tight end DeonDre Skinner, while Central Catholic alumni, sophomore wide receiver Stefano Guarisco and redshirt-sophomore tight end Garret LeBlanc, represent Nicholls.
The 2017 preseason poll features teams from nine conferences, with the Missouri Valley leading the way with five schools.
The Big Sky, Colonial Athletic Association and the Southern Conference each boast four schools in the preseason poll. The FCS Coaches Poll is based on a voting panel of FCS head coaches, under the cooperation of t h e C o l l e g i a t e C o m m i s s i o n e r s Association and the American Football Coaches Association, and is administered by t h e S o u t h e r n Conference.