SEMO football picked eighth in OVC preseason media poll

The Southeast Missouri State football team was predicted to finish eighth in the Ohio Valley Conference in a preseason poll of media members who cover the league, the conference announced Friday.

Jacksonville State was tabbed as the preseason favorite and received 9 of 14 first-place votes (118 points). Tennessee State received four first-place votes and was picked second (113 points) while defending OVC champion Eastern Illinois was selected third and received one first-place vote (98 points).

Eastern Kentucky (79), UT-Martin (77) and Murray State (56) were picked fourth through sixth, respectively.

Tennessee Tech was seventh with 44 points followed by Southeast with 29 points and Austin Peay's 16.

JSU running back DaMarcus James was selected as the media's OVC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year and TSU defensive end Anthony Bass was named the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.

The OVC will release its preseason poll and preseason All-OVC selections, which is voted on by head coaches and sports information directors, on Monday during the conference's media day in Nashville.

Southeast will open the 2014 season against Missouri Baptist University on August 28 at Houck Stadium.