Football Southern Conference

Three SoCon teams in AFCA preseason top 25

WACO, Texas – Samford, Wofford and Furman appear in the inaugural AFCA FCS Coaches’ Top 25, the AFCA announced Monday. The AFCA begins administration of the FCS poll for the first time, which had been run by the Southern Conference. The AFCA also administers coaches’ polls in Division II and Division III.

 

Samford checks in at No. 10 in the AFCA poll, immediately followed by Wofford in 11th. Furman is slotted at No. 21.

 

The Bulldogs went 8-4 overall and 6-2 last season and return 10 starters on offense and six on defense, including the reigning SoCon Offensive Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, in quarterback Devlin Hodges and defensive lineman Ahmad Gooden, respectively.

 

Wofford was 10-3 overall and 7-1 in the league to win the SoCon title. The Terriers bring back five offensive starters, six on defense and two on special teams.

 

Furman, led by SoCon Coach of the Year Clay Hendrix, was 8-5 overall and 6-2 last season and returns five starters on offense, nine on defense and one on special teams.

Western Carolina, which finished fourth in the SoCon at 7-5 overall and 5-3 in the league, received votes in the AFCA preseason poll.

 

For the AFCA’s full release, click here.

 

School (1st votes)               2017      Pts.        Rank*

  1. North Dakota St. (23) 14-1 647        1        
  2. James Madison (3) 14-1 623        2        
  3. South Dakota St. 11-3 579        4        
  4. Sam Houston St. 12-2 557        3        
  5. Kennesaw St. 12-2 543        9        
  6. Jacksonville St. 10-3 530        10      
  7. Eastern Washington 7-4 454        22      
  8. Weber St. 11-3 446        5        
  9. New Hampshire 9-5 430        15      
  10. Samford 8-4 393        17      
  11. Wofford 10-3 340        7        
  12. Northern Iowa 8-5 338        19      
  13. Elon 8-4 319        21      
  14. North Carolina A&T 12-0 292        6        
  15. Central Arkansas 10-2 269        8        
  16. Delaware 7-4 257        NR     
  17. Nicholls St. 8-4 241        23      
  18. McNeese St. 9-2 187        18      
  19. Villanova 5-6 165        NR     
  20. Illinois St. 6-5 144        NR     
  21. Furman 8-5 128        20      
  22. Stony Brook 10-3 120        11      
  23. Austin Peay 8-4 119        NR     
  24. Youngstown St. 6-5 88           NR     
  25. Montana 7-4 67           NR     

 

* Ranking in final FCS Coaches Poll of 2017

 

Others receiving votes: Idaho, 41; Northern Arizona, 36; Yale, 22; Grambling St., 14; Monmouth (N.J.), 12; Southern Utah, 11; Sacramento St., 9; Colgate, 8; South Dakota, 6; San Diego, 5; Richmond, 4; Western Illinois, 3; Western Carolina, 2; Lehigh, 1.