SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Two Southern Conference football teams appear in the Athlon Sports 2021 Preseason Top 25, with VMI checking in at No. 18 and Chattanooga at No. 20.
The Keydets went 6-2 overall and 6-1 in league play in 2020-21, winning the SoCon title for the first time since 1977 and making their first-ever FCS playoffs appearance. VMI finished the season ranked 12
th nationally in both the AFCA Top 25 and the Stats Perform Top 25, peaking at No. 10 in both polls during the regular season. Coach Scott Wachenheim won the Eddie Robinson Award as the FCS national coach of the year.
Chattanooga went 3-2 overall and 3-1 in SoCon play in 2020-21. Before opting out of the remainder of the season, the Mocs were ranked as high as No. 10 nationally in the coaches’ poll and peaked at No. 9 in the Stats Perform poll.
Furman, which went 3-4 in 2020-21, all in SoCon play, was listed by Athlon Sports as “on the cusp” of the preseason rankings.
For the Athlon Sports release,
click here.
Athlon Sports 2021 Preseason Top 25
1. James Madison
2. North Dakota State
3. Sam Houston
4. South Dakota State
5. Delaware
6. Weber State
7. North Dakota
8. Montana State
9. Southern Illinois
10. Jacksonville State
11. Montana
12. Monmouth
13. Central Arkansas
14. Northern Iowa
15. Southeastern Louisiana
16. Villanova
17. UC Davis
18. VMI
19. Eastern Washington
20. Chattanooga
21. Kennesaw State
22. New Hampshire
23. Austin Peay
24. Nichols
25. Missouri State
On the cusp: Albany; Florida A&M;
Furman; Illinois State; Murray State; North Carolina A&T; Rhode Island; Richmond; Sacramento State; UIW