SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Three Southern Conference football teams are ranked in Athlon Sports’ Preseason FCS Top 25. Furman checks in at No. 6, Samford is No. 13 and Mercer is No. 17 in the publication’s annual predictive rankings.
 
Furman went 10-3 overall and 7-1 in SoCon play last season, finishing with a consensus No. 10 national ranking in the AFCA and Stats Perform polls. The Paladins reached the FCS playoffs for the first time since 2019, dropping Elon 31-6 in the first round before falling 41-38 to No. 7 national seed UIW.
 
Samford won the SoCon last season with an 8-0 league mark, finishing 11-2 overall and nabbing its first postseason berth since 2017. After falling at Georgia in week two of the season, the Bulldogs rattled off 10 straight wins before dropping a 27-9 decision at No. 3 national seed North Dakota State in the quarterfinals of the FCS playoffs. Samford earned its first-ever national seed at No. 6 and finished the season ranked seventh in both the AFCA and Stats Perform polls.
 
Mercer spent the entirety of the 2022 season in the national rankings, peaking at No. 11 and finishing 21^st in the AFCA poll and 24^th in the FCS rankings. The Bears were 7-4 overall and went 5-3 in league play to tie for third in the league.
 
Mercer will get the 2023 FCS season underway against North Alabama, squaring off against the Lions in the ninth annual FCS Kickoff at the historic Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Alabama, on Saturday, Aug. 26.
 
Defending FCS national champion South Dakota State tops Athlon Sports’ Preseason Top 25 rankings, followed by North Dakota State, Montana State, William & Mary and Holy Cross.
 
Athlon Sports' Preseason FCS Top 25
1. South Dakota State
2. North Dakota State
3. Montana State
4.William & Mary
5. Holy Cross
6. Furman
7. Idaho
8. New Hampshire
9. Southeast Missouri
10. Montana
11. Southeastern Louisiana
12. UIW
13. Samford
14. UC Davis
15. Sacramento State
16. North Dakota
17. Mercer
18. Rhode Island
19. Weber State
20. Southern Illinois
21. Richmond
22. Central Arkansas
23. UT Martin
24. North Carolina Central
25. Delaware