Sam Houston, McNeeese top Southland Conference polls
LAKE CHARLES - Sam Houston State, hot off an 11-4 season and a run at the national semifinals, has been selected as the favorite heading into upcoming Southland Conference football season.
Sam Houston State tops the polls which were voted on by the league’s coaches and sports information directors. Southland Media Days are underway Wednesday at the L’Auberge Casino in Lake Charles.
McNeese, last year’s regular-champion, came in at the No. 2 spot after the school received the final two first-place votes from the coaches and the final first-place vote from the sports information directors, making for a close election.
The Sam Houston Bearkats will be gunning for their seventh Southland Conference title. They were 7-2 in regular season play last year. They made a semifinals appearance last season for the fourth time in five years.
McNeese wrapped up last regular season as the only FCS team with an unblemished record, going 10-0. The Cowboys will be under the direction of new head coach lance Guidry with 13 returning starters and 69 letterwinners on the roster.
Central Arkansas came in third-place in both polls, but trailed the leaders by more than 10 votes each. They finished 7-4 overall last season.
McNeese will be at Sam Houston on Nov. 5 with a kick-off time yet to be determined.
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2016 Southland Conference Preseason Polls
Coaches’ Poll
Pl. |
School (First-place votes) |
Pts. |
1. |
Sam Houston State (9) |
99 |
2. |
McNeese (2) |
92 |
3. |
Central Arkansas |
79 |
4. |
Lamar |
67 |
5. |
Stephen F. Austin |
60 |
6. |
Southeastern Louisiana |
57 |
7. |
Northwestern State |
45 |
8. |
Abilene Christian |
40 |
9. |
UIW |
29 |
10. |
Nicholls |
26 |
11. |
Houston Baptist |
11 |
Sports Information Directors’ Poll
Pl. |
School (First-place votes) |
Pts. |
1. |
Sam Houston State (10) |
100 |
2. |
McNeese (1) |
86 |
3. |
Central Arkansas |
84 |
4. |
Lamar |
67 |
5. |
Stephen F. Austin |
66 |
6. |
Northwestern State |
48 |
7. |
Southeastern Louisiana |
42 |
8. |
UIW |
39 |
9. |
Abilene Christian |
37 |
10. |
Nicholls |
26 |
11. |
Houston Baptist |
10 |