SE PICKED TO FINISH SEVENTH AGAIN IN OVC

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- For the fourth year in a row, Southeast Missouri State University's Indians were picked to finish seventh in the eight-team Ohio Valley Conference during the league's annual football media day Wednesday.

Not that first-year Southeast coach Tim Billings expected any different.

"I really couldn't see them picking us any place else," said Billings of the preseason poll, which is based on voting by the league's head football coaches and sports information directors. "They pick you there for a reason and we were 3-8 last year (tying for sixth in the conference).

"But, as the old saying goes, it's not where you start, it's where you finish. I feel like we have the opportunity to be very competitive, and our players feel like that."

Eastern Kentucky, which has an amazing string of 22 consecutive winning seasons under legendary coach Roy Kidd, has been tabbed as the favorite to win the title. The Colonels were a near unanimous choice to capture the crown, earning 12 of a possible 14 first-place votes (coaches and SID's couldn't vote for their own team).

But Kidd, who has a 293-112-8 career record and ranks third among active Division I-A or I-AA coaches in wins, was somewhat surprised that the Colonels are being labeled the team to beat considering that only tied for third in the OVC last year.

"I like our football team, but I don't know why they picked us first," he said. "They usually pick the defending champion."

The Colonels are the preseason favorites primarily because they return 15 starters from last year's 7-4 squad, including all of their skill position players on offense. But Kidd sees a wide-open league race.

"I really believe it's going to be wide open," he said. "I think several teams could win it."

Among the other leading contenders according to the preseason poll are last year's top two finishers, defending champion Tennessee State and runner-up Murray State.

Murray State, which returns 13 starters from a 7-4 team, received three first-place votes and was picked to finish second. But new coach Joe Pannunzio must replace record-setting quarterback Justin Fuente.

"When you lose Justin Fuente as a leader, it's like losing Bob Gibson as a pitcher," said Pannunzio. "But I've never seen kids more committed to putting a championship ring on their finger."

Tennessee State, which went 11-0 overall and 7-0 in the OVC during its spectacular 1999 regular season before losing in the first round of the I-AA playoffs, received the other first-place vote and was picked to finish third.

The Tigers, who also have a new coach in James Reese, return just 11 starters and they also must find a quarterback after standouts Leon Murray and Chris Perkins both completed their eligibility.

"We lost 16 seniors and six of them moved on to the NFL," Reese said. "Most important, we have to replace our quarterback."

Western Kentucky was picked to finish fourth, followed by Tennessee Tech, Eastern Illinois, Southeast and perennial doormat Tennessee-Martin, which has not recorded an OVC victory since 1996.

Western Kentucky, which went 6-5 and tied for third place in the OVC last year in its return to the league, welcomes back 15 starters.

But veteran coach Jack Harbaugh lamented the fact that the Hilltoppers will once again be leaving the league after this season because of a recent conference ruling that only full OVC members can compete for a conference championship.

Western Kentucky, which competes in the Sun Belt Conference in other sports, will join the Gateway Conference for football next season.

"I am deeply saddened by leaving the OVC after this year," said Harbaugh. "I'm losing a lot of friends and adversaries."

Tennessee Tech (6-5, tie for third last year) returns 15 starters, including five from a nationally-ranked defense, under veteran coach Mike Hennigan.

Eastern Illinois (2-10, tie for sixth) and veteran coach Bob Spoo welcome back 18 starters as they try to bounce back from the program's worst record in 22 years.

Southeast returns 11 starters as Billings attempts to turn things around.

"We've got a long way to go, but with the commitment our university is showing, we've got a chance to get there," Billings said.

Tennessee-Martin (1-10, eighth) has a new coach in Sam McCorkle and the Skyhawks will have primarily a brand-new roster as they try to finally climb out of the OVC basement. The Skyhawks return just nine starters and 26 letterwinners.