Southeast Missouri State football slotted for fifth place in OVC preseason media poll

College football

The Southeast Missouri State football team has been picked to finish fifth in the Ohio Valley Conference in a preseason poll of media that covers the teams.

Defending conference champion Jacksonville State was a unanimous choice to repeat, collecting all 16 first-place votes for 144 points. The Gamecocks went 8-0 in OVC play last season and finished 13-2 overall. Eastern Kentucky -- 7-1 in the OVC last year -- tallied 119 points to finish second and was followed by Eastern Illinois (112), UT Martin (99), Southeast Missouri (66), Tennessee St. (65), Murray St. (56), Tennessee Tech (38) and Austin Peay (21).

Jacksonville State senior quarterback Eli Jenkins was selected the Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, while Tennessee St. junior defensive end Ebenezer Ogundeko was the choice for Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.

Southeast finished fifth in the OVC last season with a 3-4 record, part of a 4-7 campaign.

Southeast opens its season on the road Sept. 3 against Memphis. The Redhawks' first home game will be Sept. 17 against Indiana State and begin OVC play Sept. 24 at Murray St.

The annual OVC Coaches/SID poll will be released today.

-- From staff report