For the fifth-straight year and seventh time in the past nine years, Jacksonville State has been picked the preseason football favorite in the Ohio Valley Conference for 2018. The Gamecocks, who have won four-straight OVC Championships and 32-straight Conference games, received 14 of a possible 18 first-place votes in a poll of league head coaches and communications directors.
The Gamecocks totaled 126 total points to out-distance Austin Peay, last year's league runner-up, who picked up the other four first-place votes and was tabbed second (112 points). The second-place prediction is the highest-ever for the Governors program. UT Martin was picked third (95) and followed by Eastern Illinois (73), Eastern Kentucky (69), Tennessee State (64), Southeast Missouri (62), Murray State (24) and Tennessee Tech (23).
Jacksonville State enters this season having won 32-straight OVC contests dating back to the end of the 2013 season. The streak is the longest in OVC history and second-longest in FCS history (trailing only a 39-game win streak by Duquesne in the MAAC from 1999-2006). The Gamecocks spent all of last season in the Top 10, climbing as high as No. 2 in the polls before falling in the second round of the FCS Playoffs. Overall JSU has been ranked in the Top 10 for 59-straight weeks.
2018 OVC Football Preseason Predicted Order of Finish
1. Jacksonville State (14 first-place votes) – 126 points
2. Austin Peay (4) - 112
3. UT Martin - 95
4. Eastern Illinois - 73
5. Eastern Kentucky - 69
6. Tennessee State - 64
7. Southeast Missouri - 62
8. Murray State - 24
9. Tennessee Tech - 23
2018 Preseason All-OVC Football Team
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: Marquis Terry (RB), Southeast Missouri
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Marlon Bridges (DB), Jacksonville State
OFFENSE
QB - Jeremiah Oatsvall, Austin Peay **
RB - Marquis Terry, Southeast Missouri *
RB - LaDarius Galloway, UT Martin **
RB - Isaiah Johnson, Eastern Illinois **
WR - Alexander Hollins, Eastern Illinois
WR - Steven Newbold, Tennessee State
TE - Dan Paul, Eastern Kentucky *
C - Tyler Scozzaro, Jacksonville State *
OG - B.J. Autry, Jacksonville State *
OG - Ryan Rockensuess, Austin Peay **
OG - Darius Anderson, Jacksonville State **
OT - Drew Forbes, Southeast Missouri **
OT - Kyle Anderton, Austin Peay **
DEFENSE
DL - Randy Robinson, Jacksonville State **
DL - Jaison Williams, Austin Peay *
DL - Aaron Patrick, Eastern Kentucky
DL - Kenney Wooten, Murray State
DL - Tim Collins, Tennessee Tech
LB - Zach Hall, Southeast Missouri **
LB - James Gilleylen, UT Martin **
LB - Gunnar Scholato, Austin Peay *
DB - Vincent Sellers, Tennessee State **
DB - Marlon Bridges, Jacksonville State *
DB - Mark Williams, Eastern Illinois
DB - Dajour Nesbeth, Tennessee State
SPECIALISTS
K - Cade Stinnett, Jacksonville State **
K - Gabriel Vicente, Murray State **
P - Nick Madonia, Tennessee Tech **
RS - LJ Scott, Eastern Kentucky **
RS - Peyton Logan, UT Martin **
* - 1st team All-OVC team in 2017
** - 2nd team All-OVC team in 2017