EKU football picked to finish 2nd in OVC

RICHMOND, Ky. – Eastern Kentucky University’s football team was picked to finish second in the Ohio Valley Conference in 2016 by league media members, the conference announced today.

The Colonels, under first-year head coach Mark Elder, earned 119 points in the media poll.

With 144 points and all 16 first-place votes, Jacksonville State was picked to win the OVC title.  Eastern Illinois totaled 112 points and placed third in the poll.

Tennessee-Martin (99) and Southeast Missouri (66) were picked fourth and fifth.  Tennessee State (65) and Murray State (56) were sixth and seventh respectively.  Tennessee Tech (38) and Austin Peay (21) rounded out the poll.

The Eastern Kentucky University football program has won two national championships, 21 conference titles, has made 21 playoff appearances and has just one losing record in the last 43 seasons.

No other current OVC team has won more than 10 league championships.  Six of the other eight OVC members have combined for just 17 conference championships, compared to 21 trophies for the Colonels.

The voters for the 2016 OVC Media Poll included:  Autumn Allison, Leaf-Chronicle; Bob Belvin, ESPN Clarksville; Jeff Bidwell, WPSD; Catlin Bogard, OVC Ball; Mike Bradd, Eastern Illinois Radio; Neal Bradley, Murray State Radio; Thomas Corhern, Cookeville Herald-Citizen; Mark Edwards, Anniston Star; Craig Haley, STATS; Kevin Ingram, 104.5 The Zone; Edward Marlowe, Paducah Sun; Mike Organ, Tennessean; Mike Parris, Jacksonville State Radio; Brian Rives, Governors Sports Network; Justin Rust, Charleston Journal Gazette & Times-Courier; Van Stokes, Governors Sports Network.