ROCK HILL, SC – The Carson-Newman Eagles, who claimed their 18th South Atlantic Conference football championship last season, were an overwhelming favorite to add another championship trophy to their collection.

The Eagles, in a vote by the eight league’s head coaches, received seven first-place votes and 63 total votes (out of a maximum possible 64).

Carson-Newman head coach Ken Sparks, the winningest coach in SAC history, returns for his 26th year. The Eagles bring back 62 lettermen and 13 starters from last year’s team that went 9-3 and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division II playoffs.

Catawba College received the other first-place vote and received 48 total points. The Indians bring back 14 starters off last year’s team that went 7-4, finished tied for second in the league, and advanced to the NCAA playoffs.

Last season, there was a four-way tie for second place in the always-competitive South Atlantic Conference, and the coaches predict another close race.

Tusculum, one of the teams in last year’s second-place logjam, is picked to finish third with 46 points, only two points behind Catawba.

Wingate was last year’s surprise team and the Bulldogs return 19 starters off last year’s squad which was in the hunt for its first conference championship up until the final weekend of play. The Bulldogs were picked to finish fourth with 39 total points.

Mars Hill and Presbyterian finished in a tie for fifth place in the coaches poll, with each team receiving 27 points. Presbyterian also finished in the four-way tie for second place a year ago. The Blue Hose have finished lower than fourth in the league standings just once (in 2003) in seven seasons. Mars Hill is looking to improve on back-to-back 3-4 conference seasons.

Newberry is picked to finish seventh with 23 points.

Lenoir-Rhyne is picked to finish in eighth place. The Bears led the league with 11 presseason all-conference selections, including returning SAC Defensive Player of the Year in linebacker Tim Clarke.

Coaches Preseason Poll 
1. Carson-Newman........ 63 (7) 
2. Catawba...............48 (1) 
3. Tusculum..............46 
4. Wingate...............39 
5. (tie) Mars Hill.......27 
Presbyterian.............27 
7. Newberry..............23 
8. Lenoir-Rhyne..........15 
(First-place votes in parenthesis)