BIRMINGHAM, Ala.— The Samford University football team was ranked 10
th in the preseason FCS Coaches Poll, released by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Monday.
Samford is one of three Southern Conference schools to make the top 25 poll. The Bulldogs are the highest ranked SoCon school at 10
th, followed by Wofford, which placed 11
th in the voting. Furman was ranked 21
st in the poll. Western Carolina was among the others receiving votes.
Samford is one of two teams in the state of Alabama ranked in the poll, as Jacksonville State was rated sixth. Samford non-conference opponent Kennesaw State came in fifth in the preseason voting.
Samford returns 10 starters on offense and six starters on defense from a team that went 8-4 overall and 6-2 in Southern Conference play last season. The Bulldogs have reached the NCAA Division I-FCS Playoffs in back-to-back seasons for the first time since the 1991 and 1992 seasons.
Samford was picked as the favorite to win the Southern Conference in preseason polls from both the coaches and media. The Bulldogs were also ranked 11
th nationally in the preseason STATS FCS top 25 poll, released last week.
Among Samford's 16 total returning starters are three preseason All-Americans in quarterback
Devlin Hodges, defensive lineman
Ahmad Gooden and wide receiver
Kelvin McKnight.
Hodges, the two-time SoCon Offensive Player of the Year, passed for 3,983 yards and 31 touchdowns last season. He completed 65.7 percent of his passes (347-of-528) and averaged 331.9 passing yards per game. Hodges led the Southern Conference and ranked in the top 10 nationally in passing yards per game, total offense per game and total offensive plays. Hodges came in fourth in the voting for the Walter Payton Award, given to the FCS' top offensive player.
Gooden, who was named the SoCon's Defensive Player of the Year, ranked second on the team and sixth in the Southern Conference in total tackles with 101 in 2017. He also led the team and ranked second in the SoCon in tackles for loss with 15.5, and he tied for fourth in the league in sacks with 5.5. Gooden finished seventh in the voting for the Buck Buchanan Award, which goes to the top defensive player in all of FCS football.
McKnight led the SoCon in receptions per game (7.8), receiving yards per game (107.2), total receptions (86) and total receiving yards (1,179) last season. He tallied at least 100 receiving yards in six games last season, and he had at least one touchdown in eight contests in 2017.
Samford will open the 2018 season by hosting Shorter on Thursday, Aug. 30, at Seibert Stadium, with the kickoff time set for 6:30 p.m. To purchase season tickets, click here:
PURCHASE SEASON TICKETS.
2018 American Football Coaches Association Preseason FCS Coaches' Poll
NO. SCHOOL 2017 RECORD PTS
1. North Dakota St. (23) 14-1 647
2. James Madison (3) 14-1 623
3. South Dakota St. 11-3 579
4. Sam Houston St. 12-2 557
5. Kennesaw St. 12-2 543
6. Jacksonville St. 10-3 530
7. Eastern Washington 7-4 454
8. Weber St. 11-3 446
9. New Hampshire 9-5 430
10. Samford 8-4 393
11. Wofford 10-3 340
12. Northern Iowa 8-5 338
13. Elon 8-4 319
14. North Carolina A&T 12-0 292
15. Central Arkansas 10-2 269
16. Delaware 7-4 257
17. Nicholls St. 8-4 241
18. McNeese St. 9-2 187
19. Villanova 5-6 165
20. Illinois St. 6-5 144
21. Furman 8-5 128
22. Stony Brook 10-3 120
23. Austin Peay 8-4 119
24. Youngstown St. 6-5 88
25. Montana 7-4 67
Others Receiving Votes: Idaho, 41; Northern Arizona, 36; Yale, 22; Grambling St., 14; Monmouth (N.J.), 12; Southern Utah, 11; Sacramento St., 9; Colgate, 8; South Dakota, 6; San Diego, 5; Richmond, 4; Western Illinois, 3; Western Carolina, 2; Lehigh, 1.
