For the first time in recent history the Ohio Valley Conference has conducted a Preseason Football Media Poll prior to the start of the season. In total 14 voters from around the league cast a ballot on who they thought would be the 2014 football favorites and preseason players of the year.
The OVC will release its preseason poll and All-OVC team, as voted on by league head coaches and sports information directors, on Monday during the league's annual Media Day in Nashville.
The media panel picked the Jacksonville State Gamecocks as the preseason favorite, picking up 9 of 14 first-place votes and 118 total points. Tennessee State picked up four first-place votes and 113 total points in being picked second. Two-time defending champion Eastern Illinois received the other first-place vote and was picked third (98 points). The poll was rounded out by Eastern Kentucky (79), UT Martin (77), Murray State (56), Tennessee Tech (44), Southeast Missouri State (29) and Austin Peay (16).
In addition the pollsters tabbed Jacksonville State senior running back
DaMarcus James as the Preseason Offensive Player of the Year and Tennessee State senior defensive end
Anthony Bass as the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.
The pollsters for the 2014 OVC Media Poll were: Bob Belvin, ESPN Clarksville; Catlin Bogard, OVC Ball; Mike Bradd, Eastern Illinois Radio; Neal Bradley, Murray State Radio; Chris Brinkley, UT Martin Radio; Thomas Corhern,
Cookeville Herald-Citizen; Craig Haley, The Sports Network; Brian Nielsen,
Journal Gazette/Times-Courier; Mike Organ,
The Tennessean; Mike Parris, Jacksonville State Radio; Erik Sean, Southeast Missouri Radio; Greg Stotelmyer, Eastern Kentucky Radio; Craig Thomas, Jackson Sun; Donal Ware, Boxtorow.com.
2014 Media OVC Preseason Football Predicted Order of Finish
1. Jacksonville State (9 first-place votes) - 118 points
2. Tennessee State (4) - 113
3. Eastern Illinois (1) - 98
4. Eastern Kentucky - 79
5. UT Martin - 77
6. Murray State - 56
7. Tennessee Tech - 44
8. Southeast Missouri - 29
9. Austin Peay - 16
2014 Media OVC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: DaMarcus James (RB), Jacksonville State
2014 Media OVC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Anthony Bass (DL), Tennessee State