Tigers picked second
RUSSELLVILLE The Great American Conference has released the coach's preseason poll for the 2018 season.
Ouachita Baptist, the defending GAC champions, were picked to finish second in this year's poll.
The Tigers received a total of 111 points in the poll and two coaches picked the Tigers to repeat as GAC champions.
Last season, the Tigers were picked to finish fourth in the conference, but ended the season on top with a 9-2 record. The last time Ouachita Baptist was picked to finish first in a preseason poll was at start of the 2015 season. That year, the Tigers were coming off an undefeated regular season and their second GAC championship.
The No. 1 scoring team in the GAC returns 10 starters on the offensive side of the ball, including D2football.com AllPurpose All-American Drew Harris (Benton).
First-Team All-GAC wide receiver Allie Freeman (Little Rock) returns to lead a talented receiving core and AllGAC running back Kris Oliver (Arkadelphia) was the leading rusher for the Tigers a season ago. Along the offensive line, all five starters return, including First-Team All-GAC performers Cori Gooseberry (Little Rock) and Justin Gooseberry (Little Rock).
The defense returns six starters from a team that finished third in the GAC with a plus-11 turnover margin. Tevin Jones (Jonesboro) and Keandre Evans (Junction City) return to anchor the secondary, while Ernest Reed (El Dorado) wreaks havoc along the defensive line for the Tigers.
Harding was picked to win the GAC after a run to the national semifinals a year ago. The Bison were knocked off by the eventual national champions in Texas A&M Commerce. Harding received a total of 118 points and eight first place votes to lead all teams.
Southern Arkansas is slated to finish third in the poll with 91 total votes and a single first place vote. The Muleriders were picked to finish last in 2017, but finished the season with a 7-4 record. Southeastern Oklahoma State and Arkansas
Tech tied for fourth place, with the Savage Storm receiving the final first place vote in the poll. Henderson State rounds out the top six in the conference after a 6-5 season.
Last season the Reddies had a better road record (5-1) than they did a home record (1-4).
Arkansas-Monticello received 58 votes and just barely edged out Northwestern Oklahoma State (55 votes) for sixth place in the preseason poll. Both squads finished with an identical record of 5-6 last season.
Southern Nazarene and Southwestern Oklahoma State were picked to finish eighth and ninth respectively. East Central and Oklahoma Baptist tied for the final spot in the poll after a dismal 2-9 record a season ago.
Ouachita Baptist will begin its title defense with a road trip to Northwestern Oklahoma State. The Tigers and the Rangers are slated to kickoff the season on August 30 at 6 p.m.