Kennesaw State Voted 2018 Preseason Football Favorite
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (www.BigSouthSports.com) – Defending Big South champion Kennesaw State University has been tabbed the favorite in the conference’s annual preseason football for the 2018 campaign as voted by the league’s head coaches and media panel and announced today at the Big South Conference Football Media Day Kickoff Luncheon at the Renaissance Suites Hotel in Charlotte.
The Owls were near unanimous favorites, as KSU collected 17 of the 18 first-place votes and finished with 107 out of a possible 108 points to claim the top spot. Kennesaw State, which reached the FCS Quarterfinals last season and was ranked No. 8/9 in the final polls, returns 43 letterwinners, 18 starters and 12 All-Conference players. Under the direction of fourth-year head coach Brian Bohannon, the Owls went 12-2 last season (5-0 in the Big South) and led the nation with 330.2 rushing yards per game.
Monmouth, which finished second in the 2017 Big South standings and earned the program’s first-ever playoff berth as an at-large entrant, was second in the preseason balloting with 82 points and collected the remaining first-place vote. Led by 26-year head coach Kevin Callahan, the Hawks welcome back 18 starters in 2018 -– including 10 on offense.
Charleston Southern and second-year head coach Mark Tucker claimed third-place in the poll with 75 points and received six second-place votes from the panel. Gardner-Webb sixth-year head coach Carroll McCray and his Runnin’ Bulldogs were predicted fourth in the preseason ranking with 52 points, while new Big South football member Campbell landed in the fifth spot. The Camels and sixth-year head coach Mike Minter earned 36 points. Presbyterian College rounded out the preseason voting with the sixth and final spot, as the Blue Hose and head coach Tommy Spangler received 26 points.
Campbell and Kennesaw State open the 2018 season on Thursday night, Aug. 30, while Monmouth will open the campaign on the road on Friday, Aug. 31. Gardner-Webb and Charleston Southern begin play on Saturday, Sept. 1, while Presbyterian begins its slate on Saturday, Sept. 8. The first conference game is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 6, and the regular-season concludes Saturday, Nov. 17, with the Big South champion receiving the league’s automatic bid to the FCS Playoffs.
2018 Preseason Football Poll
| Rk - Team (first-place votes) |
Points |
| 1 - Kennesaw State (17) |
107 |
| 2 - Monmouth (1) |
82 |
| 3 - Charleston Southern |
75 |
| 4 - Gardner-Webb |
52 |
| 5 - Campbell |
36 |
| 6 - Presbyterian College |
26 |
Note: points are based on a weighted system, with first-place votes receiving 6 points, followed by 5 points for second-place, and so on.