Appalachian State has been selected the Southern Conference’s outright preseason favorite for the fifth consecutive season as the Mountaineers were picked to win the 2010 conference championship in balloting conducted by media members who cover SoCon football.
The Mountaineers (259 points) received 22-of-30 first-place votes. Elon (231 points), last season’s runner-up, was the only other team to receive multiple first-place votes.
Following Elon in third was Furman (197). The Paladins picked up a first-place vote and were comfortably head of fourth-place Chattanooga (157). The Mocs improved by five games from 2008 to 2009, finishing with a mark of 6-5 last season.
Wofford was selected fifth with 152 points, just nine points ahead of sixth-place Samford. The Bulldogs were the fourth team in the poll to earn a first-place vote.
Georgia Southern came in at No. 7 in the preseason balloting. The Eagles are under the direction of first-year head coach Jeff Monken. Western Carolina earned 52 points to finish in eighth place, while The Citadel (45) rounded out the poll.
2010 SoCon Football Preseason Media Poll
Place School (First-place votes) Points
1. Appalachian State (22) 259
2. Elon (6) 231
3. Furman (1) 197
4. Chattanooga 157
5. Wofford 152
6. Samford (1) 141
7. Georgia Southern 116
8. Western Carolina 52
9. The Citadel 45
