Jason Koon

The Lenoir-Rhyne University football team was selected to finish first in the South Atlantic Conference Preseason Poll, as voted on by the league's coaches.

LR received six first place votes in the poll. Wingate was ranked second and Carson-Newman was picked third. Both teams received two first place votes.

LR and Wingate were also the only two SAC teams ranked in the American Football Coaches Association National Preseason Poll. Wingate was ranked No. 21 in the nation and Lenoir-Rhyne checked in at No. 16.

Last season, head coach Doug Socha led the Bears to the team's sixth 10-plus win season in the last 11 years, finishing with a record of 10-3. The Bears won their third road playoff game in program history when they took down West Alabama 37-34 in the opening round of the

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