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Mount picked to win OAC again

CANTON — Mount Union’s football team topped both Ohio Athletic Conference media and coaches preseason polls announced Thursday at OAC Football Media Day at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton.

Mount Union garnered eight of 10 first place votes in the coaches poll and 26 first place votes in the media poll. The other first place votes in the coaches poll went to John Carroll — ranked second in both polls.

The Purple Raiders went 12-2 last season and advanced to the national semifinals for a 22nd straight year.

“We appreciate the respect that coaches and the media in the OAC have for our program,” said fourth-year head coach Vince Kehres. “We also know that playing in this conference is a tremendous challenge week in and week out.”

The 2017 season begins at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 2 against North Carolina Wesleyan at Mount Union Stadium in Alliance.

The football team opens preseason camp on Aug. 8. Photo and media day will be held at 9 a.m. on Aug. 17 at Mount Union Stadium. A scrimmage against Washington & Jefferson (Pa.) College will be held at 6 p.m. on Aug. 24 at Mount Union Stadium.

OAC Preseason Coaches Poll

1. Mount Union — 80 (8)

2. John Carroll –74 (2)

3. Heidelberg — 60

4. Ohio Northern — 54

5. Otterbein — 52

6. Baldwin Wallace — 38

7. Marietta — 32

8. Capital — 31

9. Muskingum — 18

10. Wilmington — 11

OAC Preseason Media Poll

1. Mount Union — 345 (26)

2. John Carroll — 327 (9)

3. Ohio Northern — 265

4. Heidelberg — 244 (1)

5. Otterbein — 212

6. Baldwin Wallace — 180

7. Capital — 143

8. Muskingum –123

9. Marietta — 101

10. Wilmington –40

** first place votes in parenthesis

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