PANTHERS PICKED 1OTH IN SUN BELT
The Sun Belt football preseason coaches poll, with points (first-place votes in parentheses):
1. Louisiana-Lafayette, 121 (11)
2. Arkansas State, 102
3. South Alabama, 98
4. Troy, 84
5. Louisiana-Monroe, 78
6. Texas State, 70
7. Appalachian State, 47
8. Georgia Southern, 44
9. Idaho, 29
10. Georgia State, 27
11. New Mexico State, 26
Georgia State was picked to finish 10th out of 11 teams in the Sun Belt football preseason coaches poll Saturday.
The Panthers were just ahead of New Mexico State and just behind Idaho.
Georgia State finished 0-12 overall and 0-7 in coach Trent Miles’ first season in Atlanta and the team’s first in the Sun Belt.
The Panthers lost 27 scholarship seniors off last season’s squad. They must find way to replace the production of playmaking wide receiver and returner Albert Wilson, as well as several starters on the offensive line, defensive line and all four starters in the secondary.
Georgia State returns five starters on offense, five on defense and two on special teams.
The Panthers will open the season Aug. 27 against Abilene Christian at the Georgia Dome.
Louisiana-Lafayette, which was 5-2 last season, was unanimously picked to win the conference, followed by Arkansas State, which also was 5-2, and South Alabama, which was 4-3.
Newcomers Appalachian State and Georgia Southern, historic powers on the FCS level in the Southern Conference, were picked seventh and eighth, respectively.
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