The University of Tennessee-Martin has been tabbed as the pre-season favorite to win the upcoming Big South/OVC Football Association championship.
In a pre-season vote by the association’s head coaches, the Skyhawks earned 61 total points, and five first place votes.
Following the Skyhawks in voting for the nine team association was Eastern Illinois and Southeast Missouri State, who each received two first place votes.
Tennessee State and Gardner-Webb rounded out the Top-5.
Coach Jason Simpson’s teams have won three straight conference championships, and finished last season with a record of (8-3).
