College Sports

By HAROLD WILSON
Staff Writer

The Central States Football League’s preseason poll placed Texas College right where the Steers finished a year ago — at the bottom.

TC received 16 votes — the least amount — to finish fifth among the five eligible schools. Nevertheless, TC garnered one of the 12 first-place votes in the poll conducted by the league’s coaches, sports information directors and selected members of the media.

Defending league champion Northwestern Oklahoma State reeled in eight first-place votes and 35 points to earn the favorite tag. Last year’s runner-up Langston followed with 29 votes and two first-place votes. Southern Nazarene came in third with 26 points and one first-place vote, and Bacone in fourth with 19 points.

Oklahoma Panhandle State and Southwestern Assemblies of God will both compete in the league as alliance members, though each will be ineligible for the conference championship.

Playing with 40 freshmen, the Steers went winless (0-4) in league play in 2007. TC claimed a share of the title in its first two years as full-fledged conference members — in 2005 with Langston and in 2006 with Southern Nazarene.

Northwestern Oklahoma State won the first five crowns from 1999-2004. The Rangers return a CSFL-best five first-time all-conference players, including senior quarterback Billy Barefield.

Southern Nazarene and Bacone bring back two first-team picks each. TC could match them with two returning first-teamers, assuming guard Fred Tucker (6-4, 330, Houston) and defensive end Ryan Miles (6-2, 240, Livingston) both gain clearance in the coming weeks for another season of eligibility.

“Some people realize we can have a chance to beat some people, but after last year with all those freshmen, and a lot coming back, I guess they don’t think they’ll be much-improved,” said TC head coach Jay Brown after hearing of the predicted finish and first-place vote.

“Hopefully we can get it going.”

The Steers open the season Aug. 30 on the road against Mississippi Valley State. The opener marks one of three contests with NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) schools, including ones at Prairie View A&M (Sept. 6) and at home in the East Texas Rose City Classic against Texas Southern (Sept. 20).

TC opens up CSFL play on Oct. 18 versus Langston in a designated home game set for Lufkin’s Abe Martin Stadium.

The Steers report for fall workouts on Saturday.

Central States Football League Preseason Poll

Rank School Points

1 Northwestern Oklahoma State 35 (8)

2 Langston University 29 (2)

3 Southern Nazarene 26 (1)

4 Bacone 19

5 Texas College 16 (1)

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— denotes first-place votes