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The Sporting News Preseason Yearbook recently hit newsstands, dishing out preseason All-American and Top 25 predictions, as well as a conference-by-conference breakdown across the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).
In its preseason Top 25, the Sporting News staff picked Murray State as the 14th-best team nationally and Jacksonville State as the No. 19 team in the FCS heading into the season.
In a breakdown of the league, the Sporting News predicted Murray State was the team to beat in the OVC. The Racers were picked first and were followed by Jax State, Eastern Kentucky, defending champion Southeast Missouri State, Eastern Illinois, UT Martin, Tennessee Tech, Austin Peay and Tennessee State.
The article, written by the Louisville Courier-Journal's Michael Grant, picked Murray State quarterback Casey Brockman as the top offensive player in the league, Jacksonville State defensive end Monte Lewis as the top defensive player and JSU wide receiver Trey Smith as the league's Top Newcomer.
The October 1 game between Jacksonville State and Murray State was tabbed the "Game to Watch" in the league for 2011.
The OVC will announce its official predicted order of finish preseason poll and preseason All-OVC teams on Monday, July 25 as part of its annual Media Day festivities.