Mount Union's football team tops both Ohio Athletic Conference media and coaches preseason polls announced today (Aug. 9) at OAC Football Media Day at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton.

The Purple Raiders, the preseason No. 2 pick in the nation, went 14-1 last season, won the OAC championship for a 19th consecutive season and advanced to the Stagg Bowl, national championship game, for a sixth straight season. Mount Union has won the last 19 straight and 22 OAC football titles overall.

"We appreciate the respect that coaches and the media in the OAC have for our program," commented coach Larry Kehres. "We also know that playing in this conference is a tremendous challenge week in and week out."

The football team reports back to campus on Wednesday, Aug. 17 and starts practice on Thursday, August 18 with the season opener Saturday, Sept. 10 at 1:30 pm against UW-Oshkosh at Mount Union Stadium in Alliance. The game will begin Larry Kehres' 26th season as Mount Union head coach and he has a 303-23-3 overall record.

OAC Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Mount Union (9) - 81
2. Ohio Northern - 71 (1)
3. Baldwin-Wallace - 57
4. Otterbein - 53
5. Heidelberg - 47
6. Capital - 43
7. John Carroll 42
8. Muskingum - 25
9. Marietta - 21
10. Wilmington - 10

OAC Preseason Media Poll
1. Mount Union (23) - 230
2. Ohio Northern - 203
3. Baldwin-Wallace 165
4. Otterbein - 159
5. John Carroll - 134
6. Capital - 117
7. Heidelberg - 109
8. Muskingum - 65
9. Marietta - 59
10. Wilmington - 24

First Place votes in parenthesis