Waxahachie, Texas – August 3, 2017 – The Central States Football League (CSFL) Preseason Poll has been released and Arizona Christian University has been voted as the league’s favorite team for the 2017 season. The S outhwestern Assemblies of God University (SAGU) Lions were picked in fifth place overall.
In 2016, SAGU finished the season 4-6 with a conference record of 2-4. The Lions will return 14 starters, eight on offense and six on defense. They will also return quarterback CJ Collins , who had a season-ending injury in game two of the 2016 season.
SAGU will also be returning seven players from the 2016 All-CSFL Team. First team honorees include senior Matt Lighter , senior Carl Morgan , senior Devon Petty , and junior Jeremy Carr . Returners from the second team include senior JP Lowery, junior Dayne Maclin and junior Matt Williams .
Arizona Christian, who repeated as CSFL Champions, were an undefeated 6-0 in conference play during the 2016 season and finished with a 7-3 overall mark. Arizona Christian received a No. 22 ranking in the 2017 NAIA Football Coaches’ Top 25 Spring Poll that was released April 10. The Firestorm received a total of 127 points in the 2017 CSFL Preseason Poll, including 15 of 18 first place votes. The poll is comprised of the league’s coaches and sports information directors.
Langston University finished in second place in the poll, while the Lions were 13 points shy of the top vote getter. Langston, who was ranked #21 in the 2017 NAIA Football Coaches’ Top 25 Spring Poll, received three first place votes. Wayland Baptist University received 93 total points and took third place.
Oklahoma Panhandle State University s ewed up fourth place with 82 points and Southwestern Assemblies of God University nailed down the fifth spot with 77 points. Lyon College ranked sixth, receiving 53 points. Bacone College landed in the seventh spot with 46 points, while Texas Wesleyan University and Texas College rounded out the poll in the eighth and ninth spots, respectively, with 28 and 27 votes each.
During the 2017 season, nine teams will compete for the CSFL title, including four teams from Texas, three schools from Oklahoma and one University out of California and Arkansas. The CSFL is comprised of Arizona Christian University, Bacone College, Langston University, Lyon College (Ark.), Oklahoma Panhandle State University, Southwestern Assemblies of God University (Tex.), Wayland Baptist University (Tex.), Texas College and Texas Wesleyan University.
2017 CSFL Preseason Poll
Rank School Points (1st place votes)
1. Arizona Christian University 127 (15)
2. Langston University 115 (3)
3. Wayland Baptist University (Tex.) 93
4. Oklahoma Panhandle State University 82
5. Southwestern Assemblies of God University 77
6. Lyon College (Ark.) 53
7. Bacone College 46
8. Texas Wesleyan University 28
9. Texas College 27
