Alexandria, VA - The head football coaches and Sports Information Directors of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference have picked Hampton University to successfully defend its league title in the 1998 season. Results were revealed today, at the MEAC Football Press Luncheon.
Hampton also finished first in a poll of media representatives at the luncheon.
Last year, the Pirates had an unblemished 7-0 conference record and constructed a ten-game winning streak between a season-opening loss at William & Mary and a post-season loss at Youngstown State in the NCAA Division I-AA Playoffs. Hampton finished the year 10-2.
Florida A&M University was a close second in the voting. The Rattlers posted a 5-2 MEAC record and a 9-3 overall mark, after absorbing a tough loss at Georgia Southern in the I-AA playoffs.
South Carolina State University, which tied FAMU for second place last year at 5-2 and 9-3 overall, placed third in the preseason voting. S.C. State earned the 1997 McDonald's Heritage Bowl invitation to Atlanta, where the Bulldogs dropped a close decision to Southern University.
Howard University (4-3, 7-4 overall last season) was picked fourth. North Carolina A&T State University (3-4, 7-4) was picked fifth, Morgan State University (2-5, 3-7) was the sixth choice and Bethune-Cookman College (1-6, 4-7) was seventh. Delaware State University (1-6, 3-8) and Norfolk State University (0-0, 3-7) tied for eighth.
Hampton received ten of the 18 first place votes and accumulated 266 points of a maximum 288. FAMU received four first place votes and totaled 238 points. Third place S.C. State had two first place votes and 210 total points. Howard had 182 points, N.C. A&T 150 and Morgan State 103 with one first place vote. Bethune-Cookman had 57 points. Delaware State received the remaining first place vote and tied for eighth place with Norfolk State, each with 54 points.
In the poll of media representatives at the press luncheon, Hampton finished first with seven first-place votes and 258 points. Florida A&M was picked second with 219 points and three first-place votes edging S.C. State with 216 points and five first-place votes.
Howard finished fourth with 190 points and two first-place votes followed by N.C. A&T (153), Morgan State (98), Delaware State (66), Norfolk State (65, one first-place vote) and Bethune-Cookman (48).
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