LSC Media Day: UTPB picked 3rd, Sul Ross 10th in preseason poll

McKINNEY, Texas (KMID/KPEJ) – The 10 member football teams of the Lone Star Conference gathered in McKinney for the annual Media Day on Thursday. UTPB learned it was picked to finish third in the conference preseason poll after winning the LSC title less than a year ago.

“UTPB is new on the scenes. First winning season in program history. We’re not supposed to win, right, in everybody’s eyes. When it happens, it’s an anomaly. Can you do it again? I think we can,” second-year head coach Kris McCullough said.

McCullough took his first season in West Texas by storm, posting the program’s first 10-win season, conference championship and playoff appearance.

The Falcons say they are accustomed to being the underdogs, having been picked to finish seventh in the conference before the 2023 season.

“Looking at this poll, everybody looks at it and they use it as fuel. But at the end of the day, we were [picked] seventh last year so we’re not really looking at that. We’re just worried about us and how hard we can work and what can we do to put us back in that situation?” Falcon linebacker Jalon Rocquemore said.

Sul Ross State made its LSC Media Day debut after re-joining the conference this summer. The Lobos were picked to finish last (10th) in their first season in the conference since 1975.

With the move, the Lobos were also elevated to an NCAA Division II institution (previously DIII), which comes with higher stakes and premiere talent. Head coach Barry Derickson is not shying away from the challenges ahead.

“We’re definitely excited to take the next step and compete at a higher level. Our guys have been just electric this offseason about moving up and being able to compete at this level,” Derickson said.

“They are not going to give us a lot of respect coming in because we came from Division III, so I mean it fuels a little bit of fire, but I kind of expected it,” Sul Ross wide receiver Vicente Luevano said.

The Lobos kick off their season Thursday, Aug. 29 against West Texas A&M while UTPB hosts Western New Mexico on Aug. 31.

The two schools go head-to-head in the season finale Nov. 16 in Alpine.

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