2016 CC Football Preseason Poll

LANCASTER, Pa. – The Ursinus College football team was picked to finish seventh in the Centennial Conference preseason poll released Wednesday during the conference's annual media day. The Bears received 74 points in a survey of the CC's head coaches and sports information directors.

Seven-time defending CC champion Johns Hopkins, which won its 11^th league crown after a perfect 10-0 regular season in 2015, is once again the favorite to bring home another title to Baltimore. The Blue Jays took down 17 of 20 possible first-place votes and collected 159 total points, 14 more than second-place Muhlenberg (144), which picked up two first-place votes. Moravian was third with 132 points, while Franklin & Marshall (99) received the other first-place ballot and landed in fourth and Gettysburg (91) was fifth.

Susquehanna (85) was picked sixth, followed by Ursinus (74), Dickinson (52), Juniata (46), and McDaniel (18). The CC preseason poll has accurately predicted the conference champion in 16 of the past 18 years, including a streak of eight in a row.

Ursinus was pegged to finish third in last year's poll before stumbling to a 3-7 overall record and a 2-7 standing in CC contests.

The Bears lost three All-CC defenders to graduation in Kyle Adkins, Steve Ambs, and James Roccograndi – who combined for 215 tackles (27 for loss), 11 sacks, and four interceptions – but bring back almost their entire starting offense in an effort to script a bounce-back season. Senior captain Salvatore Bello (73/143, 1036 yards, 5 TD) and junior James Emmett (78/162, 831 yards, 2 TD) each received multiple starts at quarterback a year ago, and Ursinus returns the whole of its offensive line to pave the way for senior running back Corey Kelly (407 yards, 6 TD) and sophomore Asa Manley (226 yards, 2 TD). Seniors Francis Grey (a team captain) and Connor Newlin join juniors Andrew Dalessandro and Grant Nulty and sophomore Antonio Nakos in the trenches alongside four other players who started at least one game along the offensive front last season.

Despite some major losses, the cupboard is far from bare defensively, with senior captains Timothy Rafter and Prince Patterson heading the returning corps. Rafter led the Bears with 89 tackles from his linebacker spot last season, while Patterson tallied 38 tackles and broke up a team-best eight passes from the secondary. Juniors Jamie Casseus (8 PBU, 1 INT) and Heath Hidlay (4 PBU, 2 INT) also return to the defensive backfield.   

The football team returns to campus on Saturday, August 13 and opens its 124^th season on Saturday, September 3 at Bethany (W.V.).

2016 CC Football Preseason Poll