Central and Northeastern State are entering their second football seasons in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association. Neither is generating a lot of hype in the league’s preseason polls.
UCO, under second-year coach Nick Bobeck was tabbed to finish 10th in the 14-team conference, according to the coaches. The Bronchos went 2-8 in 2012 with a schedule made up entirely of MIAA contests.
Bronchos coach Nick Bobeck talked at the MIAA Media Day about the season ahead.
“We enjoy the opportunity to play in the MIAA,” Bobeck said. “We love the challenge.
“We’re going to play a lot of teams that are definitely candidates to compete for a national championship year in and year out and that’s the level we want to get to.”
Northeastern followed UCO in the coaches poll, coming in at No. 11.
The RiverHawks are coming off a 4-6 campaign in 2012. After starting 0-6, NSU won its last four games.
Kenny Evans starts his sixth season in Tahlequah this fall.
“The fact that we were able to in four games at the end of last season with a young team has us excited about this year,” Evans said.
“We’re going into the season with the longest winning streak in the MIAA.”
The two teams were Nos. 10 and 11 in the media poll, but the positions reversed. NSU was picked 10th and UCO 11th.