By Southern Pigskin Staff
SouthernPigskin.com

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League newcomers Appalachian State and Georgia Southern picked seventh, eighth.

nNEW ORLEANS xe2x80x93 After tying for the regular season championship last year, UL Lafayette and Arkansas State have been picked to finish first and second in the 2014 Sun Belt Football Preseason Coaches’ Poll.

nUL Lafayette is picked to repeat as they garnered all 11 fist place votes from Sun Belt head coaches and the maximum 121 points.xc2xa0 Arkansas State will look to grab a share of their fourth straight Sun Belt title as they earned 102 points and second place in the poll.xc2xa0 South Alabama was tabbed for a third place finish with 98 points after concluding last season with three straight wins to earn bowl eligibility in only their second year as a Sun Belt member.

nFive time Sun Belt Champion, Troy finished fourth in the preseason poll with 84 points.xc2xa0 The league’s coaches predicted a fifth place finish for UL Monroe, edging out Texas State, 78-70.xc2xa0 Football Bowl Subdivision newcomers Appalachian State and Georgia Southern took seventh and eighth in the poll.xc2xa0 The two schools begin their first season as Sun Belt members after ranking first and third in NCAA FCS Championships with nine titles between them.xc2xa0xc2xa0xc2xa0xc2xa0

nThe poll is rounded out by Idaho (9), Georgia State (10), and New Mexico State (11).xc2xa0 Idaho and New Mexico State will be making their return to the Sun Belt Conference as football only members having last played in the Sun Belt during the 2004 season.

nLast season, seven of the eight Sun Belt teams reached six wins and bowl eligibility and the conference was undefeated in bowl games.

nPreseason All-Sun Belt Conference Coaches Poll

n1. UL Lafayette 121 (11)

n2. Arkansas State 102

n3. South Alabama 98

n4. Troy 84

n5. UL Monroe 78

n6. Texas State 70

n7. Appalachian State 47

n8. Georgia Southern 44

n9. Idaho 29

n10. Georgia State 27

n11. New Mexico State 26