By Alex Boggis, UT Martin Assistant Sports Information Director
MARTIN, Tenn. – The preseason predictions continue to roll in for the University of Tennessee at Martin football team coming off a banner campaign last season in which the program won an Ohio Valley Conference championship and earned a berth in the NCAA Division I playoffs. In its preseason magazine Lindy’s Sports tabbed the defending OVC champs to not only retain their league crown but have ranked the Skyhawks 22nd nationally entering the 2022 season.
Last season UT Martin finished with a 10-3 overall mark while going 5-1 in the OVC to secure the program’s second league championship and first since 2006. Along with the OVC title, the Skyhawks earned a berth into the NCAA Division I Football Championship where they picked up their first FCS playoff victory against Missouri State before falling in the second round to eventual national champion runner-up Montana State.
On the path to the OVC championship, the Skyhawks won a program record nine-straight games and ranked as high as No. 8 in the AFCA FCS Coaches’ Top 25 earlier this season. The team became just the third squad in program history to eclipse 10 wins in a single season while picking up victories over nationally ranked foes Jacksonville State (No. 9) and Missouri State (No. 10) along the way.
Along with entering the season ranked 22nd nationally, UT Martin was picked as the preseason favorite followed by Murray State, Southeast Missouri, Tennessee Tech, Tennessee State, newcomer Lindenwood and Eastern Illinois.
The publication also named Skyhawk safety Deven Sims as the OVC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year while adding offensive lineman Matthan Hatchie to its preseason All-American team.
The OVC will announce its official predicted order of finish preseason poll and preseason All-OVC teams on Tuesday, July 19 as part of its annual Media Day festivities.
Graphic courtesy of UT Martin Sports Information