The Jacksonville State Gamecocks, who lost the FCS title game in January, is the preseason favorite yet again to win the Ohio Valley Conference championship.

The Gamecocks, who took 16 of 18 first-place votes, is the league's preseason pick as champ for a third straight year and the fifth in the past seven years in voting announced Monday at OVC media day. Jacksonville State has won the OVC title the past two seasons with at least a share in three of the past five.

Jacksonville State coach John Grass has the league's preseason picks for players of the year in quarterback Eli Jenkins and defensive lineman Darius Jackson from a team that went 13-2 and snapped a 12-game win streak losing the title game to North Dakota State 37-10.