FSU favored to win CIAA South football crown

FAYETTEVILLE, North Carolina -- Fayetteville State’s football team has been chosen as the preseason favorite to win the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association’s Southern Division.

The Broncos were ranked third overall behind Bowie State and Virginia State in the CIAA’s overall poll. FSU beat out Winston-Salem State for the Southern Division honors. The rankings, and the preseason all-conference teams, were announced Wednesday, one day ahead of the league’s media day in Salem, Virginia.

The Broncos began the 2017 season with a 1-4 record, then rallied to win five in a row. They claimed the Southern crown in the regular-season finale at Winston-Salem State, edging the Rams 23-22, then lost 49-12 to Virginia State in the CIAA championship game. FSU finished 6-5 overall and 4-2 in CIAA regular-season action.

“Two years ago we had a plan, and it’s just nice to see that coaches around the league are starting to see that plan’s been effective by picking us to win the South,” third-year FSU head coach Richard Hayes Jr. said. “Now have to believe in ourselves and make it happen on the football field.

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