Football picked 19th in preseason poll
Despite returning only six starters from last year's 11-2 team, the Franklin College football team was ranked in the preseason Division III Top 25.
The Grizzlies were ranked 19th in Tuesday's ranking, which was released by D3football.com. All of Franklin's four returning starters on offense were on the line that helped Chad Rupp gain most of the school's passing records during his career. They include junior Chad Schenkel who was named to the second team preseason All-American team last month by the Web site. On the defensive side of the ball, Franklin brings back linebackers Teddy Henkle and Nick Cochran.
HCAC coaches also picked Franklin to repeat as champions earlier this week. The Grizzlies received five and a half of the eight first place votes from league coaches and finished ahead of Mt. St. Joseph and Rose-Hulman, who received the other first place votes.
The team opens its season Sept. 5 at Baldwin-Wallace College of the Ohio Athletic Conference in Berea, Ohio and kicks off their home schedule the following weekend agaisnt Divison I Butler University.
