FOREST, Va. (BC Athletics) – The Bridgewater College Football team was selected to finish third in the ODAC Football Preseason Poll, released by the conference office on Tuesday.

The Eagles were slated third behind defending ODAC Champions Randolph-Macon (48 pts.) who took home six of the eight available first place votes. Washington and Lee (43 pts.) came in at the second slot and received on first-place nod. BC came in at No. 3 with 33 points and Hampden-Sydney (31 pts.) rounded out the top half of the poll and received the final first-place vote. Shenandoah (26 pts.), Averett (22 Pts.), Guilford (11 pts.) and Ferrum (10 pts.) rounded out the coach-voted poll.

The Eagles return five All-ODAC selections from a season ago. The BC Darkside returns defensive backs Aaron Moore and Noah Hines to go along with Eli Rucker up front. Offensively, Glory Nseka returns to the front five, while all-purpose back Brendan Robinson returns to the squad.

Bridgewater returns experience up front offensively as all five of the starters from game one a season ago are back as part of the 2024 offensive line. The skill positions on the offensive side bring in returners looking to increase their impact in 2024. The aforementioned Robinson returns as the Eagles third-leading rusher in 2023 and lost just five yards from scrimmage a ear ago. Three of BC’s top five receivers by yardage return this season in the forms of Cedric Drumgoole, Ian Browne and Freddie Watkins. Under center, the Eagles return a pair of quarterbacks from a season ago in Jaylen Wood and Jaicere Bateman who have been vying for the starting job in fall camp.

The defense will feature a different look as Peyton Allen takes over the Defensive Coordinator role and Dustin green takes on his new position as Defensive Pass Game Coordinator. The detail-oriented pair return good company in the secondary with Moore and Hines to go along with Amari Presley. The defensive front and linebacking core also features some of the tackling leaders from a season ago in TJ Lowery, Jalen Cunningham, Demarco Flemming and Andrew Brown.

The Eagles open the season on Sep. 6 for a Friday-night clash with Susquehanna at 7 p.m. in the Keystone State. BC opens the home schedule on Sep. 14 as Southern Virginia visits the Jopson Athletic Complex.

— BC Athletics —