Arkansas State and Appalachian State won't meet on the football field this season, but reporters who cover the Sun Belt Conference think those two teams will decide the league race for a second consecutive season.
Appalachian State narrowly edged second-place ASU in a preseason poll of media members, released by the league office Thursday.
The Mountaineers, who finished 11-2 overall and 7-1 in the Sun Belt in 2015, earned five of the 11 first-place votes and 114 points to be tabbed Sun Belt favorites in 2016. ASU, which beat Appalachian State on its way to a Sun Belt title a season ago, also earned five first-place votes for 110 points.