Wayland Baptist is picked eighth in the 2021 Sooner Athletic Conference Preseason Football Coaches Poll.
Coming off of a COVID-altered, pandemic-shortened season that saw the Pioneers go 2-5, including 1-4 in the conference, Wayland was picked as high as fourth and as low as last in the poll by SAC head coaches.
With 30 total points, the Pioneers come in just behind Texas Wesleyan's 31 points and just ahead of league newcomer Louisiana College's 28 points. Texas College is picked 10
th with 13 points.
Defending SAC champion Arizona Christian, ranked No. 13 in the NAIA, is the favorite to repeat, picking up seven first-place votes and 76 total points. The Firestorm are followed by the league's other Arizona team, No. 23 Ottawa, which drew two first-place votes and 71 points. Langston is third with 64 points, including one first.
Southwestern Assemblies of God is seen a fourth with 56 points, followed by Oklahoma-Panhandle State with 41 and Lyon (Ark.) with 40.
WBU head coach
Butch Henderson returns as many as 20 players from last season with either starting experience or lots of playing time.
The Pioneers play only once at home in their first five games. After opening the season Sept. 4 with their lone non-conference game in Abilene against Hardin-Simmons, they go to Arkansas to face Lyon prior to the home-opener Sept. 18 against Langston. Road games against Texas College and Texas Wesleyan follow, then the Pioneers host Oklahoma-Panhandle State and Louisiana College. After going to SAGU, WBU draws the SAC's two ranked Arizona teams to end the regular season: No. 23 Ottawa at home and No. 15 Arizona Christian in Glendale.
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| 2021 Sooner Athletic Conference Preseason Football Coaches Poll |
| No. |
Team |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
Pts. |
| 1. |
Arizona Christian |
7 |
|
1 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
76 |
| 2. |
OUAZ |
2 |
6 |
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
71 |
| 3. |
Langston |
1 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
|
|
|
|
|
64 |
| 4. |
SW Assemblies of God |
|
1 |
4 |
2 |
|
2 |
|
|
|
56 |
| 5. |
Panhandle State |
|
|
|
1 |
6 |
|
1 |
1 |
|
41 |
| 6. |
Lyon |
|
|
3 |
1 |
|
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
40 |
| 7. |
Texas Wesleyan |
|
|
|
1 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
2 |
|
31 |
| 8. |
Wayland Baptist |
 |
 |
 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
30 |
| 9. |
Louisiana College |
|
1 |
|
|
1 |
2 |
|
2 |
3 |
28 |
| 10. |
Texas College |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
2 |
6 |
13 |
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