Football: Comets selected fourth in preseason poll

ROYAL OAK, Mich. -- The Olivet College football team has been picked fourth in the 2014 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) preseason poll, announced today by the league publicist.

In voting by the coaches, the Comets received 19 total points. Defending MIAA champion Albion College was selected as the preseason favorite with seven points and received five first-place votes. Adrian College was selected second with 16 points, followed by Hope College in third with 18 points. Hope and Olivet each received a first-place vote. Picked behind the top four were Trine (Ind.) University in fifth, 24 points; Kalamazoo College in sixth, 29 points; and Alma College in seventh, 34 points. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own school.

Dan Pifer starts his third season as the Comets' head coach. After going winless in his first season at the helm, Olivet bounced back to finish with a 6-4 record in 2013. The Comets were fifth in the league standings with a 2-4 record. Two of the four losses were decided by a touchdown or less. 

Olivet welcomes back 41 letterwinners, including three All-MIAA performers -- sophomore quarterback Braden Black (Battle Creek/Harper Creek), junior wide receiver Kyle Bryson (Rives Junction/Leslie), and sophomore defensive lineman Justin Madar (Holt) -- from last year's team. Black broke every single-season passing record, including completions (191), attempts (308), touchdowns (20) and yards (2,527). Bryson caught a team-leading 46 passes for 686 yards and nine touchdowns. Madar was the only freshman on the All-MIAA teams, and finished his first season in a Comet uniform with 38 tackles, including 10 quarterback sacks

Olivet will kick-off the 2014 season Saturday, Sept. 6 when it hosts Wilmington (Ohio) College. Game time from the Cutler Athletic Complex is 1 p.m. A year ago, the Comets defeated the Quakers, 48-27, in their season-opener in Wilmington. Olivet starts MIAA play Saturday, Oct. 4 at Adrian College at 5 p.m.