As far as football goes, the state of Mississippi looks to be a force to be reckoned with in the National Junior College Athletic Association yet again.
Last year was an outstanding one for Mississippi JUCO football as the Northwest Rangers won the national title and five schools from the state finished in the top ten.

This year, it is projected to be much of the same.

The first preseason poll for the 2016 season was released Monday with five Mississippi schools cracking the top 20.
Perennial junior college powerhouse East Mississippi starts the season as the top-ranked team in the nation. The Lions are looking to return to the promised land in 2016 after finishing seventh in last year’s ranking with an 8-1 overall record. They begin their season with a road contest at Jones County Sept. 1

With a team that is extremely deep and talented, the Misissippi Gulf Coast Bulldogs were ranked No. 4 in the preseason poll. The Bulldogs reached the Mississippi Association of Junior Colleges Championship game, but were bested by eventual national champion Northwest 34-24. MGCC opens their season on Sept. 1 at Itawamba Community College.

After a 7-2 season that was highlighted by victories over East Mississippi and Mississippi Gulf Coast, Copiah-Lincoln Community College begins the season as the seventh ranked team in the nation. Co-Lin will kick off the year at home Sept. 1 against Mississippi Delta Community College.

Despite a championship season, the Rangers still start the 2016 season ranked at No. 10 nationally. The Rangers will have to replace 15 starters, including three All-Americans.  The Rangers posted an 11-1 record last season and defeated six nationally-ranked opponents. The Rangers will begin the season with a tough test on the road against Hinds Community College.

Hinds rounds out the Mississippi representation in the top 20, coming in at No. 19. The Eagles finished 2015 unranked, but had a big victory against Co-Lin 33-26 last season. They will begin the 2016 season against the national champion Northwest Rangers on Sept. 1

Also receving votes was East Central Community College in Mississippi. They finished last season with an 8-3 overall record.  The rest of the NJCAA rankings are as follows:
1. East Mississippi
2. Snow (UT)
3. Trinity Valley (TX)
4. MS Gulf Coast
5. Butler (KS)
6. Iowa Western (IA)
7. Copiah-Lincoln
8. Dodge City (KS)
9. Navarro (TX)
10. Northwest MS
11. Lackawanna (PA)
12. Arizona Western (AZ)
13. Tyler (TX)
14. Dupage (IL)
15. Georgia Military (GA)
16. Hutchinson (KS)
17. Kilgore (TX)
18. Coffeyville (KS)
19. Hinds
20. Central Lakes (MN)