OFFICIAL USA SOUTH RELEASE LINK

BREVARD, N.C. – The USA South Conference football coaches have released their annual Preseason Coaches Poll, pegging the Tornados to finished tied atop the USA South West Division for the upcoming Spring season of competition.

Each divisional preseason poll only includes votes from coaches within that particular division-only. Head coaches do not vote for their own teams in the balloting.

Due to complications stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 football season was postponed until the spring semester. Despite the delay to the start of the season, the USA South is prepared to offer regular season and championship experiences for its student-athletes despite the NCAA's cancelation of the national Division III tournament. An adjustment to this season's competition is that USA South football teams will be competing in Conference-sponsored regular-season games within their division only.

The Tornados received a first-place vote and three points in the tabulation, as fellow West Division members Huntingdon College and Maryville College tied BC in the poll. Meanwhile in the East Division, Averett University and NC Wesleyan College tied for first place with eight points and a first-place vote each, followed by Methodist University (five points) and Greensboro College (three points).

Brevard College will play a total of five conference contests against USA South West Division foes Huntingdon College and Maryville College, facing each opponent in a home-and-home format leading up to the USA South Conference Football Championship game played in April.

The Tornados will open its long-awaited regular season on February 20 with a trip to Montgomery, Alabama to face Huntingdon College at 2 p.m. ET prior to an open weekend on February 27. BC is scheduled to play its first home conference contest at the newly-expanded Ives-Lemel Family Field on the campus of Brevard College on Saturday, March 6 at 4 p.m. as the Tornados welcome Maryville College.

BC continues its USA South campaign the following weekend when the Tornados host Huntingdon on Saturday, March 13 at 1 p.m., followed by an open weekend. Brevard's conference slate concludes on Saturday, March 27 when the Tornados visit Maryville, Tennessee to play the Scots at 2 p.m.

The Spring 2021 USA South Football championship game, the first in League history, is scheduled to take place on Saturday, April 3, and will consist of the East Division and West Division champions at a site to be determined. Those teams not reaching the championship game will compete that day as well in a fashion that is yet to be determined.

Following the conclusion of conference play, the Tornados will compete in a non-conference NCAA DIII battle at SAA member Sewanee College in Sewanee, Tennessee on Saturday, April 10. Kickoff time is still to-be-determined.

The Tornados, led by fourth-year Head Coach Bill Khayat, are coming off the best season in program history in the Fall of 2019 that was culminated with BC's first postseason appearance and victory in the 2019 ECAC Scotty Whitelaw Bowl.

The 2019 Tornado team won eight games – the most by a Brevard College football team in the school's history - in the 2019 season, trumping the 2009 squad's previous program-record seven victories.  School records were also set this season with a .800 winning percentage and five league victories in USA South Conference play. Moreover, BC went 5-1 in road games this season, which also set a school record for road wins in the NCAA-era.

The Tornados finished second in a USA South Conference that they were predicted to finish sixth in by the league's preseason coaches' poll.

Brevard finished the 2019 regular season on a five-game win streak dating back to October 26. Dating back to October 27, 2018, Coach Khayat's squad has won 11 out of its last 14 contests.

Brevard's 2019 defense far-and-away led its conference throughout the regular season with a school-record 19 interceptions, 23 turnovers, 105 points allowed, and 11.7 points-per-game allowed. Moreover, Brevard allowed the third-fewest rushing yards-per-game and scored four touchdowns on defense, which was tied for the lead in the USA South.

In addition to these conference-leading numbers, BC's 19 interceptions finished the 2019 regular season tied-for-third in all of NCAA DIII Football, trailing just Redlands (23) and Martin Luther (21) while being tied with four other schools.

Brevard's vaunted defense finishes the 2019 campaign with 21 interceptions, 25 total turnovers, 133 points allowed, and 13.3 points allowed-per-game.

As a safety measure due to the COVID-19 pandemic, only Brevard College students, faculty, and staff, as well as essential game personnel, will be permitted at outdoor sporting events during the Spring 2021 semester.  No outside spectators will be permitted for any athletics event on the Brevard College campus.  For those attending the match from the on-campus community, masks and social distancing are required as well as Brevard College identification.

The policy is in accordance with the USA South Conference's policy announced on February 5, 2021. Brevard College home athletic events will be broadcast live, free-of-charge, on the Brevard College Athletics YouTube Channel at youtube.com/BrevardCollegeTornados.

To follow the latest news and updates surrounding Brevard College Athletics, follow the Tornados on Twitter and Instagram @bctornados, subscribe to 'Brevard College Tornados' on YouTube, follow 'Brevard College Tornados' on SoundCloud, or like Brevard College Athletics on Facebook. Be sure to follow "brevardcollege" on Flickr for the latest photos from all Brevard College events.

-BC-