The UTPB football team was picked to finish fifth in the Lone Star Conference preseason poll released at the annual media day Thursday in McKinney.
The Falcons earned a pair of first-place votes.
Angelo State, with 15 first-place votes, was tabbed to win the conference championship, with Midwestern State in the runner-up spot.
Central Washington, one of three new schools in the conference, sits in third.
Western Oregon and Simon Fraser (B.C.) are the other new programs in the conference.
UTPB opens its season against Southwest Baptist on Sept. 3 in Midland.
