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Over the last few weeks, Nicholls State University offensive lineman P.J. Burkhalter has racked up the awards.

On July 8, the 2015 Franklinton High School graduate was named to the 2020 College Football America Yearbook Starting Lineup.

Also, College Football America ranked Nicholls State 13th in their FCS preseason Top 30 poll.

Southeastern Louisiana University is 26th in that poll.

SLU features a pair of players from Washington Parish in 2016 Franklinton graduate Damien Dawson and 2018 Pine graduate Brendon Kelley.

Dawson is a redshirt senior fullback, while Kelley is a redshirt sophomore offensive lineman.

A week later, Burkhalter, who was the conference’s Offensive Lineman of the Year last season, was named to the Preseason All-Southland Conference Team.

On July 25, Burkhalter was named a Phil Steele FCS 2020 Preseason All-American First-Team player.

Also, Nicholls State, which has won the Southland Conference the last two seasons, was ranked third and Southeastern Louisiana University was selected fourth in the conference in the 2020 Southland Conference preseason poll on July 22.

The poll is voted on by the head coaches and football sports information directors. Each predicts the order of the regular season finish, not including their own team.

There are 11 teams in the conference, so with each voting for 10, first place votes get 10 points, second records nine and so on.

Nicholls State University’s first game is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 12 against Northwestern State University on the road.

Southeastern Louisiana University is scheduled to have its opener on Thursday, Sept. 3 with a road contest against Tulane University.