ROYAL OAK — Football coaches in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association are forecasting a hard-fought conference race for the 2012 season.

Adrian was named the preseason favorite to win the 2012 MIAA title Thursday in the annual preseason coaches poll, narrowly edging out defending champion Albion.

The Bulldogs and Britons each received three first-place votes, with Adrian edging Albion by one point in the overall poll. Trine, whose run of three consecutive MIAA titles ended last fall, was picked to finish third, while Hope, which received the other first-place vote, was chosen fourth.

MIAA Football Poll Results

(first-place votes in parenthesis)

1. Adrian (3) 10 pts. 2. Albion (3) 11. 3. Trine 16. 4. Hope (1) 17. 5. Alma 30. 6. Kalamazoo 31. 7. Olivet 32

This season will be highlighted by a new Challenge Series pitting MIAA schools against member colleges of the Northern Athletics Conference.  The first games in the four-year series will be played Sept. 15 at NAC member sites, with MIAA schools to host next year’s games in the series.

The MIAA will kick off its 115th season of intercollegiate football action Aug. 30, as Trine hosts Manchester, Ind.

League play begins Sept. 29.