BALLADEER’S BLOG’S COLLEGE FOOTBALL PRESEASON RANKINGS

The divisions of college football covered here at Balladeer’s Blog kick off their 2026 season on Thursday, August 27th. Here are my Preseason Top Ten Rankings for each division. 

NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics)

### 1. MORNINGSIDE UNIVERSITY MUSTANGS   ###   2. GRAND VIEW UNIVERSITY VIKINGS (Defending Champs)   ###   3. KEISER UNIVERSITY SEAHAWKS   ###   4. MONTANA TECH OREDIGGERS   ###   5. BENEDICTINE COLLEGE RAVENS   ###   

6. COLLEGE OF IDAHO COYOTES    ###    7. LINDSEY WILSON COLLEGE BLUE RAIDERS    ###    8. DORDT UNIVERSITY DEFENDERS    ###    9. WILLIAM PENN UNIVERSITY STATESMEN    ###    10. SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY FIRE    ###   

NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) Division Two  

###   1. HARDING UNIVERSITY BISON   ###   2. FERRIS STATE BULLDOGS (Defending Champs)   ###   3. UNIVERSITY OF WEST FLORIDA ARGONAUTS   ###   4. NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE BEARCATS   ###   5. INDIANA UNIVERSITY (PA) CRIMSON HAWKS   ###   

6. COLORADO STATE AT PUEBLO THUNDERWOLVES    ###    7. UNIVERSITY OF INDIANAPOLIS GREYHOUNDS    ###    8. JOHNSON C. SMITH UNIVERSITY GOLDEN BULLS    ###    9. CENTRAL WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY WILDCATS    ###    10. PITTSBURG (KS) STATE GORILLAS    ###   

NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) Division Three

### 1. UNIVERSITY OF MOUNT UNION PURPLE RAIDERS   ###   2. BETHEL (MN) UNIVERSITY ROYALS   ###   3. NORTH CENTRAL COLLEGE CARDINALS   ###   4. JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY BLUE JAYS   ###   5. WHEATON COLLEGE THUNDER   ###   

6. UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN AT RIVER FALLS FALCONS (Defending Champs)    ###    7. SAINT JOHN’S UNIVERSITY JOHNNIES    ###    8. CHRISTOPHER NEWPORT UNIVERSITY CAPTAINS    ###    9. WARTBURG COLLEGE KNIGHTS    ###    10. DEPAUW UNIVERSITY TIGERS   

NSAC (New South Athletic Conference)      

### 1. NEWPORT NEWS APPRENTICE SCHOOL BUILDERS   ###   2. CLAYTON STATE LAKERS (Defending Champs)   ###   3. LIGHTHOUSE CHRISTIAN COLLEGE MAKOS   ###   4. ATLANTIS UNIVERSITY ATLANTEANS   ###   5. SOUTH CAROLINA CENTRAL CHRISTIAN COLLEGE GLADIATORS   ### 

NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association) Division One

###   1. HUTCHINSON COLLEGE BLUE DRAGONS   ###   2. IOWA WESTERN COLLEGE REIVERS (National Champs)   ###   3. TYLER COLLEGE APACHES   ###   4. MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST COLLEGE BULLDOGS   ###   5. COPIAH-LINCOLN COLLEGE WOLFPACK   ###   

6. COFFEYVILLE COLLEGE RED RAVENS    ###    7. NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE RANGERS    ###    8. GEORGIA MILITARY COLLEGE BULLDOGS    ###    9. SNOW COLLEGE BADGERS    ###    10. IOWA CENTRAL COLLEGE TRITONS    ###   

NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association) Division Three (No D2 football)

###   1. COLLEGE OF DUPAGE CHAPARRALS (Defending Champs)   ###   2. ROCHESTER (MN) TECHNICAL COLLEGE YELLOW JACKETS   ###   3. NORTH DAKOTA STATE COLLEGE OF SCIENCE WILDCATS   ###   4. LOUISBURG COLLEGE HURRICANES   ###   5. ERIE COLLEGE KATS   ###     

CCCAA (California Community College Athletic Association)

### 1. GOLDEN WEST COLLEGE RUSTLERS   ###   2. COLLEGE OF SAN MATEO BULLDOGS (Defending Champs)   ###   3. MOUNT SAN ANTONIO COLLEGE MOUNTIES   ###   4. RIVERSIDE CITY COLLEGE TIGERS   ###   5. BAKERSFIELD COLLEGE RENEGADES   ###   

6. AMERICAN RIVER COLLEGE BEAVERS    ###    7. SAN DIEGO MESA COLLEGE OLYMPIANS    ###    8. MONTEREY PENINSULA COLLEGE LOBOS    ###    9. FULLERTON COLLEGE HORNETS    ###    10. BUTTE COLLEGE ROADRUNNERS    ###   

Helmets courtesy of NationalChamps.net