SEARCY – Defending national finalist Harding University will open the 2026 campaign as the consensus No. 2 team in the country, earning the second spot in both the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Division II Coaches Poll and the D2Football.com Preseason Top 25 released this week.
The selection marks Harding's 91st consecutive appearance in the AFCA national top 25 poll, extending one of the longest active streaks in NCAA Division II.
Reigning national champion Ferris State earned the top spot in both rankings coming off a 16-0 season. Harding, which finished 15-1 last fall and earned a national runner-up finish, captured 738 points in the AFCA voting, sitting comfortably ahead of No. 3 Kutztown (684 points), No. 4 Pittsburg State (647 points), and No. 5 Minnesota State (587 points).
The top five remained identical in the D2Football.com poll, with Ferris State at No. 1, followed by Harding at No. 2, Minnesota State at No. 3, Kutztown at No. 4, and Pittsburg State at No. 5.
Entering their first season under head coach Roddy Mote, the Bisons return a battle-tested foundation including consensus First-Team All-American fullback Andrew Miller—the 2025 Harlon Hill runner-up who rushed for a school-record 2,048 yards and 28 touchdowns last fall—and returning First-Team All-GAC selections Cobe Williams (OL), Justin Sobczak (DL), and Jordan Mays (LB).
The unanimous favorite in the GAC Preseason Coaches' Poll, Harding kicks off its 2026 season under the lights at First Security Stadium on Thursday, Sept. 3, hosting Northwestern Oklahoma State at 6 p.m.
2026 AFCA DIVISION II COACHES PRESEASON POLL (AUG. 18, 2026)
|
Rank
|
School (1st Votes)
|
2025 Rec.
|
Points
|
2025 Final Rank
|
|
1
|
Ferris State (31)
|
16-0
|
775
|
1
|
|
2
|
Harding
|
15-1
|
738
|
2
|
|
3
|
Kutztown
|
14-1
|
684
|
3
|
|
4
|
Pittsburg State
|
10-3
|
647
|
6
|
|
5
|
Minnesota State
|
10-4
|
587
|
8
|
|
6
|
CSU Pueblo
|
10-2
|
581
|
11
|
|
7
|
Central Washington
|
10-2
|
478
|
13
|
|
8
|
Northwest Missouri State
|
9-3
|
470
|
17
|
|
9t
|
Grand Valley State
|
7-3
|
451
|
NR
|
|
9t
|
UIndy
|
11-2
|
451
|
10
|
|
11
|
Western Colorado
|
10-3
|
379
|
12
|
|
12
|
Minnesota Duluth
|
10-2
|
372
|
16
|
|
13
|
Ashland
|
10-3
|
328
|
15
|
|
14
|
Virginia Union
|
9-3
|
318
|
21
|
|
15
|
Newberry
|
12-2
|
276
|
4
|
|
16
|
Findlay
|
10-2
|
250
|
19
|
|
17
|
Frostburg State
|
11-3
|
228
|
14
|
|
18
|
UT Permian Basin
|
11-3
|
197
|
5
|
|
19
|
Wingate
|
9-3
|
183
|
NR
|
|
20
|
Augustana (S.D.)
|
9-2
|
181
|
25
|
|
21
|
Albany State
|
12-2
|
172
|
7
|
|
22
|
Western Oregon
|
8-3
|
165
|
NR
|
|
23
|
Johnson C. Smith
|
10-2
|
159
|
18
|
|
24
|
Ouachita Baptist
|
7-4
|
146
|
NR
|
|
25
|
Indiana (Pa.)
|
7-4
|
97
|
NR
|
Others Receiving Votes: Valdosta St., 86; Chadron St., 83; Central Oklahoma, 64; North Greenville, 61; Slippery Rock, 56; California (Pa.), 53; Northwood, 50; Delta St., 33; Michigan Tech, 31; Assumption, 29; Bentley, 27; Benedict, 25; Lenoir-Rhyne, 21; Colorado Mines, 18; Northeastern St., 16; Southern Arkansas, 14; Charleston, 13; Fort Hays St., 13; Truman St., 13; West Texas A&M, 10; UNC Pembroke, 8; Central Missouri, 7; Edward Waters, 7; Henderson St., 6; Angelo St., 4; East Stroudsburg, 4; Nebraska-Kearney, 4; Upper Iowa, 3; Davenport, 2; Carson-Newman, 1.
2026 D2FOOTBALL.COM PRESEASON TOP 25
-
Ferris State
-
Harding
-
Minnesota State
-
Kutztown
-
Pittsburg State
-
Northwest Missouri State
-
UIndy
-
Grand Valley State
-
Central Washington
-
CSU Pueblo
-
Western Colorado
-
Ashland
-
Augustana
-
Western Oregon
-
Valdosta State
-
Virginia Union
-
Frostburg State
-
UT Permian Basin
-
Findlay
-
Minnesota Duluth
-
Chadron State
-
Wingate
-
Northeastern State
-
Newberry
-
Slippery Rock
