Mount Union football voted preseason OAC favorite

Mount Union football has been selected by league coaches to win the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) title for the 2026 season. In the preseason poll, the Purple Raiders earned 64 points and eight of the nine available first-place votes.

Baldwin Wallace was ranked second with 54 points, followed by Ohio Northern in third with 53 points. Other teams included in the poll were Heidelberg, Marietta, Muskingum, Capital, Wilmington, and Otterbein. Per league rules, head coaches do not vote for their own programs.

Mount Union enters the season following a strong performance, including an 11-1 season and a record of 84 consecutive regular-season wins. The team, led by head coach Geoff Dartt, is scheduled to open its season on September 5 against fifth-ranked Wheaton College in Illinois.