Four CAA Football Teams Either Ranked Or Receiving Votes In Preseason Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll

Four CAA Football Teams Either Ranked Or Receiving Votes In Preseason Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll

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Rob Washburn

Defending National Champ Montana State a Unanimous No. 1 in FCS Preseason Top 25 Poll | Opta Analyst

RICHMOND, Va. (August 3, 2026) – Four CAA Football teams were either ranked or receiving votes in the preseason Stats Perform FCS Top 25 poll that was released on Monday.

Defending CAA Football champion Rhode Island led the way at No. 7 in the poll while Monmouth was ranked No. 22 after winning nine games in 2025. New Hampshire and Elon were among other teams receiving votes.

Rhode Island is coming off back-to-back 11-3 seasons and was the unanimous pick to capture another CAA title in 2026. The Rams return 15 starters from a year ago, including quarterback Devin Farrell, the CAA Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, and All-America wide receiver Marquis Buchanan on offense, and linebackers Rohan Davy and Moses Meus defensively.

Monmouth, which begins its first season under head coach Jeff Gallo, welcomes back 14 starters from last year’s 9-3 squad. Quarterback Frankie Weaver and receivers Gavin Nelson and Tra Neal are back from the top offense in FCS football. Eight regulars return defensively, topped by All-America safety Jaeden Jones.

UNH has seven starters back on offense and six on defense in its first season under head coach Sean Goldrich. Running back Myles Thomason and linebacker Darren Burton II are among the returnees from last year’s 8-5 squad.

Elon has 12 returning starters from its 6-6 team in 2025. Among the standouts back for the Phoenix are linebacker Brodie Carroll, running back Jimmyll Williams and kicker Luke Barnes.

2026 PRESEASON STATS PERFORM FCS TOP 25 POLL
  1. Montana State
  2. Montana
  3. South Dakota State
  4. Illinois State
  5. Tarleton State
  6. UC Davis
  7. Rhode Island
  8. Villanova
  9. Youngstown State
  10. North Dakota
  11. Lehigh
  12. South Dakota
  13. Stephen F. Austin
  14. Tennessee Tech
  15. Abilene Christian
  16. Southern Illinois
  17. Austin Peay
  18. Yale
  19. Southeastern Louisiana
  20. Lamar
  21. Mercer
  22. Monmouth
  23. UT Martin
  24. South Carolina State
  25. Northern Arizona
RV: Idaho State, Western Carolina, Harvard, New Hampshire, Alabama State, Jackson State, Southern Utah, Prairie View A&M, West Georgia, UTRGV, Richmond, ETSU, Elon, Southeast Missouri, William & Mary, Delaware State, Drake, Furman