Montana Western Football Ranked No. 18 in 2026 NAIA Preseason Coaches' Poll
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DILLON, Mont. — The Montana Western Bulldogs football team will enter the 2026 season nationally ranked after being selected No. 18 in the STADIONIC-NAIA Football Coaches' Preseason Top 25 Poll, announced Monday by the national office.
The Bulldogs open the new season in the same position where they finished the final poll of 2025 after posting a 7-3 record last season.
Montana Western is one of several Frontier Conference football programs receiving national recognition heading into 2026, highlighting what is expected to be another highly competitive season in the conference.
Six Frontier Conference Teams Earn National Recognition
The College of Idaho leads Frontier Conference programs at No. 4 after finishing last season 11-2.
Montana Tech follows closely at No. 5 after a 12-1 campaign in 2025, while Carroll College enters the preseason at No. 11.
Montana Western comes in at No. 18, followed by Dakota State at No. 25. Dickinson State also received votes in the preseason poll.
The Frontier Conference representation includes:
No. 4 — College of Idaho (11-2 in 2025)
No. 5 — Montana Tech (12-1)
No. 11 — Carroll College (9-3)
No. 18 — Montana Western (7-3)
No. 25 — Dakota State (8-2)
Receiving Votes — Dickinson State
Grand View Opens Season at No. 1
Defending national champion Grand View (Iowa) received 13 first-place votes to claim the No. 1 position in the preseason rankings after completing a perfect 14-0 season in 2025.
Keiser (Fla.) is ranked second, followed by Benedictine (Kan.) at No. 3, College of Idaho at No. 4 and Montana Tech at No. 5.
The preseason rankings are the first of seven coaches' polls scheduled during the 2026 season. Those will be followed by three national selection committee polls, a final ARC rating on Nov. 15 and the postseason poll on Jan. 4.
Montana Western Opens Season Sept. 5
Bulldog fans won't have to wait much longer for the return of football.
Montana Western opens the 2026 season on Saturday, Sept. 5, on the road against MSU-Northern. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. Mountain Time.
The No. 18 preseason ranking gives the Bulldogs another opportunity to build on the program's recent success while competing in a Frontier Conference that features multiple nationally ranked opponents.
Southwestern Montana News will continue following the Montana Western Bulldogs throughout the 2026 football season with local coverage, scores, results and updates.
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