Montana Western Picked Third in Frontier West Preseason Poll
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DILLON, Mont. — Montana Western was picked to finish third in the 2026 Frontier Conference West Division Football Coaches’ Preseason Poll, the league announced Tuesday.
Defending division champion College of Idaho received six first-place votes and topped the poll with 36 points.
Carroll College placed second with 30 points, narrowly ahead of Montana Western with 27. The Bulldogs received one first-place vote.
Southern Oregon, Eastern Oregon, Arizona Christian and Simpson completed the seven-team rankings. Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own teams.
The East and West division champions will each receive an automatic berth in the 2026 NAIA Football Championship Series. The 20-team playoff field will include 13 automatic qualifiers and seven at-large selections.
2026 Frontier Conference West Preseason Poll
Rank | Team | Points | First-place votes |
1 | College of Idaho | 36 | 6 |
2 | Carroll College | 30 | — |
3 | Montana Western | 27 | 1 |
4 | Southern Oregon | 20 | — |
5 | Eastern Oregon | 17 | — |
6 | Arizona Christian | 11 | — |
7 | Simpson | 6 | — |
Bulldogs Return 34 Letterwinners
Montana Western finished 7-3 overall and placed third in the West Division during the 2025 season.
The Bulldogs led the Frontier Conference in scoring at 43.1 points per game, total offense at 449.4 yards per game and passing offense at 336 yards per game. Western tied for the conference lead with 31 sacks.
The team also ranked among the conference’s top three in touchdowns, field goals and third-down conversions.
Two-time All-American and reigning Frontier West Offensive Player of the Year Eli Nourse returns for his senior season. He will wear Montana Western’s No. 18 legacy jersey.
Redshirt junior receiver Seth Shook also returns after leading the Bulldogs with 13 receiving touchdowns and earning First Team All-Conference honors in 2025.
Running backs Jakob Humphrey and Aidan Lammers combined for 780 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns last season. Humphrey earned Second Team All-Conference recognition, while Lammers received an honorable mention.
Second Team All-Conference offensive linemen Ethan Larson and Dylan Christman also return.
Long snapper Jacob Westberry, an All-American, and First Team All-Conference kicker Maclain Burckley lead the returning special-teams group.
Returning Defensive Players
Second Team All-Conference defensive back Connor Dunlea returns for his sophomore season.
Linebacker Tyler Schoen finished third on the team in tackles for loss and sacks in 2025. Defensive lineman Liam Rowe recorded 19 tackles, two tackles for loss and two sacks, while linebacker Canyon Sargent finished with 14 tackles and an interception.
Ryan Nourse Begins 13th Season
Head coach Ryan Nourse returns for his 13th season leading the Bulldogs. His 71 victories are the most in program history.
Nourse’s staff includes defensive coordinator Riley Martello, co-offensive coordinators Jed Heffernan and Tyler Murray, and assistants Justin Hurd, Rich Coppin and Tristin Rodriguez.
Martello, Heffernan and Murray each played for Nourse during their collegiate careers.
Montana Western opens its season Sept. 5 at MSU-Northern. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.
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