2026 Pre Season Poll

[catatac]

Crazy to think there might not be a Dakota school in the top four or five. There might be, but we'll see. I'm guessing the pollsters will say the NDSU loss was a fluke and still put NDSU in the top five, behind MSU, ISU, UM, and UC Davis or something.

[ilovethecats]

I get that pre season polls are stupid. But if any poll next year begins with NDSU BEHIND um for any reason it is laughable.

[CodyCat]

NDSU was upset. Zero reason in a preseason poll they shouldn’t be in the top 2.

[GoldstoneCat]

NDSU will be in the top 2 in the initial 2026 poll. Whether they are 1 or 2 probably depends on what happens in nashville.

[catatac]

NDSU was upset. Zero reason in a preseason poll they shouldn’t be in the top 2.

So if the Cats would have gotten upset by Yale, are you saying they should have remained in the top 2 or 3 for the pre season 2026 poll?

[CodyCat]

NDSU was upset. Zero reason in a preseason poll they shouldn’t be in the top 2.

So if the Cats would have gotten upset by Yale, are you saying they should have remained in the top 2 or 3 for the pre season 2026 poll?

Why not? It’s a preseason poll.

[coloradocat]

Not knowing the eligibility on the rosters or the portal impacts it will be:

MSU
NDSU
some order of:
SDSU
grisllies
Ill St

[cats2506]

NDSU will be in the top 3 in the first poll as they should be

[catapult]

Gris should be around #8-11 range…they lose a ton and rolling the portal dice again! All politics if they are any higher.

[ilovethecats]

NDSU was upset. Zero reason in a preseason poll they shouldn’t be in the top 2.

So if the Cats would have gotten upset by Yale, are you saying they should have remained in the top 2 or 3 for the pre season 2026 poll?

If it was the Cats, possibly. If it was the team who’s essentially been between 1-3 in every poll to come out for the last 15 years and now uses TOES to show off their championship rings, and got upset for the first time ever…..I’d tend to give them the benefit of the doubt and put them 1 or 2 where they belong.

[BOBCATBORN]

Gris should be around #8-11 range…they lose a ton and rolling the portal dice again! All politics if they are any higher.

You and I both know that they won’t be down below #5. They made it to the semi’s with a 13-2 record (even though it was a cakewalk schedule and mostly all home games). The people that do these polls won’t look much past this, they’ll make it easy on themselves, see that the griz made the semis and their record and slot them in the top 5. They could lose a ton and it wouldn’t matter - because I don’t think they are really looking that deep.

[tetoncat]

Griz and ISU both have nearly 30 seniors. ISU will be a 4 or 5 loss team. If they win likely get votes because of that. If lose maybe not.

[coloradocat]

Gris should be around #8-11 range…they lose a ton and rolling the portal dice again! All politics if they are any higher.

You and I both know that they won’t be down below #5. They made it to the semi’s with a 13-2 record (even though it was a cakewalk schedule and mostly all home games). The people that do these polls won’t look much past this, they’ll make it easy on themselves, see that the griz made the semis and their record and slot them in the top 5. They could lose a ton and it wouldn’t matter - because I don’t think they are really looking that deep.

If the local media couldn't look at the grizllies season in context going into last Saturday there's no way the national media will. I'm guessing they'll be #4.

[RickRund]

Griz and ISU both have nearly 30 seniors. ISU will be a 4 or 5 loss team. If they win likely get votes because of that. If lose maybe not.

30ish should be a tough hill to climb. With most teams loosing several players, for whatever reasons, you wouldn’t think there would be enough talent available to make up those losses.

[justafan]

the portal is the great equalizer. top teams lose kids and pick up kids...the top teams will generally stay the top teams until a streak of bad luck....

[BlueAndGoldNation]

I must admit, this is insanely early, but my Realistic preseason top 25 prediction based off of just this years data, who graduates, who returns etc... would look something like this...

1. MSU (NC appearance, Insanely young, reloads each year despite transfers)
2. NDSU (ALWAYS ELITE, despite a heavy senior class)
3. SDSU (Mason is back, injuries are healed, depth was built during 2025)
4. Tarleton (Overrated, but dominates a weak league with U of Texas Rejects)
5. Montana (Ah Yat/Gillman is back, Senior laden team with questions)
6. UC Davis (Pinnock is Back, Injuries are healed, Young Team)
7. Youngstown State (Brungard is Back, Offense is ELITE)
8. North Dakota (On the rise program, "young" team, was very competitive in 2025)
9. Villanova (consolation prize for semifinal appearance, decent athletes for the CAA)
10. Illinois State (Senior laden team with questions)
11. South Dakota (On the rise program with some level of consistency)
12. Abilene Christian
13. SFA
14. Northern Arizona
15. Rhode Island
16. Southeastern Louisiana
17. Southern Illinois
18. Mercer
19. Southern Utah
20. Tennessee Tech
21. Jackson State
22. Lehigh
23. Yale
24. New Hampshire
25. Harvard

Idaho, Idaho State both receiving votes

[lutecat]

I must admit, this is insanely early, but my Realistic preseason top 25 prediction based off of just this years data, who graduates, who returns etc... would look something like this...

1. MSU (NC appearance, Insanely young, reloads each year despite transfers)
2. NDSU (ALWAYS ELITE, despite a heavy senior class)
3. SDSU (Mason is back, injuries are healed, depth was built during 2025)
4. Tarleton (Overrated, but dominates a weak league with U of Texas Rejects)
5. Montana (Ah Yat/Gillman is back, Senior laden team with questions)
6. UC Davis (Pinnock is Back, Injuries are healed, Young Team)
7. Youngstown State (Brungard is Back, Offense is ELITE)
8. North Dakota (On the rise program, "young" team, was very competitive in 2025)
9. Villanova (consolation prize for semifinal appearance, decent athletes for the CAA)
10. Illinois State (Senior laden team with questions)
11. South Dakota (On the rise program with some level of consistency)
12. Abilene Christian
13. SFA
14. Northern Arizona
15. Rhode Island
16. Southeastern Louisiana
17. Southern Illinois
18. Mercer
19. Southern Utah
20. Tennessee Tech
21. Jackson State
22. Lehigh
23. Yale
24. New Hampshire
25. Harvard

Idaho, Idaho State both receiving votes

I think Yale should be a top 15 team.