KANSAS — McPherson College edged out Friends University and earned the top spot in the 2026 KCAC Football Franklin "Gene" Bissell Division Preseason Coaches' Poll, the conference announced Friday. The Bissell Division Preseason Coaches' Poll was voted on by
coaches within the Bissell Division only.
The Bulldogs secured the top spot with 23 total points and three first-place votes. Friends was right behind McPherson, with 22 total points and the remaining three first-place votes. Southwestern College was ranked third in the division in the preseason poll (18 total points), with Kansas Wesleyan University ranked fourth (13 total points). Rounding out the Bissell Division Preseason Coaches' Poll were the University of Saint Mary in the No. 5 spot with eight total points, and then Sterling College in the No. 6 spot with six total points.
In the 2025 season, the final Bissell division standings were as follows:
- Friends: 5-0
- McPherson: 3-2
- Southwestern: 3-2
- Kansas Wesleyan: 3-2
- Saint Mary: 1-4
- Sterling: 0-5
2026 KCAC FOOTBALL FRANKLIN "GENE" BISSELL DIVISION PRESEASON COACHES POLL
| RANK |
TEAM |
TOTAL POINTS |
FIRST-PLACE VOTES |
| 1 |
McPherson College |
23 |
3 |
| 2 |
Friends University |
22 |
3 |
| 3 |
Southwestern College |
18 |
|
| 4 |
Kansas Wesleyan University |
13 |
|
| 5 |
University of Saint Mary |
8 |
|
| 6 |
Sterling College |
6 |
|
—KCAC—