KANSAS — Friends University was ranked No. 1 in the 2026 KCAC Football Franklin "Gene" Bissell Division Preseason Media Poll, the conference announced Monday. Eighteen media members participated in the Bissell Division Preseason Media Poll.
The Falcons secured the top spot in the Bissell preseason media poll with 98 total points and nine of the eighteen first-place votes. They were narrowly ahead of McPherson College, who was in the No. 2 spot with 94 total points and seven first-place votes. Southwestern College received the final two first-place votes, and were ranked No. 3 with 75 total points.
Kansas Wesleyan University was ranked No. 4 with 57 total points, followed by the University of Saint Mary at No. 5 with 31 total points, and Sterling College in the No. 6 spot with 23 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 MEDIA POLL
| RANK |
TEAM |
TOTAL POINTS |
FIRST-PLACE VOTES |
| 1 |
Friends University |
98 |
9 |
| 2 |
McPherson College |
94 |
7 |
| 3 |
Southwestern College |
75 |
2 |
| 4 |
Kansas Wesleyan University |
57 |
|
| 5 |
University of Saint Mary |
31 |
|
| 6 |
Sterling College |
23 |
|
—KCAC—