The race for the South Atlantic Conference football championship appears wide open heading into the 2026 season. Wingate was picked to win the league in the SAC preseason coaches poll released Monday, but the voting revealed little consensus among the conference’s coaches.
Four different teams received first-place votes, while defending champion Newberry actually collected more first-place votes than the Bulldogs.
Here are five things to know from the preseason poll.
1. Wingate is the preseason favorite – but it’s close
Wingate finished atop the poll with 72 total points after receiving two first-place votes and five second-place votes.
The Bulldogs posted a 9-3 overall record, 7-2 in SAC play, last season, narrowly missing a second straight conference championship before advancing to the NCAA Division II playoffs for the third time in four years.
Wingate’s three losses last season came by a combined nine points, including a pair of one-point defeats – to eventual champ Newberry 43-42 in overtime and to Benedict 25-24 in the playoffs.
Wingate is the lone North Carolina team at any level picked to win their conference this preseason.
2026 SAC Preseason Coaches Poll
- Wingate (2) – 72
- Newberry (5) – 67
- Lenoir-Rhyne (2) – 64
- Carson-Newman (1) – 59
- Emory & Henry – 56
- Catawba – 46
- Anderson – 31
- Mars Hill – 27
- UVA Wise – 16
- Tusculum – 12
* First-place votes in parenthesis
'DOGS. ON. TOP.#WINgate Football has been chosen as the preseason SAC favorite!
The 'Dogs are coming off back-to-back 9-win seasons & play-off appearances – Six Bulldogs have earned SAC Player to Watch accolades.
Season opener Aug. 27 at UNCP#OneDog pic.twitter.com/oyuIlejpOR — Wingate Bulldogs (@WU_Bulldogs) August 3, 2026
2. Coaches couldn’t agree on the conference favorite
While Wingate finished No. 1 in the overall poll, defending champion Newberry actually received the most first-place votes with five.
Lenoir-Rhyne, the 2023 champion, picked up two first-place votes after finishing 6-5 last season, while Carson-Newman received the remaining first-place vote.
The split voting suggests coaches see multiple legitimate contenders entering the fall rather than one overwhelming favorite.
3. Three North Carolina programs landed in the top six
North Carolina schools are well represented near the top of the conference.
Wingate leads the way at No. 1, while Lenoir-Rhyne checks in third after earning two first-place votes.
Catawba, coming off a 7-4 season and the program’s most wins since 2017, was picked sixth. Mars Hill rounded out the state’s representatives in eighth.
4. Catawba enters 2026 with momentum
Although the Indians were projected sixth, they may be the sleeper to watch out for. The Indians put together one of the conference’s better seasons in 2025.
Catawba averaged a league-best 459.5 yards and more than 35 points per game while finishing 7-4. The Indians were also the only SAC team to defeat eventual conference champion Newberry last season.
Among Catawba’s Players to Watch are running back Bennett Galloway, who averaged 6.8 yards per carry while rushing for 569 yards and 11 touchdowns, and linebacker Jaylen Hinton, who recorded 71 tackles in 2025.
pic.twitter.com/9EtZ3I9ZbH — Catawba Football (@CatawbaFootball) August 1, 2026
5. Several North Carolina stars highlighted the Players to Watch list
Each SAC program selected six Players to Watch for the upcoming season.
Among the North Carolina standouts were:
Wingate
- WR Xavier Jackson
- TE Jesse Clinesmith
- RB Ethan Wallace
- DB Brandon Perry
- DE Tyson Brown
- DB Jaden White
Lenoir-Rhyne
- RB/return specialist Tye Roberson
- OL Rubens Joseph
- RB LJ Turner
- DL Carnell Ferguson
- LB Brodie Bradburn
- DB KJ Whitehead
Catawba
- RB Bennett Galloway
- OL Sean McFarland
- DE Braylon Baker
- DT Jymiek Samson
- LB Jaylen Hinton
- DB Luke Raykovicz
Mars Hill
- WR Charlie Guinade
- QB Lukas Kachillo
- RB JT Way
- DT Russell Barnette
- C Jayden Alberty
- LB Isaac Weaver
Lenoir-Rhyne’s Tye Roberson was the NC Football News’ D2 Special Teams Player of the Year in 2025. LJ Turner, who rushed for 1,200+ yards at Catawba in 2024, also is back at Lenoir-Rhyne after missing much of last season due to injury.
The 2026 SAC season kicks off the weekend of Aug. 27-29. Wingate will visit UNC Pembroke on Thursday, Aug. 27. Lenoir-Rhyne hosts Virginia Union the following evening. Catawba will play at Ferrum on Aug. 29. Mars Hill’s season kicks off Sept. 5 at Winston-Salem State.
👉 View D2 Football Schedules for Wingate, Lenoir-Rhyne, Catawba and Mars Hill and all 13 of our state’s Division II programs.
