LANCASTER, Pa. – Johns Hopkins captured the top position in the 2026 Centennial Conference Football Preseason Poll, voted on by conference head coaches. The Blue Jays received six first-place votes and tallied 46 points to earn the distinction as preseason favorite.
Carnegie Mellon, which is entering its second year as a CC football member, landed second in the poll with 40 points. Defending champion Franklin & Marshall claimed the remaining two first-place votes and was projected to finish in third place with 38 points. Muhlenberg was closed behind in fourth with 36 points.
Ursinus took fifth in the poll with 24 points, followed by Dickinson (20), Gettysburg (12) and McDaniel (8).
The 2026 season kicks off on Thursday, Sept. 3 with Gettysburg traveling to Juniata for a non-conference road game. Dickinson, F&M, Ursinus and McDaniel are set to open play under the lights on Friday, Sept. 4, with Muhlenberg, Johns Hopkins and Carnegie Mellon beginning the year on Saturday, Sept. 5. Conference play commences on Friday, Oct. 2 and Saturday, Oct. 3, following the conference-wide bye week. The final day of the regular season is set for Saturday, Nov. 14, with the NCAA playoffs and the annual Centennial-MAC Bowl Series scheduled for the following weekend.
2026 Centennial Conference Football Preseason Poll
| Rank | Institution (First-Place Votes) |
Points |
| 1. Johns Hopkins (6) |
46 |
| 2. Carnegie Mellon |
40 |
| 3. Franklin & Marshall (2) |
38 |
| 4. Muhlenberg |
36 |
| 5. Ursinus |
24 |
| 6. Dickinson |
20 |
| 7. Gettysburg |
12 |
| 8. McDaniel |
8 |
2026 Schedule |
2025 All-Centennial Team |
History & Records |
D3football.com Rankings |
AFCA Rankings
The 2025 Centennial Conference football season was one for the history books, featuring a return to eight conference teams, the first-ever de facto championship game to end the regular season, a record number of NCAA qualifiers, and an NCAA semifinal appearance for the fifth time in conference history.
Franklin & Marshall captured its eighth Centennial title and first since 2017 in one of the most dramatic ways possible, overcoming a 21-point deficit midway through the second quarter en route to a 29-28 overtime victory. It marked the first time in the 43-year history of the Centennial Conference that two undefeated conference teams met during the regular season finale. Trailing 28-21 in the overtime period, the Diplomats responded with a 22-yard touchdown pass from Ty Tremba to Jack Harrison before sealing the win with a Tremba two-point conversion toss to a wide-open Louis Paris for the walk-off win, the CC championship, and the first NCAA Tournament appearance in program history.
The Diplomats were joined in the NCAA Tournament by Hopkins and Muhlenberg, giving the CC three NCAA postseason bids for the first time in conference history. The tournament featured a 40-team field for the second time, expanding from the previous 32-team bracket that was used prior to the 2024 season. The CC has sent multiple teams to NCAAs six times (1999-2014-2018-2021-2024-2025).
F&M and Hopkins received first-round byes, while Muhlenberg toppled Union 34-26 in the opening round. In round two, the Diplomats fell to Eastern 28-24, Muhlenberg dropped a 49-7 loss to Mount Union, and Hopkins downed Springfield 34-14. The Blue Jays then put together a deep NCAA run for the second year in a row, reeling off dominant home wins over Salisbury (45-13) and Susquehanna (40-10) before falling to eventual national champion Wisconsin-River Falls in a shootout on the road, 48-41. River Falls went on to top North Central 24-14 in the Stagg Bowl. The semifinal trip marked the fifth time in CC history that a conference team reached the tournament's final four teams, with Gettysburg (1985), Hopkins (2018 & 2024) and Muhlenberg (2019) also previously reaching the semifinals.
Carnegie Mellon, Ursinus and Dickinson qualified for the 10th annual Centennial-MAC Bowl Series. The Tartans and Bears posted victories, extending the CC's lead in the bowl series to 20-7, including an 18-3 record over the past seven years.
Four All-Americans, seven All-Region performers and 44 All-Centennial honorees are back in the conference this fall. Returning All-Americans include JHU wide receiver
Cole Crotty and defensive lineman
Will Seibert, F&M longsnapper
Will Galligan and Ursinus defensive back
Nick Strusowski. The only returner with All-American accolades from multiple organizations, Crotty is on pace to become the most decorated receiver in conference history. He currently ranks second in career receiving yards (3,260), tied for fourth in 100-yard games (11), ninth in both receptions (226) and touchdown receptions (28), and is one of just three players in CC history to have two 1,000-yard receiving seasons. Crotty's 3,260 career receiving yards ranks only behind F&M's
Dale Amos (3,846 yard from 1986-89). His 226 receptions is just 43 shy of breaking former JHU standout
Bradley Munday's CC record of 268 receptions, and are the most-ever for a CC receiver entering their senior season. The previous record for receptions entering a senior season was held by current JHU head coach
Dan Wodicka, who had 216 through three seasons while competing for the Blue Jays from 2010-13.
Crotty, Seibert and Galligan were All-Region picks in 2025 along with Carnegie Mellon cornerback
Ethan Ming and F&M center
Aidan Toomey, linebacker
Kyle Checcio and punter
Ivan Harlamov. Crotty and Seibert were both name to the first team.
Seven returning players have received all-conference laurels at least twice during their careers, led by Crotty as a three-time all-conference pick and two-time first-teamer. Other multi-time all-stars back on the field this season include Carnegie Mellon offensive lineman
Charlie Katarincic and wide receivers
Reece Kolke and
Brendan McCullough, F&M's Toomey and linebacker
Connor HIlle, and JHU's Seibert.
Crotty (first team), Seibert (second team) and Toomey (third team) have been named to the
D3football.com Preseason All-America team.
Johns Hopkins enters the year ranked No. 4 in both the D3football.com and American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) preseason national polls, while F&M, Muhlenberg and Carnegie Mellon are each receiving votes in both polls.
Returning All-Americans (4)
Will Galligan, Franklin & Marshall, Sr., LS
- 2025: D3football.com Third Team
Cole Crotty, Johns Hopkins, Sr., WR
- 2025: Associate Press Third Team, D3football.com Third Team
Will Seibert, Johns Hopkins, Sr., DL
- 2025: D3football.com Third Team
Nick Strusowski, Ursinus, Jr., DB
Returning All-Region (7)
Ethan Ming, Carnegie Mellon, Sr., CB (2025 Third Team)
Aidan Toomey, Franklin & Marshall, Sr., C (2025 Second Team)
Will Galligan, Franklin & Marshall, Sr., LS (2025 Second Team)
Kyle Checcio, Franklin & Marshall, So., LB (2025 Third Team)
Ivan Harlamov, Franklin & Marshall, Sr., P (2025 Third Team)
Cole Crotty, Johns Hopkins, Sr., WR (2025 First Team)
Will Seibert, Johns Hopkins, Sr., DT (2025 First Team)
Returning All-Conference (44)
*2024 honors for Carnegie Mellon are from Presidents' Athletic Conference
Charlie Katarincic, Carnegie Mellon, Sr., OL (2025 Second Team, 2024 Second Team)
DJ Johnson, Carnegie Mellon, Sr., KR (2024 Second Team)
Reece Kolke, Carnegie Mellon, Sr., WR (2025 Second Team, 2024 Honorable Mention)
Brendan McCullough, Carnegie Mellon, Sr., WR (2025 First Team, 2024 Honorable Mention)
Jack Lawson, Carnegie Mellon, Jr., LB (2025 First Team)
Ethan Ming, Carnegie Mellon, Sr., DB (2025 First Team)
Giacomo Valente, Carnegie Mellon, Sr., RB (2025 Honorable Mention)
Amani Tchamwa, Carnegie Mellon, Sr., DL (2025 Honorable Mention)
Nick McCullough, Carnegie Mellon, So., KR (2025 Honorable Mention)
Alexander Pellikka, Dickinson, Sr., OL (2025 First Team)
Juan Pablo Garcia, Dickinson, Sr., DB (2025 First Team)
Keesean Campbell, Dickinson, Sr., KR (2025 First Team)
Cedric Benning III, Dickinson, Jr., RB (2025 Second Team)
Domani White, Dickinson, Jr., DL (2025 Second Team)
Nathan Berthiaume, Dickinson, Jr., OL (2025 Honorable Mention)
Aidan Toomey, Franklin & Marshall, Sr., OL (2025 First Team, 2024 Second Team)
Quincy Long, Franklin & Marshall, Sr., DL (2024 Second Team)
Connor HIlle, Franklin & Marshall, Sr., LB (2025 First Team, 2024 Honorable Mention)
Kyle Checcio, Franklin & Marshall, So., LB (2025 First Team)
Oscar Marx, Franklin & Marshall, So., DB (2025 First Team)
Michael Fleming, Franklin & Marshall, Sr., PK (2025 First Team)
Ivan Harlamov, Franklin & Marshall, Sr., P (2025 First Team)
Will Galligan, Franklin & Marshall, Sr., LS (2025 First Team)
Louis Paris, Franklin & Marshall, So., RB (2025 Second Team)
Chris Logue, Franklin & Marshall, Jr., OL (2025 Second Team)
Austin Hadley, Franklin & Marshall, Sr., DL (2025 Second Team)
Chris Albero, Franklin & Marshall, Sr., LB (2025 Second Team)
Cole Crotty, Johns Hopkins, Sr., WR (2025 First Team, 2024 Honorable Mention, 2023 First Team)
Brad Paxton, Johns Hopkins, Jr., PK (2024 First Team)
Will Seibert, Johns Hopkins, Sr., DL (2025 First Team, 2024 Second Team)
Browning Trainer, Johns Hopkins, Sr., LB (2025 Second Team)
Josh Moore, Johns Hopkins, Jr., KR/WR (2025 Second Team at KR, 2025 Honorable Mention at WR)
Claude Strnad, Johns Hopkins, Sr., LS (2025 Second Team)
Albee Cornachio, Johns Hopkins, Jr., OL (2025 Honorable Mention)
Chase Alley, Johns Hopkins, Sr., P (2025 Honorable Mention)
Taevon LeGrande, McDaniel, Jr., LB (2024 Honorable Mention)
Thomas Cerruit, Muhlenberg, Jr., LB (2025 First Team)
Caleb Pasols, Muhlenberg, So., WR (2025 Second Team & Rookie OTY)
Christopher Short, Muhlenberg, Sr., KR (2024 First Team)
Triquil Monroe, Muhlenberg, Jr., OL (2025 Honorable Mention)
Joseph Papa, Muhlenberg, Jr., DL (2025 Honorable Mention)
Ryder Zulkowski, Ursinus, Sr., WR (2025 Second Team)
Nick Strusowski, Ursinus, Jr., DB (2025 Second Team)
Jason Bernard, Ursinus, Sr., RB (2025 Honorable Mention)
