LATROBE, Pa. - The Bethany College football team has been picked to finish eleventh in the Presidents' Athletic Conference Preseason Poll as voted on by PAC coaches, sports information directors, and members of the media at the 2026 PAC Media Day hosted by Saint Vincent (Pa.) College.

First-year head coach David Blake and junior All-PAC quarterback Brett Phillips (Wheeling, W.Va./Wheeling Park) represented the Bison at this season's Media Day and took part in the twelve-team press conference. The Bison's portion of the interview can be viewed in the video above and the full press conference can be found on the PAC Sports Network.

Among the Green and White's PAC Players to Watch were junior defensive back Blaike Adams (Parsons, W.Va./Tucker County), sophomore Academic All-PAC defensive lineman Wyatt Conner (Kimbolton, Ohio/Buckeye Trail), junior All-PAC punter/kicker Caden Langley (Wellsburg, W.Va./Brooke), sophomore Academic All-PAC offensive lineman Stephen Naputi (Kearneysville, W.Va./Washington), and sophomore offensive lineman Nick Stuchell (Jeannette, Pa.).

After being selected to finish tenth in last season's poll, the Bison received one first-place vote and 79 total points to place eleventh ahead of the 2026 season. The defending conference champion, Washington & Jefferson (Pa.) College, took home the top spot with 497 points and 37 first-place votes. Grove City (Pa.) College came in second with five first-place votes and 453 points, while Westminster (Pa.) College earned three first-place votes and totaled 395 points. Case Western Reserve (Ohio) University placed fourth with 361 points and Geneva (Pa.) College rounded out the top five with 339 points.

2026 PAC Football Preseason Poll
School - Points (First Place Votes)
    1. Washington & Jefferson - 497 (37)
    2. Grove City - 453 (5)
    3. Westminster - 395 (3)
    4. Case Western Reserve - 361
    5. Geneva - 339
    6. Allegheny - 250
    7. Waynesburg - 222
    8. Saint Vincent - 201
    9. Hiram - 152
    10. Thiel - 87
    11. Bethany - 79 (1)
    Saint Francis - Ineligible for PAC Championship as school transitions from Division I

The Bison open the 2026 season on Saturday, Sep. 5 as they travel to Sewanee, Tennessee, to take on Sewanee: The University of the South at 1 p.m. Central time at McGee Field at Harris Stadium.