2026 D3football.com Preseason Poll 

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – The Saint John's University football team was ranked No. 11 in D3football.com's Preseason Top 25 poll released Monday, July 20.

Six teams in NCAA Region 6 were ranked in the top 25, all in the top 12: Bethel (No. 2), Wisconsin-Platteville (No. 6), Wisconsin-River Falls (No. 7), Wisconsin-La Crosse (No. 10), SJU (No. 11) and Wisconsin-Whitewater (No. 12). Wisconsin-Oshkosh (39), Linfield (33), Chapman (13), Whitworth (7) and Wisconsin-Stout (4) received votes.

SJU was ranked No. 9 earlier this month in Lindy's Division III Preseason Top 10 poll.

SJU has now been ranked in D3football.com's top 25 in 139-consecutive polls (preseason, weeks 1-11, final). The last time the Johnnies were not ranked in the top 25 was in Week 3 of the 2014 season. The program has an average ranking of 8.18 since. Not counting the 2020-21 season that was ravaged by COVID-19, D3football.com has published 285 national polls since the ranking was established in 2003. SJU has been ranked in the top 25 in 230 of those, including 96 in the top five, 180 in the top 10 and 217 in the top 20.    

The Johnnies report to campus on Wednesday, Aug. 12, with their first practice scheduled for 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 13. SJU begins the 2026 season by hosting No. 10 Wisconsin-La Crosse for a 1 p.m. kickoff Sept. 5 in Clemens Stadium and welcomes No. 2 Bethel to Collegeville Oct. 3 as part of Family Weekend.

SJU in the D3football.com Preseason Poll (established 2004)
2026: No. 11
2025: No. 5
2024: No. 14
2023: No. 6
2022: No. 5
2021: No. 6
2020: No Poll
2019: No. 3 
2018: No. 11
2017: No. 10
2016: No. 9
2015: No. 9
2014: votes
2013: ---
2012: votes
2011: No. 25
2010: No. 9
2009: No. 13
2008: No. 6
2007: No. 3
2006: No. 4
2005: No. 10
2004: No. 2