D3football.com Poll – Week 1

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Saint John's University moved up three spots to No. 8 in the first D3football.com Top 25 poll of the 2026 regular season released on Sunday, Sept. 6.

Seven teams in NCAA Region 6 were ranked in the top 25, all in the top 20: Wisconsin-Platteville (No. 4), Bethel (No. 5), Wisconsin-River Falls (No. 6), SJU (No. 8), Wisconsin-Whitewater (No. 11), Wisconsin-La Crosse (No. 12) and Linfield (No. 22). Whitworth (8) and Wisconsin-Stout (7) received votes.

SJU (1-0 overall) totaled 447 yards of offense and held off then-No. 10 Wisconsin-La Crosse for a 24-21, season-opening win Saturday (Sept. 5) in front of 11,871 spectators at Clemens Stadium. Senior quarterback Trey Feeney (Moorhead, Minn.) finished 36 of 51 passing for 386 yards and three touchdowns (to one interception). A pair of senior wideouts, Thomas Jacobs (seven catches for 96 yards; Lakeland, Minn./Stillwater Area) and Riley Schwellenbach (four catches for 91 yards; Woodbury, Minn./East Ridge), fell just short of 100 receiving yards on the day. 

The Johnnies return from their bye to host Hamline (1-0 overall) for the MIAC opener at 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 19, in Collegeville.