RUSSELLVILLE, AR — Defending NCAA Division II finalist Harding is the choice atop the 2026 Great American Conference preseason football coaches' poll, as released by the conference Tuesday ahead of the GAC Media Days. The Bisons, led by new head coach Roddy Mote, received all 11 eligible first-place votes.
Henderson State was projected to finish fourth, behind Harding, Ouachita Baptist, and Southern Arkansas.
Ouachita Baptist received the remaining first-place vote, placing second in a tight pack just ahead of Southern Arkansas and the Reddies. Arkansas Tech, East Central, Southwestern Oklahoma State, and Southeastern Oklahoma State form the middle tier of the poll. Arkansas-Monticello, Oklahoma Baptist, Southern Nazarene, and Northwestern Oklahoma State round out the voting.
HSU finished 8-3 in 2025, punctuated by a 41-14 win against Ouachita Baptist in the 98th Battle of the Ravine. Coach Greg Holsworth's squad returns 10 starters from last year's team and will be led offensively by quarterback Austin Ledbetter. The signal caller will be surrounded by weapons, including receivers Taylin Paskel and Maddox Davis, as well as an experienced offensive line that returns four starters, including All-GAC center Gabe Hernandez.
The Reddie defense looks to build on its 2025 performance, a year in which it ranked second in the conference in scoring defense. Returning safeties Lanard Harris and Bryant Hammond II look to bolster a unit that boasted 17 takeaways last season.
Henderson State opens its 2026 slate on Thursday, September 3rd in Bethany, Oklahoma against Southern Nazarene. The Reddies' home opener will be Saturday, September 12th against Oklahoma Baptist. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. The full HSU football schedule can be found here.
